Entry parameters / standards for Blair CAP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Almost everyone we know who applied got in but these are all good students who presumably have As in their English class.

+1
Everyone DC knows who wanted to get in got in.

[Anonymous]

I want to clarify that not everyone got in first round but they got in first round or off the wait list before the start of 9th. It is actually mostly MC/UMC white families from Takoma Park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC was invited to the communications magnet at Eastern but chose another MS program (with which we are very happy, btw, so no immediate regrets). What impact might _not_ attending Eastern have on DC's admissions chances for the CAP program at Blair? It's not so much about turning down the Eastern slot, but rather about DC not having the educational background in communications arts that Eastern necessarily provides. Will good grades in the humanities in general be enough for DC to compete for a spot? What else might the CAP program be looking for, and what do folks know about the odds for admission? (The information from MCPS and on the CAP website is pretty limited.) TIA!

We also declined the Eastern magnet, but were not selected for CAP. He had a tough fall and got a couple of Bs. He didn't have his heart set on it, so doesn't really mind, and he is excited about choosing classes at Blair.

I do feel bad for kids who really want some of these programs and are not selected, but they'll turn out fine in the end. Schools like Blair have a ton of interesting classes and plenty of APs. They get the same science classes CAP gets, and the same English and Social Studies SMAC gets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid got into CAP from the TPMS stem magnet and so did a number of their friends. In fact, we knew so many kids who got into CAP that it's hard to believe there are only 100ish freshmen. That said, we also know of kids who should have gotten in and did not, so the whole formula is a mystery. I do think a lot of CAP kids decline for other magnets (STEM, Wheaton, RMIB, or just to say no) so the waitlist moves a lot. We declined.

The CAP program is mostly made up of upper middle class over confident white kids from Takoma Park. If that’s your family, then you’ll know a lot of kids that got in. They are a definite “type”.

What a nice thing to say about kids! You are a gem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid got into CAP from the TPMS stem magnet and so did a number of their friends. In fact, we knew so many kids who got into CAP that it's hard to believe there are only 100ish freshmen. That said, we also know of kids who should have gotten in and did not, so the whole formula is a mystery. I do think a lot of CAP kids decline for other magnets (STEM, Wheaton, RMIB, or just to say no) so the waitlist moves a lot. We declined.

The CAP program is mostly made up of upper middle class over confident white kids from Takoma Park. If that’s your family, then you’ll know a lot of kids that got in. They are a definite “type”.

What a nice thing to say about kids! You are a gem.

Which part do you object to exactly? That they are mostly white, mostly upper middle class, or is it that most are from Takoma park? Hardly an offensive description and also largely accurate.

[Anonymous]

CAP is a rigorous program. You will need to contend with the superior attitudes from both parents and students in the SMCS magnet though. That is one of the worst things about Blair honestly. Since CAP is only open to the DCC, most of the kids are from Silver Spring and Takoma Park. But there are some from elsewhere who attended a DCC middle school and were eligible that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CAP is a rigorous program. You will need to contend with the superior attitudes from both parents and students in the SMCS magnet though. That is one of the worst things about Blair honestly. Since CAP is only open to the DCC, most of the kids are from Silver Spring and Takoma Park. But there are some from elsewhere who attended a DCC middle school and were eligible that way.

I’ve never heard a magnet parent denigrate CAP, but apparently the reverse isn’t true, I guess…?

[Anonymous]

My kid got in from the TPMS Stem magnet. They had all As in English but are not a GREAT writer, nor do they like English, like, at all. While we were tempted by the proximity and cohort of magnet kids, we ultimately declined for another school. Lots of kids my kid knew got in. In retrospect, they realize they probably would not have found it to be a good fit for their interests and strengths.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CAP is a rigorous program. You will need to contend with the superior attitudes from both parents and students in the SMCS magnet though. That is one of the worst things about Blair honestly. Since CAP is only open to the DCC, most of the kids are from Silver Spring and Takoma Park. But there are some from elsewhere who attended a DCC middle school and were eligible that way.

I’ve never heard a magnet parent denigrate CAP, but apparently the reverse isn’t true, I guess…?

Not denigrate, but disregard. CAP is DCC only, so families from outside don’t consider it special like the feel about SMCS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid got into CAP from the TPMS stem magnet and so did a number of their friends. In fact, we knew so many kids who got into CAP that it's hard to believe there are only 100ish freshmen. That said, we also know of kids who should have gotten in and did not, so the whole formula is a mystery. I do think a lot of CAP kids decline for other magnets (STEM, Wheaton, RMIB, or just to say no) so the waitlist moves a lot. We declined.

The CAP program is mostly made up of upper middle class over confident white kids from Takoma Park. If that’s your family, then you’ll know a lot of kids that got in. They are a definite “type”.

What a nice thing to say about kids! You are a gem.

Which part do you object to exactly? That they are mostly white, mostly upper middle class, or is it that most are from Takoma park? Hardly an offensive description and also largely accurate.

Do you have a word-skipping form of dyslexia or are you trolling? please read the post again and come back with a report.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CAP is a rigorous program. You will need to contend with the superior attitudes from both parents and students in the SMCS magnet though. That is one of the worst things about Blair honestly. Since CAP is only open to the DCC, most of the kids are from Silver Spring and Takoma Park. But there are some from elsewhere who attended a DCC middle school and were eligible that way.

I’ve never heard a magnet parent denigrate CAP, but apparently the reverse isn’t true, I guess…?

Not denigrate, but disregard. CAP is DCC only, so families from outside don’t consider it special like the feel about SMCS.

“Special”? It is a fact that it’s easier to get into with a smaller pool of students to select from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid got into CAP from the TPMS stem magnet and so did a number of their friends. In fact, we knew so many kids who got into CAP that it's hard to believe there are only 100ish freshmen. That said, we also know of kids who should have gotten in and did not, so the whole formula is a mystery. I do think a lot of CAP kids decline for other magnets (STEM, Wheaton, RMIB, or just to say no) so the waitlist moves a lot. We declined.

The CAP program is mostly made up of upper middle class over confident white kids from Takoma Park. If that’s your family, then you’ll know a lot of kids that got in. They are a definite “type”.

What a nice thing to say about kids! You are a gem.

Which part do you object to exactly? That they are mostly white, mostly upper middle class, or is it that most are from Takoma park? Hardly an offensive description and also largely accurate.

Do you have a word-skipping form of dyslexia or are you trolling? please read the post again and come back with a report.

Over confident? That’s true too, on the whole. Hardly offensive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CAP is a rigorous program. You will need to contend with the superior attitudes from both parents and students in the SMCS magnet though. That is one of the worst things about Blair honestly. Since CAP is only open to the DCC, most of the kids are from Silver Spring and Takoma Park. But there are some from elsewhere who attended a DCC middle school and were eligible that way.

I’ve never heard a magnet parent denigrate CAP, but apparently the reverse isn’t true, I guess…?

Not denigrate, but disregard. CAP is DCC only, so families from outside don’t consider it special like the feel about SMCS.

“Special”? It is a fact that it’s easier to get into with a smaller pool of students to select from.

NP I think many families from outside the DCC don't understand what makes CAP so special. It's a great program with really interesting kids.