Independent schools and "advanced" kids: national problem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New Poster Here: Have a MS DS in private school. The school is excellent in many ways, but the math is just lamentable. He is in the top math track, but the pace fails to inspire or challenge, and it is frustrating him on a daily basis. So, I am starting to explore public magnets in MD. So, here are my questions, for those that have done the switch:

1. How can I tell if DC is in the right ability range? How do you know when you have a "math kid," as opposed to a kid who is just very good at math?

Thank you for your responses.

The "Math kids" I know seem to stand out for their love [i] of math, especially the kids who have gone on to the Blair math/science magnet. We know a few kids from the TPMS magnet who decided not to apply to the Blair magnet. These bright kids were ready to move on to something more liberal artsy - some are at the Richard Montgomery magnet, and a few are in Blair's Communication Arts magnet.

Bear in mind also that the math/science magnets -- TPMS, Blair and TJ -- also focus heavily on science and computer science. Therefore it's important to have a strong appreciation for these subjects, too. It's not necessary to be advanced in these other subjects, to the extent of being able to write programs, for example. My understanding is that the Blair magnet takes in kids who have no previous programming experience. But a kid does need to be willing, and eager, to do a lot of programming and advanced science in addition to the math.

[Anonymous]

How is it a cheap shot at a kid to say that his or her parent seems to think that the kid's only shot at an elite school is winning a national math competition and maybe that's true for this kid but it's not true for other kids?

It's a (negative) commentary on the parent's tunnel vision and/or a positive assumption about the kid's mathematical abilities.

Which parent made this claim? Can you provide the direct quote of the parent that stated "my kid's only shot at an elite school is winning a national math competition". This is a rather simple task. Try and focus a little and provide the specific direct quote. This is not a license for purple passion and mental incontinence.

A reminder of where the board was when it was hijacked with diversionary smoke screen avoidance tactics. We are waiting for the poster to provide the direct quote?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

On the contrary, I doubt the poster in question is the one slamming TPMS! Nice smokescreen.

It's hard to figure out who's who. Sorry if I offended anybody reasonable. Let's move on.

[Anonymous]

I would agree with moving on. In her schizophrenic manner, she continues to lurk in her cubby hole. She is not from NIH but it wouldn't surprise me if she is from GW and likes to brag about running to report to her boss after leaving behind a trail of incoherence on the DCUM board.

I certainly don't begrude her. She is entitled to air her views here like anyone else.

[Anonymous]

The person I was thinking is a man is not what I'd call a crisp writer. 11:31, 12:24, 15:02, 15:10, 15:20, 15;42, 16:14 and 16:54 are the posts I was referring to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New Poster Here: Have a MS DS in private school. The school is excellent in many ways, but the math is just lamentable. He is in the top math track, but the pace fails to inspire or challenge, and it is frustrating him on a daily basis. So, I am starting to explore public magnets in MD. So, here are my questions, for those that have done the switch:

1. How can I tell if DC is in the right ability range? How do you know when you have a "math kid," as opposed to a kid who is just very good at math?

Thank you for your responses.

The "Math kids" I know seem to stand out for their love [i] of math, especially the kids who have gone on to the Blair math/science magnet. We know a few kids from the TPMS magnet who decided not to apply to the Blair magnet. These bright kids were ready to move on to something more liberal artsy - some are at the Richard Montgomery magnet, and a few are in Blair's Communication Arts magnet.

Bear in mind also that the math/science magnets -- TPMS, Blair and TJ -- also focus heavily on science and computer science. Therefore it's important to have a strong appreciation for these subjects, too. It's not necessary to be advanced in these other subjects, to the extent of being able to write programs, for example. My understanding is that the Blair magnet takes in kids who have no previous programming experience. But a kid does need to be willing, and eager, to do a lot of programming and advanced science in addition to the math.

Thank you for the helpful responses. Just so that I can orient myself --- is it harder, and if so, a great deal or not so much, to get into the math/science magnets than into the CTY Summer math programs.

[Anonymous]

The person I was thinking is a man is not what I'd call a crisp writer. 11:31, 12:24, 15:02, 15:10, 15:20, 15;42, 16:14 and 16:54 are the posts I was referring to.

I am not sure about your fixation or aversion to men. Are you from Holton or NCS? Please explain?

[Anonymous]

If you look back at my original post I said "not that there's anything wrong with that"--which was referring to my guess that someone was a man. I like men actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Thank you for the helpful responses. Just so that I can orient myself --- is it harder, and if so, a great deal or not so much, to get into the math/science magnets than into the CTY Summer math programs.

A question I can answer with some personal experience! I have a kid who is in both CTY and the Blair Communication Arts (CAP) magnet, one of the three MoCo magnets at the high school level. The odds for getting into the CAP and math/science magnet at Blair were about the same - about 1 in 5 or 1 in 6. My kid was waitlisted at the math magnet, but we didn't stick around on the math/science waitlist to see how that would work out because CAP was DC's 1st choice anyway. I believe there is a fair amount of movement on the waitlists for both Blair magnets.

