Poolsville SMACS program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
A magnet student will take something like 16 magnet classes in addition to APs. Colleges do not treat honors classes as comparable to APs but they do treat magnet classes as comparable. A magnet student will have a higher GPA using that scale than what would be possible for a student just taking APs at their home school.

I am all for going for the sake of learning. I don't really care if a more advanced course is not counted as an AP. Yet what you said interests me. How is this done logistically? Do colleges manually adjust the weight of "Linear Algebra" or "Discrete Math" to be AP like?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this program in any ways helpful to get better college or scholarships?

Kids get into top colleges and scholarships based on their own abilities rather than the programs they are in. A student who could attend SMACS will do just as well at a different magnet, in IBDP, in AP, or attending another specialty program.

Colleges use metrics like GPA to determine merit. A typical magnet student will be credited with more AP-caliber classes than a student at their home school taking just APs.

What? Are you trying to say that a magnet student takes more AP classes? This may be true, but they would also take a lot of AP classes if they were just at their home school. Or are you trying to say that somehow magnet AP classes count for more than "regular" AP classes, which is just untrue.

Colleges also don't just use whatever the district's GPA/WGPA calculations are. They recalculate using their own formulas to have something comparable across districts. In MCPS Honors, AP, IB, and classes designated "Advanced" all earn 1.0 quality point bump in WGPA. No difference based on type of advanced course.

Yes, that's exactly why a magnet student has a higher threshold than what is possible for a student who is at their home school. They have access to additional AP-caliber classes.

A Lot more work and dedication required to thrive in the SMACS magnet.

The SMaCS program is also an extended day program. Instead of 7 periods, this program has 8... running almost an hour later than a normal HS day. Not only do the students take a high number of AP classes, they get an additional 8 semesters in HS where they can pursue electives they are interested in (and/or take even more AP classes). It's a grind for sure, but for students with a strong sense of time management it can be quite rewarding. A number of students in this program are actually eligible to graduate in their junior year (with a few check boxes taken care of in summer school). My kid started the program with 4 HS credits from MS program and had 20 of 22 required credits at the of sophomore year. Could have graduated really early, but everyone needs a senior year

Does anyone choose the option to graduate early? Is it even a possibility?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this program in any ways helpful to get better college or scholarships?

Kids get into top colleges and scholarships based on their own abilities rather than the programs they are in. A student who could attend SMACS will do just as well at a different magnet, in IBDP, in AP, or attending another specialty program.

Colleges use metrics like GPA to determine merit. A typical magnet student will be credited with more AP-caliber classes than a student at their home school taking just APs.

What? Are you trying to say that a magnet student takes more AP classes? This may be true, but they would also take a lot of AP classes if they were just at their home school. Or are you trying to say that somehow magnet AP classes count for more than "regular" AP classes, which is just untrue.

Colleges also don't just use whatever the district's GPA/WGPA calculations are. They recalculate using their own formulas to have something comparable across districts. In MCPS Honors, AP, IB, and classes designated "Advanced" all earn 1.0 quality point bump in WGPA. No difference based on type of advanced course.

Yes, that's exactly why a magnet student has a higher threshold than what is possible for a student who is at their home school. They have access to additional AP-caliber classes.

A Lot more work and dedication required to thrive in the SMACS magnet.

The SMaCS program is also an extended day program. Instead of 7 periods, this program has 8... running almost an hour later than a normal HS day. Not only do the students take a high number of AP classes, they get an additional 8 semesters in HS where they can pursue electives they are interested in (and/or take even more AP classes). It's a grind for sure, but for students with a strong sense of time management it can be quite rewarding. A number of students in this program are actually eligible to graduate in their junior year (with a few check boxes taken care of in summer school). My kid started the program with 4 HS credits from MS program and had 20 of 22 required credits at the of sophomore year. Could have graduated really early, but everyone needs a senior year

Does anyone choose the option to graduate early? Is it even a possibility?

You will not get the House certificate. the required internship is between junior and senior year and then they have to take Research Project B. You can graduate MCPS early but you cannot graduate SMCS early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this program in any ways helpful to get better college or scholarships?

Kids get into top colleges and scholarships based on their own abilities rather than the programs they are in. A student who could attend SMACS will do just as well at a different magnet, in IBDP, in AP, or attending another specialty program.

