When do they notify about HS magnet school acceptances?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our son was accepted to both Blair and RMIB, but it sounds like his scores were lower.

Did you call RMIB for scores? They're not listed on our letter.

I had neighbors arguing that ALL that matters for acceptance to these programs is the test scores, but I think our experience proves that wrong.

Could be the fact that MCPS changed the selection process too.

I don't know anything about the PP. But, while they aren't allowed to say so in the magnet selection process, MCPS is always very conscious of gender, race, and diversity. In the regular programs, the achievement gap drives virtually every decision. I would not be surprised if there was some unspoken policy toward increased diversity in the Magnet programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our son was accepted to both Blair and RMIB, but it sounds like his scores were lower.

Did you call RMIB for scores? They're not listed on our letter.

I had neighbors arguing that ALL that matters for acceptance to these programs is the test scores, but I think our experience proves that wrong.

Could be the fact that MCPS changed the selection process too.

I don't know anything about the PP. But, while they aren't allowed to say so in the magnet selection process, MCPS is always very conscious of gender, race, and diversity. In the regular programs, the achievement gap drives virtually every decision. I would not be surprised if there was some unspoken policy toward increased diversity in the Magnet programs.

+1 nicely spoken

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our son was accepted to both Blair and RMIB, but it sounds like his scores were lower.

Did you call RMIB for scores? They're not listed on our letter.

I had neighbors arguing that ALL that matters for acceptance to these programs is the test scores, but I think our experience proves that wrong.

Could be the fact that MCPS changed the selection process too.

I don't know anything about the PP. But, while they aren't allowed to say so in the magnet selection process, MCPS is always very conscious of gender, race, and diversity. In the regular programs, the achievement gap drives virtually every decision. I would not be surprised if there was some unspoken policy toward increased diversity in the Magnet programs.

I'm the poster above, and our kid is a white male, so I don't think it's a diversity thing. And of course, it doesn't necessarily mean that much that his test scores were below the median in a couple areas, because obviously half the kids accepted were below the median in any given area...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I don't know anything about the PP. But, while they aren't allowed to say so in the magnet selection process, MCPS is always very conscious of gender, race, and diversity. In the regular programs, the achievement gap drives virtually every decision. I would not be surprised if there was some unspoken policy toward increased diversity in the Magnet programs.

What you're saying is that MCPS violates federal law. Is that what you meant to say?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who is in the waitpool should not sit on the sidelines. Speak up, give supplemental evidence, talk to the coordinator. Here the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

BTDT.

Has anyone ever appealed a rejection (not waitlist) and gotten in? I don't know if I should even bother. Will the magnet coordinator be able to give me any information on the reason for the rejection? Good grades, scores exactly at median for accepted students.

I just spoke to the counselors at my child's middle school. They told me stories of students who have gotten into RM, CAP and another program after being rejected (not WL).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don't know anything about the PP. But, while they aren't allowed to say so in the magnet selection process, MCPS is always very conscious of gender, race, and diversity. In the regular programs, the achievement gap drives virtually every decision. I would not be surprised if there was some unspoken policy toward increased diversity in the Magnet programs.

What you're saying is that MCPS violates federal law. Is that what you meant to say?

NP.
No they do geographic diversity. If there were 5 kids from your local HS with better scores. They will take those 5 kids and reject yours no matter how good you are. There are limited number of spots. They cannot take all kids with 90. They are trying to take kids from every home HS. Otherwise, RM IB will consist only from kids whose home school is W.
Pretty much like with college. If a kid from Alabama has lower score than yours, but the top from the pull of kids from Alabama, he gets in. On the other hand your kid from MD who has the 6th best score for your state is rejected.

You can appeal. You can request info under Freedom of Information Act. You can also request scores and all criteria used and scores of accepted kids by Home HS. (Without kid's names.)
If you will discover that your kids scored significantly better than other kid from YOUR home school in many criteria, you have good ground for appeal. But you should mover very fast. Unfortunately by the time you'll get all necessary info, all spaces will be taken.
Then you can get only waitlisted for life.

[Anonymous]

Is the appeal process for CAP different? It is not one of the programs included on the appeal form.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don't know anything about the PP. But, while they aren't allowed to say so in the magnet selection process, MCPS is always very conscious of gender, race, and diversity. In the regular programs, the achievement gap drives virtually every decision. I would not be surprised if there was some unspoken policy toward increased diversity in the Magnet programs.

What you're saying is that MCPS violates federal law. Is that what you meant to say?

NP.
No they do geographic diversity. If there were 5 kids from your local HS with better scores. They will take those 5 kids and reject yours no matter how good you are. There are limited number of spots. They cannot take all kids with 90. They are trying to take kids from every home HS. Otherwise, RM IB will consist only from kids whose home school is W.
Pretty much like with college. If a kid from Alabama has lower score than yours, but the top from the pull of kids from Alabama, he gets in. On the other hand your kid from MD who has the 6th best score for your state is rejected.

