Applying to GT from private?

[Anonymous]

I am the "unfathomable" poster.

While I can see that they would discuss why your child didn't get in after the fact -- and indeed they will, to a certain extent, particularly if you appeal -- it is still inconceivable that they would advise someone on an application in progress and allow them to make changes.

Opens them up for lawsuit city and believe me, parents are willing to sue to get their child into HGC.

While I love HGC and my one child is thriving there, it does pain me that all MCPS kids don't get the same experience.

[Anonymous]

Why does it pain you that all kids don't get the same experience? Not every program is right for every child.This is the problem for MoCo. They are pushing so many kids to do work that they are not ready for and they make you feel guilty as a parent if you don't agree with it.

[Anonymous]

Well, I see my kid in the center being challenged and engaged.

My kid who's not in the center (but who is in a well-regarded Chevy Chase school and is identified for enriched work) does endless worksheets and rarely has engaging projects. Her teachers (whom I like) have to take weeks out of their schedule to prepare for standardized tests that don't stretch or challenge kids. At the Center they don't have to do that, and so they don't.

I know my second DC wouldn't be able to handle a long-term project involving reading of lengthy novels. But why can't she learn about ancient Greece or get science more interesting than memorizing the parts of a plant? Why can't she get vocabulary development and not just rote spelling? These things can be interesting and engaging even if they aren't at the same high level that DC#1 needs and craves.

As the parent of an HGC child I know full well that not every kid should be pushed. But I don't think engaging, interesting and creative teaching and curriculum should be reserved only for kids who are capable of highly advanced work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think engaging, interesting and creative teaching and curriculum should be reserved only for kids who are capable of highly advanced work.

This is exactly how I feel about it. I also have a bit of a problem with the GT teacher survey because what it mostly consists of (in my experience) is verification of reading and math levels. I have found that our school hasn't been separating a grade ahead from on grade level in their records. The teachers were maintaining that data, not the office. Also, my child was a solid two years ahead in reading, even by the homeroom teacher's records (who filled out the survey), which were lower than the records of the teacher actually teaching her reading. The GT center told me that wasn't very competitive. They put us on a wait list. I'll get over it but the whole process is a little arbitrary in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

10:28 here again

Really one of the most important things the HGC offers is a peer group. My DC -- who's very socially appropriate -- was constantly teased and bullied in his home school for being smart. He felt alone and miserable.

At the HGC, he can be himself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone I know went from private to the GT at CCES two years ago. However, they had to apply twice. They were applying from a Big 3. The first time, their child was rejected and, in a phone call initiated by the parent, was informed that the private school had sent a recommendation more geared toward private-school admission. They were told that the GT center looks not for the well-rounded child but for the child who "spikes" in a certain area and that lettes of recommendation should keep that in mind. They applied again and got in.

I don't believe this story. A child who is not accepted to the CHG may appeal the decision (and will likely be turned down or wait-listed), but there is no such thing as "applying again."

And there is definitely no such thing as getting information like this over the phone. Not in MCPS, not in a million years.

Actually, I have applied to two different GT programs for my kids -- one child got in, one child was deemed qualified but did not make the lottery. In both cases, the MCPS staff answered questions about my child's testing and application and admit/decline letter over the phone. They were very open and helpful.

I don't know what this means, "did not make the lottery." In the Center program (which is the one this thread is about), there is no lottery. You apply, then you are either accepted, rejected, or wait-listed.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I applied to HGC for DC#1, who was accepted. You are right, there is no lottery for the HGC (unless you are waitlisted, in which case, kids are pulled of the waitlist by lottery). When deciding whether to place my child in the HGC after being accepted, I wanted to know how she stood in relation to the pool of accepted students. The AEI people were happy to share, by phone, the mean score of accepted students (in fact this was in the letter) and also some sense of where my child fell in the range of accepted students as well as the range of grade level performance of accepted students.

I applied DC#2 to Takoma Park Elementary Magnet, which is the only magnet for young elementary kids who are gifted. There the process is similar to the HGC -- testing, application, parent recommendation, teacher recommendation & review of school records. After reviewing these elements of the application, a child is deemed "qualified" or "not qualified" and the "qualified" kids are put into a lottery. DC#2 was deemed qualified, but did not make a high enough number in the lottery to be accepted into the school. I know this thread pertains to the HGC, but I included my experience with the Takoma Magnet because the same MCPS department runs the admissions process for Takoma and the HGC, and the admission process is similar for the two in many ways. Again, I called asking questions about the process and my child's test scores, because I had some concerns about his performance. The office answered many questions for me.

In both cases, the people in charge of the application process answered questions on the phone after the admit/denial letters were sent, but before the appeal date had passed. In addition, a friend of one of my DC's was initially denied admission to the HGC and her parents also discussed by phone the denial with the AEI office in charge of the process, got additional information about how their child's application didn't measure up or was missing elements, and wrote an appeal addressing one of the permitted appeal aspects and were ultimately admitted to the HGC.

So, all in all, I've found the AEI people involved in the application process to be helpful by phone. It's just one person's experience; I understand others may have been different.

That said, everyone should remember that they have a right under FERPA to review all of a child's school records, which would include information pertaining to the child's HGC application. This includes teacher recommendations unless you signed a waiver, testing, test booklets, school records on performance including any testing like NWEA/lexile scores (which can be used to show reading level), etc. Basically, anything that is personally identifiable to your child, you have a right to review. So, if you're not happy with the answers you're getting over the phone, make a written request under FERPA.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your very helpful post.