RMIB Program Experience

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Are there any other subjects where the IB classes are mixed with AP classes or Honor classes?

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

How many cluster kids enter the IB program in 11-12th grade?
Is it test-in or can anyone with interest enter, just like BCC?

[Anonymous]

Around 40 enter, bringing the total to around 165. There isn't a test - it is a combination of student interest and current grades/courses. Students that aren't ready for the full diploma are encouraged to choose an AP series of courses. There are many students that could be successful in the full diploma program, but they choose AP instead because they prefer to have more flexibility in course selection and don't want some of the extras IB requirements that are time demanding (Extended Essay, Internal Assessments, TOK, CAS).

[Anonymous]

165? Wow.. that’s a lot more than when my kid graduated 3 years ago. It was only 120 or so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:165? Wow.. that’s a lot more than when my kid graduated 3 years ago. It was only 120 or so.

At info session they said 86% achieve the diploma. Is that because the 20 or so who don't are advised to take AP courses instead?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:165? Wow.. that’s a lot more than when my kid graduated 3 years ago. It was only 120 or so.

At info session they said 86% achieve the diploma. Is that because the 20 or so who don't are advised to take AP courses instead?

Huh? Students who are taking AP courses instead of the diploma wouldn't be counted in the % achieving the diploma, they are not in the IB program.

From https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/rmhs/ib/2017-18%20IB_Insert.pdf
"88% of Richard Montgomery's 161IB candidates in 2017 earned the IB Diploma;(The average worldwide success rate is approximately 79%.); RM Diploma Mean Grade 5.18(4.8 worldwide); RM Diploma Mean Points 33(30 worldwide). "
So about 19 candidates didn't earn the diploma. Criteria they may not have met would be things like turning in/passing the Extended Essay, meeting the test score requirements, passing TOK, completing CAS requirements. Sometimes kids hit the second half of senior year, have college acceptances in hand, and just don't see the need to finish the last bits.

Regarding the 120 - that is the total magnet students. In 11th grade additional students can join the IBDP bringing up the total to around 160-170.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:165? Wow.. that’s a lot more than when my kid graduated 3 years ago. It was only 120 or so.

At info session they said 86% achieve the diploma. Is that because the 20 or so who don't are advised to take AP courses instead?

Huh? Students who are taking AP courses instead of the diploma wouldn't be counted in the % achieving the diploma, they are not in the IB program.

From https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/rmhs/ib/2017-18%20IB_Insert.pdf
"88% of Richard Montgomery's 161IB candidates in 2017 earned the IB Diploma;(The average worldwide success rate is approximately 79%.); RM Diploma Mean Grade 5.18(4.8 worldwide); RM Diploma Mean Points 33(30 worldwide). "
So about 19 candidates didn't earn the diploma. Criteria they may not have met would be things like turning in/passing the Extended Essay, meeting the test score requirements, passing TOK, completing CAS requirements. Sometimes kids hit the second half of senior year, have college acceptances in hand, and just don't see the need to finish the last bits.

Regarding the 120 - that is the total magnet students. In 11th grade additional students can join the IBDP bringing up the total to around 160-170.

No, 120 graduated when my kid graduated few years ago (currently in college). Rate was 95-96%. Almost all got it.

[Anonymous]

Is it really 40 kids join the IB program in 11th grade? When I was speaking with the kids at the info night they made it seem like only a couple of students join in 11th grade.

[Anonymous]

Of the 125 entering, is it true about 25 are reserved for cluster kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of the 125 entering, is it true about 25 are reserved for cluster kids?

I don't know about the number 25, but there are some seats set aside for RM cluster students. However, when entering in the 9th grade magnet IB, they have to take the test and go through the same application process as the rest of the applicants.

It does seem weird to me that RMHS students entering in 11th grade don't have to take the test. I suppose they see it as the same as other HS that offer IB diploma where they can just enter in the program without taking the test, like BCC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of the 125 entering, is it true about 25 are reserved for cluster kids?

I don't know about the number 25, but there are some seats set aside for RM cluster students. However, when entering in the 9th grade magnet IB, they have to take the test and go through the same application process as the rest of the applicants.

It does seem weird to me that RMHS students entering in 11th grade don't have to take the test. I suppose they see it as the same as other HS that offer IB diploma where they can just enter in the program without taking the test, like BCC.

Maybe things have changed but, in the past, not too many kids jumped in 11th grade because of the workloads. That’s when IB kids look like zombies.

[Anonymous]

No, 120 graduated when my kid graduated few years ago (currently in college). Rate was 95-96%. Almost all got it.

Class of 2015? I'm looking at a chart handed out at one of the PAC meetings that shows that class was a little small relative to other classes:
2014 134/152 88% diploma rate
2015 116/125 93%
2016 115/131 86%
2017 142/161 88%
2018 138/161 86%
There is further breakdown showing that students from the MYP program earn the diploma at lower rates than the magnet students, but the magnet students don't all earn the diploma either (and it should be noted that 5-12 students per magnet cohort withdraw from the program prior to beginning the diploma.)