You can appeal. You can request info under Freedom of Information Act. You can also request scores and all criteria used and scores of accepted kids by Home HS. (Without kid's names.)
If you will discover that your kids scored significantly better than other kid from YOUR home school in many criteria, you have good ground for appeal. But you should mover very fast. Unfortunately by the time you'll get all necessary info, all spaces will be taken.
Then you can get only waitlisted for life.

It's not all about test score. Teacher recommendations, the application information and essays also have an impact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don't know anything about the PP. But, while they aren't allowed to say so in the magnet selection process, MCPS is always very conscious of gender, race, and diversity. In the regular programs, the achievement gap drives virtually every decision. I would not be surprised if there was some unspoken policy toward increased diversity in the Magnet programs.

What you're saying is that MCPS violates federal law. Is that what you meant to say?

NP.
No they do geographic diversity. If there were 5 kids from your local HS with better scores. They will take those 5 kids and reject yours no matter how good you are. There are limited number of spots. They cannot take all kids with 90. They are trying to take kids from every home HS. Otherwise, RM IB will consist only from kids whose home school is W.
Pretty much like with college. If a kid from Alabama has lower score than yours, but the top from the pull of kids from Alabama, he gets in. On the other hand your kid from MD who has the 6th best score for your state is rejected.

You can appeal. You can request info under Freedom of Information Act. You can also request scores and all criteria used and scores of accepted kids by Home HS. (Without kid's names.)
If you will discover that your kids scored significantly better than other kid from YOUR home school in many criteria, you have good ground for appeal. But you should mover very fast. Unfortunately by the time you'll get all necessary info, all spaces will be taken.
Then you can get only waitlisted for life.

It's not all about test score. Teacher recommendations, the application information and essays also have an impact.

It is MOSTLY about the test scores. At least, before this year it was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don't know anything about the PP. But, while they aren't allowed to say so in the magnet selection process, MCPS is always very conscious of gender, race, and diversity. In the regular programs, the achievement gap drives virtually every decision. I would not be surprised if there was some unspoken policy toward increased diversity in the Magnet programs.

What you're saying is that MCPS violates federal law. Is that what you meant to say?

NP.
No they do geographic diversity. If there were 5 kids from your local HS with better scores. They will take those 5 kids and reject yours no matter how good you are. There are limited number of spots. They cannot take all kids with 90. They are trying to take kids from every home HS. Otherwise, RM IB will consist only from kids whose home school is W.
Pretty much like with college. If a kid from Alabama has lower score than yours, but the top from the pull of kids from Alabama, he gets in. On the other hand your kid from MD who has the 6th best score for your state is rejected.

You can appeal. You can request info under Freedom of Information Act. You can also request scores and all criteria used and scores of accepted kids by Home HS. (Without kid's names.)
If you will discover that your kids scored significantly better than other kid from YOUR home school in many criteria, you have good ground for appeal. But you should mover very fast. Unfortunately by the time you'll get all necessary info, all spaces will be taken.
Then you can get only waitlisted for life.

Geographic Diversity is the way that MCPS is getting around the the illegality of race based quotas. If you remember, the BOE held private meetings last year to determine how they can do this without breaking federal law. They already eliminated the application for the MS Magnet Programs which many consider a barrier for magnet diversity. I'm sure that the HS Magnet application is next. Then, they added one magic line to the admissions criteria. They said that the Magnet programs are designed for students who "May lack an academic peer group in their home school". This subtle change allows them to pull more kids from the "lower performing" schools which they can contend don't have an academic peer group. What characteristic do most of these lower performing schools have in common? Majority Hispanic and/or AA students. As for all you W school parents, your kids already have an academic peer group at your home school so, in theory, your kid doesn't need to go to Magnet. This is why you will find less motivated kids with much lower test scores getting accepted over high scoring highly motivated kids. You will see this play out more and more over the next few years. Many at MCPS (and many on DCUM) hate the fact that the Magnet programs are mostly Asian, some White, and a speckling of AA/Hispanic and consider it a horrible black eye to the school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Geographic Diversity is the way that MCPS is getting around the the illegality of race based quotas. If you remember, the BOE held private meetings last year to determine how they can do this without breaking federal law. They already eliminated the application for the MS Magnet Programs which many consider a barrier for magnet diversity. I'm sure that the HS Magnet application is next. Then, they added one magic line to the admissions criteria. They said that the Magnet programs are designed for students who "May lack an academic peer group in their home school". This subtle change allows them to pull more kids from the "lower performing" schools which they can contend don't have an academic peer group. What characteristic do most of these lower performing schools have in common? Majority Hispanic and/or AA students. As for all you W school parents, your kids already have an academic peer group at your home school so, in theory, your kid doesn't need to go to Magnet. This is why you will find less motivated kids with much lower test scores getting accepted over high scoring highly motivated kids. You will see this play out more and more over the next few years. Many at MCPS (and many on DCUM) hate the fact that the Magnet programs are mostly Asian, some White, and a speckling of AA/Hispanic and consider it a horrible black eye to the school system.

