Blair CAP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have had two kids go through CAP. CAP kids are not all the same, of course! I’ve known some who were very into theater (neither of mine) and those who were brilliant at math; those who are extroverts and chatty, and others who are quiet observers. What they have in common is curiosity, diligence, and a real interest in learning and discussion. In the program they learn to step outside their comfort zones (drama and public speaking), master new skills (video editing, debate) and work collaboratively (lots of small group projects). College placement tends to be very good. There are CAP kids who take high level STEM classes at Blair and end up as math and science majors because that’s where their primary interest lies, but they’ve become excellent writers and speakers while in high school. I’m a big fan of the program.

PP here. I meant to also mention that many CAP kids are varsity athletes, too. It takes good time management skills to handle the course load plus the commitment of a sport (with games or practices 6 days a week), but it’s quite common. There are also accomplished musicians and dancers in CAP. I didn't know any band kids but don't think there would be any reason a student couldn't do both band and CAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a 9th grader in the CAP program and really likes it. The best part is having a cohort of 25 students that take 4 classes together in freshman year - he is really bonding with his group. CAP now has about 100 students for this year. New parent so I don't know how CAP is now compared to previous years.

We are considering the CAP program because several of my kids' friends are considering it, too. My question is what classes make up CAP? As a 9th grader, can you be in CAP as well at French 4, Band, Alg 2, and AP Gov? We don't want academics to suffer and don't want to miss out on foreign language and band.

The required courses are posted on the website.

Thank you. I haven't found them—just the general description. It's supposed to be an honors program but kids only need to maintain a 2.75 GPA. That doesn't sound right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a 9th grader in the CAP program and really likes it. The best part is having a cohort of 25 students that take 4 classes together in freshman year - he is really bonding with his group. CAP now has about 100 students for this year. New parent so I don't know how CAP is now compared to previous years.

We are considering the CAP program because several of my kids' friends are considering it, too. My question is what classes make up CAP? As a 9th grader, can you be in CAP as well at French 4, Band, Alg 2, and AP Gov? We don't want academics to suffer and don't want to miss out on foreign language and band.

Yes you can take level 4 language, band, honors algebra 2 as a freshman in cap. All Blair students take US History before government though and the course is part of the CAP sequence. The CAP courses freshman year are English, US History, Drama, Photgraphy/Scriptwriting

I will check the website. So APUSH first? I don't think band would fit as even with an extra hour, she would need to squeeze in science.

They take 8 classes so science also but will need to fit in required electives at some point. CAP students take a special version of US History but it’s not AP because it’s interdisciplinary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a 9th grader in the CAP program and really likes it. The best part is having a cohort of 25 students that take 4 classes together in freshman year - he is really bonding with his group. CAP now has about 100 students for this year. New parent so I don't know how CAP is now compared to previous years.

We are considering the CAP program because several of my kids' friends are considering it, too. My question is what classes make up CAP? As a 9th grader, can you be in CAP as well at French 4, Band, Alg 2, and AP Gov? We don't want academics to suffer and don't want to miss out on foreign language and band.

The required courses are posted on the website.

Thank you. I haven't found them—just the general description. It's supposed to be an honors program but kids only need to maintain a 2.75 GPA. That doesn't sound right.

That is the minimum requirement to apply but no one is getting in with a 2.75 especially now. It’s a very strong group of students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a 9th grader in the CAP program and really likes it. The best part is having a cohort of 25 students that take 4 classes together in freshman year - he is really bonding with his group. CAP now has about 100 students for this year. New parent so I don't know how CAP is now compared to previous years.

We are considering the CAP program because several of my kids' friends are considering it, too. My question is what classes make up CAP? As a 9th grader, can you be in CAP as well at French 4, Band, Alg 2, and AP Gov? We don't want academics to suffer and don't want to miss out on foreign language and band.

Yes you can take level 4 language, band, honors algebra 2 as a freshman in cap. All Blair students take US History before government though and the course is part of the CAP sequence. The CAP courses freshman year are English, US History, Drama, Photgraphy/Scriptwriting

I will check the website. So APUSH first? I don't think band would fit as even with an extra hour, she would need to squeeze in science.

They take 8 classes so science also but will need to fit in required electives at some point. CAP students take a special version of US History but it’s not AP because it’s interdisciplinary.

Do they still sit for the AP exam?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a 9th grader in the CAP program and really likes it. The best part is having a cohort of 25 students that take 4 classes together in freshman year - he is really bonding with his group. CAP now has about 100 students for this year. New parent so I don't know how CAP is now compared to previous years.

