Are magnets worth it for college admission?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m getting so tired of all these posts asking if they do XYZ, have a pointy EC blah blah blah, will their kid get into college? The way the US college application system is rigged, getting into a top school is basically a lottery. Don’t make your kids miserable telling them to do stuff to get into college. Don’t make college such a huge pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Kids should do the magnets if they want to learn the content that’s being taught in the magnet or if they need a challenge and a cohort of students similarly situated. Whether it’s worth it schlepping on a bus, having long days, hyper focusing on a subject matter, no one knows except your kid, OP.

If you are getting tired of it, then maybe stop reading it?

16:41 PP here. Yeah, fair response. Sorry, I follow this forum because I have two kids in MCPS magnets and one who’ll be going the non-magnet route and I usually do have something to contribute to this forum, I promise. I’m just jaded from the current college application cycle!

college admissions can make anyone feel snappish, for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t do magnet for college admission purposes. Some kids need more. If your kid is one of those then yes. If not, go to home school.

When you drop, it also helps open up spots on the waiting list for my kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've always thought of magnets as NEGATIVES for college admission. Colleges compare you with others at the same school. No university wants to admit 50-100 from the same school, no matter how good the school.

Yes, more magnet kids get in to top schools, but that's because magnets have the best and brightest students in the county. If their admissions procedures are at all reasonable (and I think they are), then I would expect almost ALL magnet kids who apply to top colleges to get in. That doesn't happen.

OP here. Yes, agree. And yes, I realize that being in a magnet should be about the student needing that challenge, but for college admissions, it's clear being in a magnet can work against a high achieving student at a magnet.

I suppose that's possible but how is it "clear"? When my kid graduated she had a dozen or so close friends. 1 went to P, a couple went to Cornell, 1 Yale, 1 (or two can't remember) went to Berkeley, a few got BK scholarship and ended up at UMD, 1 WashU, 1 Harvey Mudd... They all ended up fine.

And looking at the college admissions published by Bethesda Beat Blair has the most impressive track record of any MCPS HS so it can't be all bad.

[Anonymous]

It's not about the college admissions.

[Anonymous]

Here is the deal with magnets. They were set up for the top kids who are self motivated, extremely smart, and have vigorous work ethics. A magnet’s homework should be similar to an average kid taking some regular, honors, and maybe 1 AP. If a magnet kid took that schedule they wouldn’t be pushed hard enough and bored. But put them in the magnet and they have some rigor, can handle it and enjoys it.

The problem is most parents WANT their kids to be magnet kids and see kids getting easy A’s in an easy public school district with inflated grading system, and think their kid can easily be a magnet kid. That is where the problem is.

And then you get magnet kids that are yes, smart but not “can handle magnet” smart and they are overwhelmed. Long nights studying, limited sleep, stopping some EC’s, and stressing about school. And those parents keep them in magnet thinking it is worth it.

Your kid must WANT to go. Want to leave a covert of friends because they strive for more rigor. Looking forward to it and can work and handle the classes.

If they are on the fence, it is only because of the pressure of parents. And some are straight up forced to go. If there are enough AP courses and EC’s to satisfy your child and they aren’t that interested in magnet, don’t send them.

I think more regret going than those that decide not to go.

[Anonymous]

PP 18:59- I largely disagree. My kids’ friends are all happy they attended. They wanted to be there and my older one made what it seems like are life long friends. They all loved the program and some sacrificed a lot to participate in the program (eg 5:30 am wake-up). Younger one probably is making life long friends as well.

I think if the family chooses the program for the right reasons, peer cohort, access to speciality classes and takes into account all the factors which go into a high school experience and make a decision based on that they are happy. If they are forced into the program from a prestige perspective then it’s not going to work out well. I think that goes for a lot in life not just HS.

Alternatively, I think it’s largely bunk to say oh my kid won’t be challenged in a regular HS. Many “regular” HS have signature programs and after freshman year there aren’t many gateways for those that aren’t in them. Please tell me that a child taking AP BC Calculus as a junior/ AP Chem/ AP Physics/ AP Seminar/ AP Spanish etc at a “regular school” won’t be challenged and that their schedule is “easy” to a magnet. Please. It’s not true.

Some decide they want to stay at their local school because of friends, commute, activities whatever even after getting acceptances. These kids are going to do fine. The ones in magnet will largely do fine.

