GT Magnets

[Anonymous]

Should DC go? Yes-more educational challenge No-Loss of neighborhood classmates and community/Long bus ride/Tougher logistics/How much better would it be? Tons of self confidence from being at the top? Is that a good thing? Test scores were way over the average-only missed 1 point on the three parts of the test so we are leaning towards it..

[Anonymous]

Yes. It's a life changer, a game changer ... don't miss the opportunity. I can't tell you how much better it is. Really.

[Anonymous]

OP: Are you referring to the elementary school HGC? If so, when did you hear back? We haven't heard anything.

[Anonymous]

Not OP..but it came in Saturday mail. You'll probably hear Monday.

[Anonymous]

I was in a GT program as a child. 21:50 is right. It is life-changing. I didn't want to go, my parents made me, I was furious with them, and it was far and away the best thing they ever did for me. Yes, you have to leave the neighborhood classmates behind, but so does everyone in the program and DC will make good friends. I am 34 and to this day two of my closest friends are from the elementary school GT program.

[Anonymous]

Curious about scores of kids who got in or wait listed. DS scored above selected scores on 2 of 3 tests and didn't get wait listed -- way above on one. Did a child need to get above on all 3 to get in or wait listed?

[Anonymous]

If your child gets in, then you should send him/her. You will be delighted at the positive things it will do for your child.

Our DC is in the Center program and he was admitted to the same center as DC's friend. The friend's parents decided not to send their child, and now regret it as the friend is bored and unengaged. (Predictable IMO.)

[Anonymous]

OP again. Comments about "life changing" give me confidence that it is worth the change. Any more specifics would be great! DC scores were above in all categories...only missed 1 point overall. I don't even know what the test was exactly so I don't know what the numbers mean. I don't think the test is the only factor though... My child didn't have a huge reaction to the news. We never talked about it much since I didn't want to build it up and then not get in. There is an open house (during the day which is sort of odd).

[Anonymous]

So we got wait listed. Scores were

Verbal 52/65
Quantitative 56/60
Nonverbal 55/65

We were above mean of selected students only in Quantitative.

Disappointed, but life goes on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tons of self confidence from being at the top? Is that a good thing?

In general, being surrounded by other bright students should meant that kids are less obviously "at the top"! No experience yet with the centers, but I know from my youth that chances to be surrounded by other gifted students meant that I was feeling more challenged and had to work harder for my success. So the increased self-confidence wasn't the result of any sort of label but from pushing myself and then feeling good about it.

[Anonymous]

Many factors come into play other than test scores. They consider teacher checklists, the principal's vote of confidence/school recommendation, among other factors. It is possible to be admitted before someone else with higher scores, though those with low scores don't have much of a chance at all. There also is an appeals process if you are waitlisted/not selected. Here is my view on the GT program for elementary school kids:

If they get in and do not fit in socially at their home school, go, absolutely.
If they get in and they do fit in socially at their home school, AND you anticipate sending them back to their home middle school, think long and hard about whether they need the academic cohort or if they can be challenged properly at the home school.
If they get in and you plan to try for a magnet middle school, definitely go. Remember though, in the middle school you will once again have the inconvenience factor, and also, the students in the magnet program still take specials with the general population.
If they get in and WANT to go, do it.
If they get in and don't want to go, refer back to my second point.

I know of one girl who did the GT program, thrived and loved it, but is now back at the home middle school and struggling in many ways--but mostly socially. I do think that one of MCPS's weaknesses is its ability to properly challenge gifted children in the elementary grades (or simply very smart children--GT centers don't necessarily consider the kids they select to be gifted in all areas). But I also have the perspective that in the younger years, social development is equally important, so it should be a multi-faceted decision.

[Anonymous]

I have found that the Office of Accelerated and Enriched Instruction is not transparent, and that the whole process of applying to these schools is not transparent and too subjective.

[Anonymous]

I am wondering how a 3rd grade family could know what their middle school goals are before even trying GT 4 and 5. I don't know a thing about GT middle school or regular...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am wondering how a 3rd grade family could know what their middle school goals are before even trying GT 4 and 5. I don't know a thing about GT middle school or regular...

When our kids were in third grade, we could see pretty clearly that the regular classrooms they were in weren't addressing their needs, and wouldn't in the next several years either.

Our first child wasn't accepted to the HGC but is now in a magnet middle school.

Our second child is in the HGC now and we hope DC winds up in a magnet middle school as we are quite sure our home middle school wouldn't work well for him.

[Anonymous]

There are so few middle school magnets. The logistics seem unreasonable for western MCPS kids.