For those parents really invested in the AAP process beginning in kindergarten or first grade...

[Anonymous]

I have one who was just admitted to AAP and there was no prepping involved. Not only was I not saving work samples, but I have a clutter problem and I was actively throwing away school work that came home.

For my younger two I won't get them to prepare any work samples but I think I'll try to save things that look good that get sent home!

[Anonymous]

Op here: neither child was prepped. I did nothing ahead of time for first child. For second child the only thing I did was save a few work samples starting around late fall of his second grade year.

The reason I'm asking is b/c we see these posts from the parents of PRESCHOOLERS or KINDergarteners asking about aap admissions. Is that ridiculous or do you think it matters?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here: neither child was prepped. I did nothing ahead of time for first child. For second child the only thing I did was save a few work samples starting around late fall of his second grade year.

The reason I'm asking is b/c we see these posts from the parents of PRESCHOOLERS or KINDergarteners asking about aap admissions. Is that ridiculous or do you think it matters?

It does seem little early for PK/K.

For most people with more than one child, they already know the process and can plan ahead for the next kid. Perhaps people posting these questions sees the insiders' perspectives from reading the AAP thread on DCUM and begin asking questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As said above, I don't think any of us can claim that even when our kids were in the pool and admitted first round that we took the process lightly. If you are responding to this forum, you are invested in the process, the program, etc. No other explanation why you'd be posting responses on this board!

My kid was in the pool and admitted first round and we took the process very lightly. We did not intend to appeal if found ineligible, which I'm sure is tantamount to child neglect for some people who have their preschoolers working on pattern workbooks and pay to prep 6/7-year-olds for an aptitude test. Though obviously not in front of our kid, DC's NNAT score was a running joke for a while between us.

There are a lot of other explanations why people would be posting responses on this board. Come on. There are people who troll these threads looking for a response, there are people who've no idea what kind of web they've walked into coming to ask a question, there are people who get their in-pool letter and wonder what the hell it is (and this place is one of the first google results), and I've seen a crap ton of posts lately that could easily be answered by searching the school system's website. You have to cherry pick the useful information from amongst the crazy.

[Anonymous]

All of my three children got into AAP.

None participated in Odyssey of the Mind, Science Olympics, etc.

None did any extra work outside of school like Kumon, worksheets, or learning websites

None had any letters of recommendation - I couldn't imagine asking their sports coaches to give insights into their intellectual abilities

None had any test prepping

None had work samples included in their referral by me

It would seem that, in our case, genetics must play a large role. It was not a priority to me that they get into AAP. Until my first was in the pool, I was not aware of AAP. I am pleased with the experience each has had, but I also know they would've each thrived in any learning environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you think you groomed your child for their eventual AAP admission?

I have 3 in the program. Agree with test prep comments above. Will help with familiarity but I wouldn't spend a lot of time on prep stuff.

Work samples--yes, be on the look out for these early. We had our kids do work samples over the winter break when they had time.

Recommendation letters--have heard these are not that important. Nevertheless, each of my kids had a recommendation from a coach.

I do not believe that your kid needs to be in robotics or odyssey of the mind.

You had kids prepare their work samples over break? I just saved a few things and the AART supplimented the rest. Did no recommendation letters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why, if their kids also got into AAP? I think most "invested" parents are concerned about getting the best education for their kids, and aren't focused on whether or not you're breaking a sweat. Many come from cultures where breaking a sweat is viewed as a good thing. As far as the OP's question about whether prepping works, I think it must. There is no way test prep centers could survive if people kept paying money for AAP prep with no positive results. Word would eventually get out. You can't increase a kids IQ with prep, but you likely can significantly improve test scores. Also, if your child gets high test scores on both the NNAT and CogAT, a low GBRS could exclude a kid first round, but many still get in on appeal. I think each family decides what works for them. Would I say push a kid who is average into AAP, no. Do I think prepping your above average but not gifted kid could skew the results toward eligibility for AAP, absolutely.

NP. Or, the prep centers could be like for-profit universities and prey upon people who think elementary school AAP is their kids' best and only chance to academic success. Look, for kids on the bubble, does this sort of thing help? Sure. Is it worth putting your lower-grade elementary school kid through? Probably not. Is it a good idea to game the system to get your kid to get admitted for a program that may be too rigorous for them? Not at all. There is plenty of time for high-pressure academics in middle/high school. Save it for the TJ admissions test or the SAT. Leaning on first- and second-graders to get good standardized test scores is insanity, and the way parents act about getting kids into AAP was the thing that gave us the biggest pause about accepting our child's placement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why, if their kids also got into AAP? I think most "invested" parents are concerned about getting the best education for their kids, and aren't focused on whether or not you're breaking a sweat. Many come from cultures where breaking a sweat is viewed as a good thing. As far as the OP's question about whether prepping works, I think it must. There is no way test prep centers could survive if people kept paying money for AAP prep with no positive results. Word would eventually get out. You can't increase a kids IQ with prep, but you likely can significantly improve test scores. Also, if your child gets high test scores on both the NNAT and CogAT, a low GBRS could exclude a kid first round, but many still get in on appeal. I think each family decides what works for them. Would I say push a kid who is average into AAP, no. Do I think prepping your above average but not gifted kid could skew the results toward eligibility for AAP, absolutely.