I don't remember that.

This mainly sounds like a story parents at the few majority-white schools in MCPS tell themselves about why their kid didn't get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Geographic Diversity is the way that MCPS is getting around the the illegality of race based quotas. If you remember, the BOE held private meetings last year to determine how they can do this without breaking federal law. They already eliminated the application for the MS Magnet Programs which many consider a barrier for magnet diversity. I'm sure that the HS Magnet application is next. Then, they added one magic line to the admissions criteria. They said that the Magnet programs are designed for students who "May lack an academic peer group in their home school". This subtle change allows them to pull more kids from the "lower performing" schools which they can contend don't have an academic peer group. What characteristic do most of these lower performing schools have in common? Majority Hispanic and/or AA students. As for all you W school parents, your kids already have an academic peer group at your home school so, in theory, your kid doesn't need to go to Magnet. This is why you will find less motivated kids with much lower test scores getting accepted over high scoring highly motivated kids. You will see this play out more and more over the next few years. Many at MCPS (and many on DCUM) hate the fact that the Magnet programs are mostly Asian, some White, and a speckling of AA/Hispanic and consider it a horrible black eye to the school system.

I don't remember that.

This mainly sounds like a story parents at the few majority-white schools in MCPS tell themselves about why their kid didn't get in.

+1

The racism in this thread is astounding ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Geographic Diversity is the way that MCPS is getting around the the illegality of race based quotas. If you remember, the BOE held private meetings last year to determine how they can do this without breaking federal law. They already eliminated the application for the MS Magnet Programs which many consider a barrier for magnet diversity. I'm sure that the HS Magnet application is next. Then, they added one magic line to the admissions criteria. They said that the Magnet programs are designed for students who "May lack an academic peer group in their home school". This subtle change allows them to pull more kids from the "lower performing" schools which they can contend don't have an academic peer group. What characteristic do most of these lower performing schools have in common? Majority Hispanic and/or AA students. As for all you W school parents, your kids already have an academic peer group at your home school so, in theory, your kid doesn't need to go to Magnet. This is why you will find less motivated kids with much lower test scores getting accepted over high scoring highly motivated kids. You will see this play out more and more over the next few years. Many at MCPS (and many on DCUM) hate the fact that the Magnet programs are mostly Asian, some White, and a speckling of AA/Hispanic and consider it a horrible black eye to the school system.

I don't remember that.

This mainly sounds like a story parents at the few majority-white schools in MCPS tell themselves about why their kid didn't get in.

Nope. I'm a DCC parent who's DD was accepted to both programs she applied for - Blair SMACS and Wheaton BIO. I just appreciate a merit based system where the best of the best are provided an appropriately challenging curriculum. I'm just happy that my child has made it through before the acceptance criteria is changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Nope. I'm a DCC parent who's DD was accepted to both programs she applied for - Blair SMACS and Wheaton BIO. I just appreciate a merit based system where the best of the best are provided an appropriately challenging curriculum. I'm just happy that my child has made it through before the acceptance criteria is changed.

And you seem to think that "the best of the best" does not include Hispanic and African-American students. Right. I'm glad your child is out too, for the sake of your child's Hispanic and African-American classmates.

[Anonymous]

Geographic Diversity is the way that MCPS is getting around the the illegality of race based quotas. If you remember, the BOE held private meetings last year to determine how they can do this without breaking federal law. They already eliminated the application for the MS Magnet Programs which many consider a barrier for magnet diversity. I'm sure that the HS Magnet application is next. Then, they added one magic line to the admissions criteria. They said that the Magnet programs are designed for students who "May lack an academic peer group in their home school". This subtle change allows them to pull more kids from the "lower performing" schools which they can contend don't have an academic peer group. What characteristic do most of these lower performing schools have in common? Majority Hispanic and/or AA students. As for all you W school parents, your kids already have an academic peer group at your home school so, in theory, your kid doesn't need to go to Magnet. This is why you will find less motivated kids with much lower test scores getting accepted over high scoring highly motivated kids. You will see this play out more and more over the next few years. Many at MCPS (and many on DCUM) hate the fact that the Magnet programs are mostly Asian, some White, and a speckling of AA/Hispanic and consider it a horrible black eye to the school system.

I suspect you are right but I think MCPS knows parents won't be able to prove it.