OP-sorry, it would out me because my kid was the "one" but I have heard from other parents that the center classes for third grade were really, really small. I don't know about the other grades because dc is my oldest. We are not in a very AAP obsessed part of the county as far as test-prep schools so that probably does decrease scores from our area (because I assume almost all the kids are getting actual taking-the-test-cold scores which are lower compared with other area's higher scores?). Some of my dc's friends had higher test scores (dc was not in the pool) and after hearing from everyone who didn't get in, I just asked the admin point-blank who else was accepted to the center. Not sure if I want to send dc if literally no other child from old school will be there. We do not have any special programs like local level four at our base school. None of dc's friends are appealing. |
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Really small third grade classes last year?? Lorton Station? Bull Run? Belvedere? Most of the centers have big classes....
If they really did make it more difficult to get in this year, then some of these centers are going to not have enough kids to fill two third grade classes. If the area's cohort was already really small before they made it more difficult to get in. |
| We were told about 30 out of 100 were accepted into AAP at our school. |
What happens if this is the case? Do they only have one class in the grade at the center? |
That rumor seems to go around every single year. I doubt that significantly fewer kids were admitted this year compared to any other year. The selection process seems like it was even more "holistic" than usual, but that doesn't mean fewer kids were accepted. |
Our school's AART said that a lot fewer kids were accepted first round compared to prior year (and also kids who would have been accepted prior year were rejected this round). We are at a large center school. |
Same, our teacher also confirmed that. At the orientation, there were far fewer families than last year. |
| Is it possible to only have one third grade class and still be a called a center? |
I don't think so. |
. Is your school a center? That is a ton and seriously, how can one school have 30 % "gifted" kids and OP's school just have 1 sad little lonely guy? The whole thing is ridiculous.
The most important factor seem to be how good the second grade teachers and AART are at a particular school in getting kids packages together. |
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I'm surprised at the high ratios people are reporting. Those are kids who got in through scores like the OP suggested? In my son's grade (he's in 3rd this year), they had 4 get into AAP. I know two of the families personally, though, and those two appealed/did a referral. I don't know if the other two got in by scores.
I have a hard time believing 30/100 kids are "gifted". Our AART seems great and our school is beloved by everyone I know who goes there. It does have a 25% FARMS rate. |
So your school had 2 kids in the first round and 2 more in on appeal, sending 4 total to the center his year? |
Last year, 30 out of 90-some got in on first round from our school (not sure how many files were actually submitted - that's the whole grade). Not sure about this year - waiting to hear the number. |
Yes, but for last year's second graders (the year my son was in 2nd). |
| I heard something like 15 out of 78 kids at my kids school. 65 percent FARMS. |