My summary on the AAP admissions process

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: What I really like about AAP is not the curriculum, but the friends my DD has made. They are all wonderful girls, smart, a bit quirky, and caring. In that sense it was worth it.

+1
My son was in school-based Level IV and studied with the same kids from 3 till 6 grade. It was an amazing cohort and they formed lasting friendships that still endure in the middle school AAP. I agree that it is more important than the curriculum... parents can provide all kinds of enrichment, but finding and building a great peer group is more difficult.

Right, because building a great peer group with the GE kids would be horrible? What does this mean? Do people really care if their children's peer groups are with the other "gifted" children. How about they make friends with whoever they like?

Exactly. My DC has best friends in both AAP and GE. They too, form an amazing cohort and none of them care about meaningless GE vs. AAP labels.

at the bus stop there are the AAPs and the GEs, and they don't mingle at all. It's not just "labels," but I'm not surprised you want to characterize it this way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think nothing can replace a great class dynamic, and AAP kids tend to be cut from the same cloth-it is hard to explain, just have to see in action!

just talk to them. You will see the difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think nothing can replace a great class dynamic, and AAP kids tend to be cut from the same cloth-it is hard to explain, just have to see in action!

Yes, you never do see a great class dynamic in the Gen Ed classes. Give me a break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think nothing can replace a great class dynamic, and AAP kids tend to be cut from the same cloth-it is hard to explain, just have to see in action!

just talk to them. You will see the difference.

True... the GE kids have much better senses of humor and don't take everything so literally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think nothing can replace a great class dynamic, and AAP kids tend to be cut from the same cloth-it is hard to explain, just have to see in action!

Yes, you never do see a great class dynamic in the Gen Ed classes. Give me a break.

Harder to build in Gen Ed since the class roster changes from year to year. Not impossible, especially with a good teacher, but harder.

[Anonymous]

at the bus stop there are the AAPs and the GEs, and they don't mingle at all. It's not just "labels," but I'm not surprised you want to characterize it this way.

What school is this? I'd like to avoid it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:at the bus stop there are the AAPs and the GEs, and they don't mingle at all. It's not just "labels," but I'm not surprised you want to characterize it this way.

What school is this? I'd like to avoid it.

well there are two schools - the aap center (which sends more kids to TJ than any other) and the local MS. Don't know why they don't mingle. Kinda like a middle school dance I guess, boys on one side of the room and the girls on the other.

[Anonymous]

The AAP students are hand selected for their potential for high academic achievement. What those who argue that the AAP program has gotten too big need to consider is the possibility that the explosion in the Asian population in Northern Virginia in the last 15 years really has contributed to an explosion in the number of academically high achieving kids, and really these numbers may not be out of whack at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The AAP students are hand selected for their potential for high academic achievement. What those who argue that the AAP program has gotten too big need to consider is the possibility that the explosion in the Asian population in Northern Virginia in the last 15 years really has contributed to an explosion in the number of academically high achieving kids, and really these numbers may not be out of whack at all.

Wonder how this correlates with the explosion of AAP test prep

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:at the bus stop there are the AAPs and the GEs, and they don't mingle at all. It's not just "labels," but I'm not surprised you want to characterize it this way.

What school is this? I'd like to avoid it.

well there are two schools - the aap center (which sends more kids to TJ than any other) and the local MS. Don't know why they don't mingle. Kinda like a middle school dance I guess, boys on one side of the room and the girls on the other.

They probably don't mingle because they go to different schools and thus don't know each other. Duh. Yet another reason to do away with the center model.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The AAP students are hand selected for their potential for high academic achievement. What those who argue that the AAP program has gotten too big need to consider is the possibility that the explosion in the Asian population in Northern Virginia in the last 15 years really has contributed to an explosion in the number of academically high achieving kids, and really these numbers may not be out of whack at all.

"Hand selected"? You mean hit a certain (not especially high) benchmark on a test? Or had pushy parents who made sure they got in? Most of the AAP students in our center are Caucasian, so please stop trying to make race the reason for the gross over-representation of AAP students in FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:at the bus stop there are the AAPs and the GEs, and they don't mingle at all. It's not just "labels," but I'm not surprised you want to characterize it this way.

What school is this? I'd like to avoid it.

+1,000,000 This school is any AAP center.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:at the bus stop there are the AAPs and the GEs, and they don't mingle at all. It's not just "labels," but I'm not surprised you want to characterize it this way.

What school is this? I'd like to avoid it.

+1,000,000 This school is any AAP center.

Not my kids' AAP centers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The AAP students are hand selected for their potential for high academic achievement. What those who argue that the AAP program has gotten too big need to consider is the possibility that the explosion in the Asian population in Northern Virginia in the last 15 years really has contributed to an explosion in the number of academically high achieving kids, and really these numbers may not be out of whack at all.

"Hand selected"? You mean hit a certain (not especially high) benchmark on a test? Or had pushy parents who made sure they got in? Most of the AAP students in our center are Caucasian, so please stop trying to make race the reason for the gross over-representation of AAP students in FCPS.

over representation? relative to what? Asians are probably 15 -20% of the students in the FCPS system, yet at many of the Centers where we live, in the western part of the county, they make up 50% or more of the AAP students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most people who appeal get in -- just sayin'

My guess is it depends on the GBRS. My DC had a WISC of 128 and did not get in on appeal. I never checked the GBRS, because I trusted DC's teacher--who was very experienced and who had a great relationship with DC--knew whether it was the right environment for DC. Fast forward a few years later, I realize AAP would have been a disaster for this particular child. DC is in Gen Ed, getting pulled out for various enrichments, always in the top group, etc., and is happy and doing well.