I'm not sure if we got to talking about rates of diploma attainment because people think it is an indicator of program quality, but I think diploma attainment is more student dependent than program dependent. If a student doesn't have the strong writing skills necessary, they will struggle with completing the Internal Assessments and Extended Essay to the level necessary for the diploma. It doesn't mean they aren't smart or motivated, they just don't have the fully well rounded skill sets to managed the full workload demand.

But back to the topic of RMIB program experience. One of the differences between RM's IB and other school's IB programs is that only students who are attempting the full diploma are allowed to take IB courses (with the exception of some specialty electives). In other schools, students may take certain IB courses and test in them to earn a certificate, but don't have to take the full load of IB courses that they would if they were pursuing the diploma. This may mean that some students aren't as serious about their IB classes as the diploma candidates are (because they don't need to make certain score benchmarks.) At RM, since all students in IB classes are pursuing the diploma, all are feeling a lot of pressure to do well, which contributes to the pressure cooker feeling for some students who are a little more overwhelmed by the workload than some of their peers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

No, 120 graduated when my kid graduated few years ago (currently in college). Rate was 95-96%. Almost all got it.

Class of 2015? I'm looking at a chart handed out at one of the PAC meetings that shows that class was a little small relative to other classes:
2014 134/152 88% diploma rate
2015 116/125 93%
2016 115/131 86%
2017 142/161 88%
2018 138/161 86%
There is further breakdown showing that students from the MYP program earn the diploma at lower rates than the magnet students, but the magnet students don't all earn the diploma either (and it should be noted that 5-12 students per magnet cohort withdraw from the program prior to beginning the diploma.)

I'm not sure if we got to talking about rates of diploma attainment because people think it is an indicator of program quality, but I think diploma attainment is more student dependent than program dependent. If a student doesn't have the strong writing skills necessary, they will struggle with completing the Internal Assessments and Extended Essay to the level necessary for the diploma. It doesn't mean they aren't smart or motivated, they just don't have the fully well rounded skill sets to managed the full workload demand.

But back to the topic of RMIB program experience. One of the differences between RM's IB and other school's IB programs is that only students who are attempting the full diploma are allowed to take IB courses (with the exception of some specialty electives). In other schools, students may take certain IB courses and test in them to earn a certificate, but don't have to take the full load of IB courses that they would if they were pursuing the diploma. This may mean that some students aren't as serious about their IB classes as the diploma candidates are (because they don't need to make certain score benchmarks.) At RM, since all students in IB classes are pursuing the diploma, all are feeling a lot of pressure to do well, which contributes to the pressure cooker feeling for some students who are a little more overwhelmed by the workload than some of their peers.
[/quote

Are you saying the program doesn't educate the students to have strong writing skills necessary to complete the Internal Assessments and Extended Essay? Are you saying students need to come into the program with these skills?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

No, 120 graduated when my kid graduated few years ago (currently in college). Rate was 95-96%. Almost all got it.

Class of 2015? I'm looking at a chart handed out at one of the PAC meetings that shows that class was a little small relative to other classes:
2014 134/152 88% diploma rate
2015 116/125 93%
2016 115/131 86%
2017 142/161 88%
2018 138/161 86%
There is further breakdown showing that students from the MYP program earn the diploma at lower rates than the magnet students, but the magnet students don't all earn the diploma either (and it should be noted that 5-12 students per magnet cohort withdraw from the program prior to beginning the diploma.)

I'm not sure if we got to talking about rates of diploma attainment because people think it is an indicator of program quality, but I think diploma attainment is more student dependent than program dependent. If a student doesn't have the strong writing skills necessary, they will struggle with completing the Internal Assessments and Extended Essay to the level necessary for the diploma. It doesn't mean they aren't smart or motivated, they just don't have the fully well rounded skill sets to managed the full workload demand.

But back to the topic of RMIB program experience. One of the differences between RM's IB and other school's IB programs is that only students who are attempting the full diploma are allowed to take IB courses (with the exception of some specialty electives). In other schools, students may take certain IB courses and test in them to earn a certificate, but don't have to take the full load of IB courses that they would if they were pursuing the diploma. This may mean that some students aren't as serious about their IB classes as the diploma candidates are (because they don't need to make certain score benchmarks.) At RM, since all students in IB classes are pursuing the diploma, all are feeling a lot of pressure to do well, which contributes to the pressure cooker feeling for some students who are a little more overwhelmed by the workload than some of their peers.

LOL. You got me! Yes class of 15’. Only one kid from my kid’s friends didn’t get the diploma. From the data you provided, it appears there were a few more.