Explain MCPS magnets to me?
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Anonymous
| Criteria include grades in applicable classes, relevant standardized test scores, a personal statement, and a list of achievements that might highlight interests that are on point. |
Anonymous
They have apply, but not select. It's a straight lottery, without qualification criteria, for the small number of seats at each school reserved for those out-of-bounds applicants. |
Anonymous
Nothing is going to have the rigor of the SMCS magnets, but that comparison applies only for the very few kids accepted, or who might have been, if magnet seats were higher in number. There is rigor in several of the other magnet programs, but not quite at that level. The 4 high schools listed are very likely to have the greatest breadth of advanced options available, putting them on something of a par with those other magnets. Some would say above the other magnets, some might not, and it depends on the magnet in question and the breadth of subjects for which a student would seek advanced coursework. The reason for that breadth at some local schools is that MCPS has schools plan courses and teaching personnel based upon "pull from the community". That means that schools with a larger number of higher-performing students and/or demanding families will more likely try to have those courses available. And having had such in the past, awareness increases interest on the one hand, while staffing is already in place on the other. This is one of the more challenging equity problems that MCPS has not addressed well, leaving high-performing/high-potential students in schools without a large peer cohort with fewer options at their local HS. However, all MCPS high schools offer at least some advanced courses, and, though logistically challenging, students might access college-level courses via MC2/dual enrollment. The consortia schools also offer access to some of the magnet programs previously listed only for those in-bounds. Also, different HS administrations have different rules for what a student might take in a particular grade, including among those 4 listed. That might differentially limit, to a degree, access to some courses or combinations of courses in the first place. |
Anonymous
| Hi all- OP here, just wanted to say thank you for all the thoughtful and detailed answers! Looks increasingly likely that we will follow the well-trod (trodden?) path from NWDC to MOCO. I will bookmark some of these links - really appreciate it |
Anonymous
I don’t think anyone has mentioned the (small) benefit of living in-bounds for Takoma Park Middle School if you’re aiming for the TPMS magnet. There are 25 seats set aside for in-bounds TPMS students, so it can be slightly easier to get into the program from in-bounds. They still have to meet the cutoff scores to be placed in the lottery pool—and plenty of in-bounds kids will—but you’d be competing against a somewhat proportionally smaller pool in the lottery for those in-bounds MS STEM magnet spots, vs. the whole downcounty pool vying for the other 100 slots. Still nothing guaranteed, but at least your kid would have access to the same extracurricular math teams that the magnet kids would. And they have an amazing instrumental music program, if your kid is into that. |
Anonymous
| Additionally at TPMS if you didn’t make the lottery for the magnet program there are really only 1 or 2 classes that are held for magnet enrolled students only. So you can still benefit from the majority of the classes offered particularly if you are tracked for the fast math. |
Anonymous
This is close but with a small correction. Yes, it is a lottery. However, they say they take into account socioeconomic and demographic factors and they certainly take into account siblings in school already (but not siblings who graduated). In the open day at Parkland this year they told us chances of getting into your preferred school are ~10%. |