NP. Or, the prep centers could be like for-profit universities and prey upon people who think elementary school AAP is their kids' best and only chance to academic success. Look, for kids on the bubble, does this sort of thing help? Sure. Is it worth putting your lower-grade elementary school kid through? Probably not. Is it a good idea to game the system to get your kid to get admitted for a program that may be too rigorous for them? Not at all. There is plenty of time for high-pressure academics in middle/high school. Save it for the TJ admissions test or the SAT. Leaning on first- and second-graders to get good standardized test scores is insanity, and the way parents act about getting kids into AAP was the thing that gave us the biggest pause about accepting our child's placement.

I don't think that's your call for other families. Also, saving it for the TJ admissions test is too late for those wanting to go to TJ. Very few non AAP kids get into TJ. Also, who says prepping is stressful for kids. Just like kids read and do math homework without getting stressed, they can handle the prep materials. Kids on the bubble can handle AAP, so I can see why parents prep them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It must chap the asses of the "invested" parents that some of us just send the kids to school and let them do activities they enjoy and still get admitted to AAP without breaking a sweat.

Why, if their kids also got into AAP? I think most "invested" parents are concerned about getting the best education for their kids, and aren't focused on whether or not you're breaking a sweat. Many come from cultures where breaking a sweat is viewed as a good thing. As far as the OP's question about whether prepping works, I think it must. There is no way test prep centers could survive if people kept paying money for AAP prep with no positive results. Word would eventually get out. You can't increase a kids IQ with prep, but you likely can significantly improve test scores. Also, if your child gets high test scores on both the NNAT and CogAT, a low GBRS could exclude a kid first round, but many still get in on appeal. I think each family decides what works for them. Would I say push a kid who is average into AAP, no. Do I think prepping your above average but not gifted kid could skew the results toward eligibility for AAP, absolutely.

+ 1.

I think most of the kids who prep and are admitted would have gotten in anyways. However, the prep is not a waste. It exposes the kids to subject matter and activities that they wouldn't otherwise do. It also creates some good work habits in them.

[Anonymous]

Also notice that those against prepping must be genetically gifted with extreme intelligence. All of their 10+ kids get in without any prep!!! Those who don't get in without any prep obviously won't post here.

But those who could have gotten in with some prep (but did not because the DCUM nazis told them not to) are the ones who got the shaft. Missed out on free-quslity education..

[Anonymous]

I'm not saying to shut down the test prep factories and dictate to other families what they do with their kids. That doesn't mean I can't think it's pushy and overbearing and runs the risk of putting a kid who doesn't belong in AAP there on the idea that they'll get through by sheer grit. As an 8-year-old. For every kid that works out great for, there's going to be one that needs therapy for failing to live up to his parent's expectations. I don't get the AAP or bust mentality, though. I hope the parents in my kid's class next year aren't of that variety.

[Anonymous]

Why does every AAP thread devlove into an anti-prepping preach session?

Here's the bottom line:
Kid clearly deserves to be in AAP - Prepping will not make a difference. She'll get in anyways and do well with or without prep.

Kid is not good enough for AAP - No amount of prepping will get the kid in (contrary to what everyone thinks)

Kid is on the cusp - Prep will make a difference. These are the kids that prep benefits the most. They will get in and with some minimal effort be able to manage in AAP classes. Most of this group will slow down in MS (Algebra vs Honors, etc) and not even try for TJ (not that TJ is the ultimate goal, but just saying). Why prep even for these kids? Because parents think they have a genius who just needs some focus and think the prep classes will given the child that focus. Guess what, it works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But those who could have gotten in with some prep (but did not because the DCUM nazis told them not to) are the ones who got the shaft. Missed out on free-quslity education..

Wait, are you saying that parents will take their kids out of public school if they don't get into AAP?

Because that's the only way they would miss out on a free quality education. Children who don't need to be in the AAP classroom get a high quality free education in the regular FCPS classrooms. Lots of people who live in other places would love to have access to the FCPS regular classrooms.

[Anonymous]

I used to be against prepping.... until my kid got rejected with a 15 GBRS and just under the in-pool cutoff on the CogAT. I can't help feeling like just a little prepping would have helped my kid get the 1-2 more problems correct to be in-pool, which in turn would have saved us from dealing with appeals.

[Anonymous]

Our child did very minimal prep, just about what was needed to get familiar with circling the correct answers, or whatevver was the method back then. But we kind of knew our first kid is bound for AAP, not because of school performance, but everything came easily and stood out from the rest. DC scored in the 99th percentile, and we weren't surprised. The surprises came later, as DC grew older