Magnet not "cool" enough?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Perhaps this is not the real reason? The magnet high schools are incredibly selective, and your daughter might not want to apply if she's afraid of rejection. What MAP scores does she have?

The math person at her MS told me highest in the school. Math was 279 I think?

TPMS has plenty of MAP-M over 300 - .

OP. Obvs she's not at TPMS magnet.

I'm not asking whether she'd get in, I'm just asking whether anyone with a child at the magnet or other actual experience has any insight into the social dynamics within the program. She believes that it wouldn't be a good social fit so she doesn't want to apply, and I wonder whether that perception is grounded in any kind of reality or not.

Magnet is not homogeneous OP. Your DC will find her friends. Magnet kids are incredibly supportive of each other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What makes you say it doesn't sound like she would be a good fit there? Do you have experience with the program?

The reason to "bother" is that she's genuinely gifted in math and science. I worry that she's going to struggle academically -- especially in math and science -- for the next four years unless she finds her academic peers.

But socially she's a typical teen and is interested in dating and pop culture and all that stuff, and at the moment she's saying she chooses social fit over academic. I'm asking those with experience if that's a real choice or a false one.

Why would she struggle academically if she's genuinely gifted in math and science and she's in her home high school? I don't understand.

Because this is what gifted children tend to do when faced with excruciatingly easy work. Different poster here.

OP, I've always told my kids to try out for magnets or other selective programs, and worry about making a choice only if they got in. Try to persuade her, and go from there. Both my kids are in selective programs, and they are happy with their choices.

But high school math and science aren't excruciatingly easy, particularly once you start getting into the AP classes. It sounds to me like OP's concern is more that OP's daughter won't get the math/science challenge in the home high school that she would at the Blair math/science magnet.

[Anonymous]

What's your home high school? I'd be asking about the math and science options there, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Magnet is not homogeneous OP. Your DC will find her friends. Magnet kids are incredibly supportive of each other.

Maybe at Blair, but the SMACS magnet kids at Clemente and Poolesville aren't.

[Anonymous]

I’ve heard mixed things about the social life at TPMS, from kids who have been there. Honestly, it’s okay to say that at least some of those kids are not the cool/social kids. We geeks need a place to be comfortable to.

Can she go to blair for a day and shadow? That’s the only way she’s going to get a sense of the vibe. Or maybe check out the after school clubs and see if she can crash one or two for a meeting.

If she’s into dating boys, I’ll note that I don’t know anyone that dated as much and had as much choice in their dating partners, as my female friend who went to MIT. Maybe the gender balance is better now, but back then a cute bubbly blonde who also happened to be a math whiz had her choice of guys...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 8th grader is resisting applying to Magnet programs -- the Blair program, in particular -- because she perceives it as insufficiently "cool."

She's always loved math and her MAP scores are the highest in her MS. She admits that her classes now aren't really challenging. But at this moment in her life, she's most interested in her social life and her after-school activities, so she wants to go to her home HS (where her friends are going.)

My thought is she should apply now and decide later -- who knows, right? -- but I was curious if anyone with experience could speak to the social dynamics at Blair, and whether it might be a good fit for a teen who is much more interested in using her free time to shop than study.

She would probably enjoy her math classes at Blair - but HS is more than just the grind through the classes. Sounds like she has her group, and sounds like she's happy. She will definitely be more challenged in HS than MS - it's the way that MCPS is set up (except for the magnet programs). Let her go to her home school and make sure she gets into the most challenging classes there. Everyone will be happier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Perhaps this is not the real reason? The magnet high schools are incredibly selective, and your daughter might not want to apply if she's afraid of rejection. What MAP scores does she have?

The math person at her MS told me highest in the school. Math was 279 I think?

TPMS has plenty of MAP-M over 300 - .

Troll. OP Don't believe this post.

[Anonymous]

Back to your original post. Your DD does not realize that friend groups can very much change from middle school to high school. I wouldn't base the decision on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Perhaps this is not the real reason? The magnet high schools are incredibly selective, and your daughter might not want to apply if she's afraid of rejection. What MAP scores does she have?

The math person at her MS told me highest in the school. Math was 279 I think?

TPMS has plenty of MAP-M over 300 - .

Troll. OP Don't believe this post.

Not a troll ! DC is a TPMS magnet with highest MAP-M at 290s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Perhaps this is not the real reason? The magnet high schools are incredibly selective, and your daughter might not want to apply if she's afraid of rejection. What MAP scores does she have?

The math person at her MS told me highest in the school. Math was 279 I think?

TPMS has plenty of MAP-M over 300 - .

Troll. OP Don't believe this post.

Not a troll ! DC is a TPMS magnet with highest MAP-M at 290s.

That's different from saying plenty of MAP-M over 300. My kid is also in the magnet. I know what I am saying.

[Anonymous]

Either way it sounds reasonable for a kid with 279 / highest in their MS to consider applying

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Perhaps this is not the real reason? The magnet high schools are incredibly selective, and your daughter might not want to apply if she's afraid of rejection. What MAP scores does she have?

The math person at her MS told me highest in the school. Math was 279 I think?

TPMS has plenty of MAP-M over 300 - .

Troll. OP Don't believe this post.

Not a troll ! DC is a TPMS magnet with highest MAP-M at 290s.

That's different from saying plenty of MAP-M over 300. My kid is also in the magnet. I know what I am saying.

Well, that was what I was told by DC who is not among the top ones, in other words, 300 is rather common.

[Anonymous]

was it ever "cool"?

[Anonymous]

by the way, high map-m score does not mean being math gifted. map-m test is more knowledge based.

[Anonymous]

It’s only October of 8 grade. Her social group could employed by the spring. Encourage her to take the exam And tell her that if she gets in and doesn’t want to go, she can decide then.