Do what works for your family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t do magnet for college admission purposes. Some kids need more. If your kid is one of those then yes. If not, go to home school. [/quote

+1 Parent of current SMAC student. We had DC apply to the magnet because the home schools weren't able to meet DC's needs or interests academically -- not because we wanted to improve college admission odds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m getting so tired of all these posts asking if they do XYZ, have a pointy EC blah blah blah, will their kid get into college? The way the US college application system is rigged, getting into a top school is basically a lottery. Don’t make your kids miserable telling them to do stuff to get into college. Don’t make college such a huge pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Kids should do the magnets if they want to learn the content that’s being taught in the magnet or if they need a challenge and a cohort of students similarly situated. Whether it’s worth it schlepping on a bus, having long days, hyper focusing on a subject matter, no one knows except your kid, OP.

+1 PP SMAC parent. It's a huge commitment to get up early to catch the bus and come in later than other HS kids (Blair kids have an extra class) and to have more homework. You do it because it fits the child's interests and needs, not because of an imagined idea that being in the magnet will help with college admissions. Pushing your child to do something they aren't interested in or aren't ready for is more likely to harm them than help them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m getting so tired of all these posts asking if they do XYZ, have a pointy EC blah blah blah, will their kid get into college? The way the US college application system is rigged, getting into a top school is basically a lottery. Don’t make your kids miserable telling them to do stuff to get into college. Don’t make college such a huge pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Kids should do the magnets if they want to learn the content that’s being taught in the magnet or if they need a challenge and a cohort of students similarly situated. Whether it’s worth it schlepping on a bus, having long days, hyper focusing on a subject matter, no one knows except your kid, OP.

+1 PP SMAC parent. It's a huge commitment to get up early to catch the bus and come in later than other HS kids (Blair kids have an extra class) and to have more homework. You do it because it fits the child's interests and needs, not because of an imagined idea that being in the magnet will help with college admissions. Pushing your child to do something they aren't interested in or aren't ready for is more likely to harm them than help them.

Imagine that! Back in my day we took classes like AP because we'd learn more. We didn't get extra grade points even. In fact, half the people ahead of me in class rank never took a single AP or honors class. I expected that colleges would sort it out. Judging by Blairs college admission stats though it seems like that is still true today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m getting so tired of all these posts asking if they do XYZ, have a pointy EC blah blah blah, will their kid get into college? The way the US college application system is rigged, getting into a top school is basically a lottery. Don’t make your kids miserable telling them to do stuff to get into college. Don’t make college such a huge pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Kids should do the magnets if they want to learn the content that’s being taught in the magnet or if they need a challenge and a cohort of students similarly situated. Whether it’s worth it schlepping on a bus, having long days, hyper focusing on a subject matter, no one knows except your kid, OP.

+1 PP SMAC parent. It's a huge commitment to get up early to catch the bus and come in later than other HS kids (Blair kids have an extra class) and to have more homework. You do it because it fits the child's interests and needs, not because of an imagined idea that being in the magnet will help with college admissions. Pushing your child to do something they aren't interested in or aren't ready for is more likely to harm them than help them.

Wholeheartedly. Mom of a PHS SMACS Soph. My kid likes to get up early, she cannot wait to get to school, she goes even when sick, she adores her teachers, get's all 4.0's without too much strain, has a social life, and excels in Science and Math. This school literally has her name on it. She needs this school because the regular feeder school could not keep up with her. They did try and sent her to the grade above for classes but that made her an oddity. She does want to go to MIT and other top-notch colleges but not because she is a magnet kid. It would be because of all the initiatives, projects, leadership experiences, and her drive to know more, ask questions, find the truth, dig a little deeper, and explore and find the unknown. That is why she would get there if anything. Sadly, a lot of her classmates were "forced" to go there and do not like math or science much and they lack passion. She gets so tired of working with dead weight.

[Anonymous]

The annual post where someone tries to convince others to drop out in order to make room on the wait list for their children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The annual post where someone tries to convince others to drop out in order to make room on the wait list for their children.

Haha. My kid is a senior in a stem magnet. To answer the question, magnets possibly a negative for college admissions. Same kid will do better in home school if admissions is the criteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not about the college admissions.

for most people it is

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The annual post where someone tries to convince others to drop out in order to make room on the wait list for their children.

Haha. My kid is a senior in a stem magnet. To answer the question, magnets possibly a negative for college admissions. Same kid will do better in home school if admissions is the criteria.

except colleges familiar with the program will consider it far more rigorous and weight it accordingly so much better chances of admission to an elite college which is slim to begin with but still better than home school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not about the college admissions.

for most people it is

For my kid (and us), it was not. We knew from the outset that we couldn't afford to send DC to a full-pay elite school, so despite his qualifications, he didn't apply. He went to UMD-CP in the Honors program and did very well.

Lots of Blair magnet kids go to UMD-CP. LOTS.