Colleges use metrics like GPA to determine merit. A typical magnet student will be credited with more AP-caliber classes than a student at their home school taking just APs.

What? Are you trying to say that a magnet student takes more AP classes? This may be true, but they would also take a lot of AP classes if they were just at their home school. Or are you trying to say that somehow magnet AP classes count for more than "regular" AP classes, which is just untrue.

Colleges also don't just use whatever the district's GPA/WGPA calculations are. They recalculate using their own formulas to have something comparable across districts. In MCPS Honors, AP, IB, and classes designated "Advanced" all earn 1.0 quality point bump in WGPA. No difference based on type of advanced course.

Yes, that's exactly why a magnet student has a higher threshold than what is possible for a student who is at their home school. They have access to additional AP-caliber classes.

A Lot more work and dedication required to thrive in the SMACS magnet.

The SMaCS program is also an extended day program. Instead of 7 periods, this program has 8... running almost an hour later than a normal HS day. Not only do the students take a high number of AP classes, they get an additional 8 semesters in HS where they can pursue electives they are interested in (and/or take even more AP classes). It's a grind for sure, but for students with a strong sense of time management it can be quite rewarding. A number of students in this program are actually eligible to graduate in their junior year (with a few check boxes taken care of in summer school). My kid started the program with 4 HS credits from MS program and had 20 of 22 required credits at the of sophomore year. Could have graduated really early, but everyone needs a senior year

Does anyone choose the option to graduate early? Is it even a possibility?

You will not get the House certificate. the required internship is between junior and senior year and then they have to take Research Project B. You can graduate MCPS early but you cannot graduate SMCS early.

So you end up in Hufflepuff?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
A magnet student will take something like 16 magnet classes in addition to APs. Colleges do not treat honors classes as comparable to APs but they do treat magnet classes as comparable. A magnet student will have a higher GPA using that scale than what would be possible for a student just taking APs at their home school.

I am all for going for the sake of learning. I don't really care if a more advanced course is not counted as an AP. Yet what you said interests me. How is this done logistically? Do colleges manually adjust the weight of "Linear Algebra" or "Discrete Math" to be AP like?

My understanding is they do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What if your kid likes math but not computers?

Math is usually what kids find challenging. Computer stuff can be learned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this program in any ways helpful to get better college or scholarships?

It's a great program. Some even say it's the 2nd best STEM program in the county!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this program in any ways helpful to get better college or scholarships?

Kids get into top colleges and scholarships based on their own abilities rather than the programs they are in. A student who could attend SMACS will do just as well at a different magnet, in IBDP, in AP, or attending another specialty program.

Colleges use metrics like GPA to determine merit. A typical magnet student will be credited with more AP-caliber classes than a student at their home school taking just APs.

What? Are you trying to say that a magnet student takes more AP classes? This may be true, but they would also take a lot of AP classes if they were just at their home school. Or are you trying to say that somehow magnet AP classes count for more than "regular" AP classes, which is just untrue.

Colleges also don't just use whatever the district's GPA/WGPA calculations are. They recalculate using their own formulas to have something comparable across districts. In MCPS Honors, AP, IB, and classes designated "Advanced" all earn 1.0 quality point bump in WGPA. No difference based on type of advanced course.

Yes, that's exactly why a magnet student has a higher threshold than what is possible for a student who is at their home school. They have access to additional AP-caliber classes.

A Lot more work and dedication required to thrive in the SMACS magnet.

The SMaCS program is also an extended day program. Instead of 7 periods, this program has 8... running almost an hour later than a normal HS day. Not only do the students take a high number of AP classes, they get an additional 8 semesters in HS where they can pursue electives they are interested in (and/or take even more AP classes). It's a grind for sure, but for students with a strong sense of time management it can be quite rewarding. A number of students in this program are actually eligible to graduate in their junior year (with a few check boxes taken care of in summer school). My kid started the program with 4 HS credits from MS program and had 20 of 22 required credits at the of sophomore year. Could have graduated really early, but everyone needs a senior year

Does anyone choose the option to graduate early? Is it even a possibility?

You will not get the House certificate. the required internship is between junior and senior year and then they have to take Research Project B. You can graduate MCPS early but you cannot graduate SMCS early.

So you end up in Hufflepuff?

Our family actually does joke about this all the time SMCS is Slytherin and Humanities is Ravenclaw. Somehow Global gets to be Gryffindor!