We are considering the CAP program because several of my kids' friends are considering it, too. My question is what classes make up CAP? As a 9th grader, can you be in CAP as well at French 4, Band, Alg 2, and AP Gov? We don't want academics to suffer and don't want to miss out on foreign language and band.

Yes you can take level 4 language, band, honors algebra 2 as a freshman in cap. All Blair students take US History before government though and the course is part of the CAP sequence. The CAP courses freshman year are English, US History, Drama, Photgraphy/Scriptwriting

I will check the website. So APUSH first? I don't think band would fit as even with an extra hour, she would need to squeeze in science.

They take 8 classes so science also but will need to fit in required electives at some point. CAP students take a special version of US History but it’s not AP because it’s interdisciplinary.

Do they still sit for the AP exam?

No.

[Anonymous]

Do regular Blair kids take 7 or 8 classes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a 9th grader in the CAP program and really likes it. The best part is having a cohort of 25 students that take 4 classes together in freshman year - he is really bonding with his group. CAP now has about 100 students for this year. New parent so I don't know how CAP is now compared to previous years.

We are considering the CAP program because several of my kids' friends are considering it, too. My question is what classes make up CAP? As a 9th grader, can you be in CAP as well at French 4, Band, Alg 2, and AP Gov? We don't want academics to suffer and don't want to miss out on foreign language and band.

Yes you can take level 4 language, band, honors algebra 2 as a freshman in cap. All Blair students take US History before government though and the course is part of the CAP sequence. The CAP courses freshman year are English, US History, Drama, Photgraphy/Scriptwriting

I will check the website. So APUSH first? I don't think band would fit as even with an extra hour, she would need to squeeze in science.

They take 8 classes so science also but will need to fit in required electives at some point. CAP students take a special version of US History but it’s not AP because it’s interdisciplinary.

Do they still sit for the AP exam?

Yes, AP NSL, AP World History, and I believe AP Language and Composition are required for CAP. I'm not sure if AP Lit is or not. DD is a junior in CAP and also took AP Physics, currently taking AP Calc, and AP Computer Science. You can basically take any AP classes that are offered at Blair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a 9th grader in the CAP program and really likes it. The best part is having a cohort of 25 students that take 4 classes together in freshman year - he is really bonding with his group. CAP now has about 100 students for this year. New parent so I don't know how CAP is now compared to previous years.

We are considering the CAP program because several of my kids' friends are considering it, too. My question is what classes make up CAP? As a 9th grader, can you be in CAP as well at French 4, Band, Alg 2, and AP Gov? We don't want academics to suffer and don't want to miss out on foreign language and band.

Yes you can take level 4 language, band, honors algebra 2 as a freshman in cap. All Blair students take US History before government though and the course is part of the CAP sequence. The CAP courses freshman year are English, US History, Drama, Photgraphy/Scriptwriting

I will check the website. So APUSH first? I don't think band would fit as even with an extra hour, she would need to squeeze in science.

They take 8 classes so science also but will need to fit in required electives at some point. CAP students take a special version of US History but it’s not AP because it’s interdisciplinary.

Do they still sit for the AP exam?

Incorrect. CAP 10th graders take AP Gov with their CAP cohort, and 11th graders take AP World with their CAP cohort, and as with every AP class at Blair, students are encouraged to sit for the exam (and most do), but not required to do so. CAP 9th graders have historically taken CAP honors US history in 9th grade — which is not AP. But I don’t know what next year’s 9th graders will be offered. Blair didn’t offer APUSH at all in the past (whether or not you’re in CAP) but I think that may be changing.

— parent of two older CAP students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a 9th grader in the CAP program and really likes it. The best part is having a cohort of 25 students that take 4 classes together in freshman year - he is really bonding with his group. CAP now has about 100 students for this year. New parent so I don't know how CAP is now compared to previous years.

We are considering the CAP program because several of my kids' friends are considering it, too. My question is what classes make up CAP? As a 9th grader, can you be in CAP as well at French 4, Band, Alg 2, and AP Gov? We don't want academics to suffer and don't want to miss out on foreign language and band.

Yes you can take level 4 language, band, honors algebra 2 as a freshman in cap. All Blair students take US History before government though and the course is part of the CAP sequence. The CAP courses freshman year are English, US History, Drama, Photgraphy/Scriptwriting

I will check the website. So APUSH first? I don't think band would fit as even with an extra hour, she would need to squeeze in science.