My understanding is that the magnet tests are basically IQ tests, with the addition of a long essay for the CAP application. The CTY test is the SAT, which is part achievement, and part IQ, as I understand it. Somebody could correct me on any or all of this. The magnets also require small personal essays about why your kid wants to go there, how they have a "passion" for math and science - you probably know what's needed on those - and teacher recommendations are also important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Thank you for the helpful responses. Just so that I can orient myself --- is it harder, and if so, a great deal or not so much, to get into the math/science magnets than into the CTY Summer math programs.

A question I can answer with some personal experience! I have a kid who is in both CTY and the Blair Communication Arts (CAP) magnet, one of the three MoCo magnets at the high school level. The odds for getting into the CAP and math/science magnet at Blair were about the same - about 1 in 5 or 1 in 6. My kid was waitlisted at the math magnet, but we didn't stick around on the math/science waitlist to see how that would work out because CAP was DC's 1st choice anyway. I believe there is a fair amount of movement on the waitlists for both Blair magnets.

My understanding is that the magnet tests are basically IQ tests, with the addition of a long essay for the CAP application. The CTY test is the SAT, which is part achievement, and part IQ, as I understand it. Somebody could correct me on any or all of this. The magnets also require small personal essays about why your kid wants to go there, how they have a "passion" for math and science - you probably know what's needed on those - and teacher recommendations are also important.

Thank you. Do kids that make it into CTY typically have a good shot at the magnets, or are the cutoffs such that many CTY kids don't make it into magnets?

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the helpful responses. Just so that I can orient myself --- is it harder, and if so, a great deal or not so much, to get into the math/science magnets than into the CTY Summer math programs.

NIH poster: I would say it is probably a little easier to get into CTY summer programs because the only requirement is an exam -- SCAT exam. The exam is about 1H and 15 min long and composes two sections (Math and Analogies). Each section consists of 55 multiple choice questions answered in 25 min. About 1/3 of the kids in the CTY talent search will ultimately by eligible to take summer program residential and day programs; albeit, this is a self-selected and motivated group. About half will also be eligible for on-line courses through CTY.


To enter the Highly Gifted elementary MCPS magnets; besides an entrance test requirement (in Grade 3), you need your Grade 2 Raven test, InView test and MSA tests, grades/transcripts, and teacher's recommendations. The assessment is based on all these components.

The same is true at the middle school and high school level (entrance test, application, essays, transcripts, recommendations). Think of it as applying to private school where the testing requirements are SSAT or ISEE (or homegrown) depending on the level plus the rest of the usual components.

There are folk with very high entrance test scores that were wait-listed and did not get in due to not so stellar supporting components like grades and recommendations.

For the 100 spots at TPMS there are about 700 applications county wide. I'm not sure the numbers at Blair, but it too, is quite selective. Over the last 2 years MCPS has opened up another Math, Computer Science, and Science High School Magnet program in North Montgomery County that has relieved some of the pressure at Blair Magnet and RM - IB programs

[Anonymous]

I don't really know the answer to that question, sorry. I do know there are other CTY kids in the magnets, but not every magnet kid is a CTY kid. In fact, I would guess that lots of magnet kids are not CTY kids, if only because not everybody know what CTY is (I know we didn't, I thought they were something like Kumon, and threw out their pamphlets when they first came in the mail).

[Anonymous]

17:39 My oldest child is in the CTY summer program and in an elementary school magnet. There are several other students that were with him at the Sandy Spring summer CTY program in the Highly Gifted Center.

[Anonymous]

17:39: If your child is in the CTY summer program and is in 7th grade - 9th grade then he has taken the SAT test with acceptable scores and is eligible to enter their resdential summer programs. He or she will be competitive for the entrance MCPS High School magnet exams. If your child is part of CTY-SET (students with exceptional talent) group she will have attained at least a 700 on the verbal or math SAT test by the age of 13. This will be a slam dunk accomplishment for the entrance exams to any of the MCPS entrance examinations to magnet programs. The SET program group will also draft any letters of recommendations attesting and summarizing your child's accomplishments to any private or public high school or college for whom you wish additional letters of reference.

[Anonymous]

For 17:35 - I'd suggest you post your questions on the MoCo forum, where you'll probably get a broader range of experience with the magnets. I'm 17:31 and 17:39, and I've tried to help where I can (I have two kids in magnets, and one in CTY, and both kids previously did private). But I'm guessing you don't need a lot of info on the mechanics of applying to either the magnets or CTY (especially since you say your kid is already in CTY).

On the MoCo forum you would probably get a broader range of peoples' experience with the magnet application process itself, with acceptances/rejections, and with how the magnets did or did not meet their expectations.

To the last two posters: please stop, you're creeping me out! I'm 17:39 (and not the NIH or GW posters you apparently also think you're addressing), and both my kids are already in magnets, and one of them is in CTY, so I don't need advice on these fronts. And I really, really, want to stay away from all the weirdness and just help the poster asking about MoCo magnets.