They take 8 classes so science also but will need to fit in required electives at some point. CAP students take a special version of US History but it’s not AP because it’s interdisciplinary.

Do they still sit for the AP exam?

Incorrect. CAP 10th graders take AP Gov with their CAP cohort, and 11th graders take AP World with their CAP cohort, and as with every AP class at Blair, students are encouraged to sit for the exam (and most do), but not required to do so. CAP 9th graders have historically taken CAP honors US history in 9th grade — which is not AP. But I don’t know what next year’s 9th graders will be offered. Blair didn’t offer APUSH at all in the past (whether or not you’re in CAP) but I think that may be changing.

— parent of two older CAP students

Blair doesn't offer APUSH? That is so bizarre to me. MCPS says that every school offers the same courses and that is not true.

It is also strange that an honors magnet program would only have an honors-level cohort and not an AP-level cohort for Hist/Gov Freshman year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is a 9th grader in the CAP program and really likes it. The best part is having a cohort of 25 students that take 4 classes together in freshman year - he is really bonding with his group. CAP now has about 100 students for this year. New parent so I don't know how CAP is now compared to previous years.

We are considering the CAP program because several of my kids' friends are considering it, too. My question is what classes make up CAP? As a 9th grader, can you be in CAP as well at French 4, Band, Alg 2, and AP Gov? We don't want academics to suffer and don't want to miss out on foreign language and band.

Yes you can take level 4 language, band, honors algebra 2 as a freshman in cap. All Blair students take US History before government though and the course is part of the CAP sequence. The CAP courses freshman year are English, US History, Drama, Photgraphy/Scriptwriting

I will check the website. So APUSH first? I don't think band would fit as even with an extra hour, she would need to squeeze in science.

They take 8 classes so science also but will need to fit in required electives at some point. CAP students take a special version of US History but it’s not AP because it’s interdisciplinary.

Do they still sit for the AP exam?

Incorrect. CAP 10th graders take AP Gov with their CAP cohort, and 11th graders take AP World with their CAP cohort, and as with every AP class at Blair, students are encouraged to sit for the exam (and most do), but not required to do so. CAP 9th graders have historically taken CAP honors US history in 9th grade — which is not AP. But I don’t know what next year’s 9th graders will be offered. Blair didn’t offer APUSH at all in the past (whether or not you’re in CAP) but I think that may be changing.

— parent of two older CAP students

Blair doesn't offer APUSH? That is so bizarre to me. MCPS says that every school offers the same courses and that is not true.

It is also strange that an honors magnet program would only have an honors-level cohort and not an AP-level cohort for Hist/Gov Freshman year.

Blair has always offered APUSH but not for 9th graders. This is changing and it will be open to 9th graders next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do regular Blair kids take 7 or 8 classes?

The majority of Blair kids take 7 classes. CAP & STEM take 8

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do regular Blair kids take 7 or 8 classes?

The majority of Blair kids take 7 classes. CAP & STEM take 8

CAP and STEM take 8 so that the magnet buses running from Takoma and Eastern can pick up the Blair magnet kids and distribute them all over the county. By ending at 3:25, this aligns the HS schedule with the MS schedule. Like PP said, for CAP, the 8th period is required but afterwards it’s not mandatory. But if you don’t live nearby or can’t take public transportation and you’re dependent ont DH magnet buses, then you might want to take an 8th period. DD is in CAP and took 8 periods in 9th and 11th. Senior year she will only take 7 classes so she has more down time to do a sport or other activities.

[Anonymous]

If you are doing it because you love the program (and it’s good!), I think it is great. If you are doing it for a leg up in college admissions, I’d think twice. Pretty average outcomes in that regard. I was surprised given the way they promote themselves. Do your research.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do regular Blair kids take 7 or 8 classes?

The majority of Blair kids take 7 classes. CAP & STEM take 8

CAP and STEM take 8 so that the magnet buses running from Takoma and Eastern can pick up the Blair magnet kids and distribute them all over the county. By ending at 3:25, this aligns the HS schedule with the MS schedule. Like PP said, for CAP, the 8th period is required but afterwards it’s not mandatory. But if you don’t live nearby or can’t take public transportation and you’re dependent ont DH magnet buses, then you might want to take an 8th period. DD is in CAP and took 8 periods in 9th and 11th. Senior year she will only take 7 classes so she has more down time to do a sport or other activities.

So want time do after school activities start? 3:25? What do non magnet/CAP students do between the end of their day and the start of afterschool stuff? Weird set up.