magnet schools for Bethesda kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are plenty of Bethesda area kids who attend Eastern, Takoma Park, Blair and RMIB. I am not going to knock their home high schools (we are zoned for one of them) but the magnet programs are qualitatively different in terms of curriculum as well as the peer group. That does not mean that every bright kid would be better off in the magnet programs but if you have a kid who would thrive in that environment (enriched curriculum, able to work at least two grade levels above actual grade, faster pace, cross-disciplinary work, high expectations, peer group that is also bright and loves to learn) it is worth the bus ride. Yes you take non-magnet courses with the general school population but that is not a terrible thing. Takoma Park is a good middle school. At Eastern your child's math and science class is likely to have mostly magnet kids. Blair is a very good school. If you are taking AP or honors level classes the teachers are great. We have been very happy with social studies and english at blair. Foreign languages not so much.

Bethesda parent of 1 Eastern and 1 Takoma magnet student. Agree about the "qualitatively different" part for MS. Magnet MS made a huge difference. Child was much more prepared for high school than other students who were at home school. At the MS level, there is no option for advanced academics. By contrast, at least in HS, there are advanced academics (AP or IB depending on school). Opting for the magnet in HS is a trade off between travel time and what you could use that extra time for if you stayed at home school. Some of our kids opted not to do HS magnet for this reason. Home HS with AP/IB load is fine.

IMO, Blair math and science magnet is on a separate plane from other HS programs. The classes offered there are truly advanced, not available anywhere else in the county, and the peer group has a pretty good chunk of crazy smart kids as well as plain old very smart/highly motivated kids. Families admitted to this program should not kid themselves that a home high school w/ lots of APs will be a comparable experience.

FWIW, many parents in Bethesda carpool one or both ways to Blair, Eastern or Takoma. The drive is quick but the bus route is 3x as long due to the way everyone is routed through Blair.

I totally agree with both the above posters. Eastern MS/Takoma MS is not comparable to a Bethesda area middle school in terms of curriculum or peer group and Blair Science Magnet is indeed on a totally different plane.
W parent with W and magnet experience.

[Anonymous]

The best and brightest attend Takoma MS & Blair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best and brightest attend Takoma MS & Blair.

If they want to...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The first part of this post is simply not true, at least not for the Whitman cluster in terms of there being "plenty" of kids attending the magnets.

There are exact numbers in the Choice Study and they are so low for the Whitman cluster that on some charts they don't even list them for privacy reasons.

True from the Bethesda area high schools the Whitman cluster sends very few. On the other hand BCC sends 11 and WJ sends 17 to the two high school magnets. Westland sends 10 and North Bethesda sends 6 to the middle school magnets.

This was the main point. People like to think the the magnets are heads and shoulders above other scenarios but truth be told the local populations around the W's who are all for the most part highly educated and successful themselves don't even bother pushing for their kids to apply or accept because of their local option. Say what you will but these families know what they are looking at and still very few opt in. It might help the best of the best STEM students but not your average smart kid. I know why local families hold on to the notion that it is a super program but it is more about sheltering strong students from general population kids that could derail their focus. That isn't as big of a problem at a place like Whitman opposed to say an Einstein.

Before you scoff remember that the school within a school is basically in the magnet's charter and all the metrics are going to be higher simply due to the kids selected. They would be high if they had them watch Disney movies all day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The first part of this post is simply not true, at least not for the Whitman cluster in terms of there being "plenty" of kids attending the magnets.

There are exact numbers in the Choice Study and they are so low for the Whitman cluster that on some charts they don't even list them for privacy reasons.

True from the Bethesda area high schools the Whitman cluster sends very few. On the other hand BCC sends 11 and WJ sends 17 to the two high school magnets. Westland sends 10 and North Bethesda sends 6 to the middle school magnets.

This was the main point. People like to think the the magnets are heads and shoulders above other scenarios but truth be told the local populations around the W's who are all for the most part highly educated and successful themselves don't even bother pushing for their kids to apply or accept because of their local option. Say what you will but these families know what they are looking at and still very few opt in. It might help the best of the best STEM students but not your average smart kid. I know why local families hold on to the notion that it is a super program but it is more about sheltering strong students from general population kids that could derail their focus. That isn't as big of a problem at a place like Whitman opposed to say an Einstein.

Before you scoff remember that the school within a school is basically in the magnet's charter and all the metrics are going to be higher simply due to the kids selected. They would be high if they had them watch Disney movies all day.

Have you had a child at each, PP? Because literally everyone on this thread who HAS put a child through each says the magnets are unmistakably better and more rigorous.

[Anonymous]

The posters who reference school within a school don't really know much about Blair. The kids have 4 magnet classes..and are otherwise in classes with neighborhood Blair kids.

[Anonymous]

This is a weird debate. Of course it depends on how you define better.
If you look at the Whitman student body as a whole they will outperform Blair as a whole and that impacts the character of the school. In any activity at the school nearly everyone will be a high-performer because the school is full of high-performers. At Blair, it probably depends on the activity. Chess club and the science bowl, almost definitely. The sports teams? I wouldn't be sure.
But Blair obviously has a more concentrated group of super smart kids taking rigorous classes that aren't offered anywhere else. These are simply facts. The kids in the magnet also tend to be more quirky than you see at Whitman. Whether this is better or not depends on your perspective.
The great thing about both Whitman and the Blair magnet is that they are places where kids who do well and are bright are admired. It isn't that way at all schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The first part of this post is simply not true, at least not for the Whitman cluster in terms of there being "plenty" of kids attending the magnets.

There are exact numbers in the Choice Study and they are so low for the Whitman cluster that on some charts they don't even list them for privacy reasons.

True from the Bethesda area high schools the Whitman cluster sends very few. On the other hand BCC sends 11 and WJ sends 17 to the two high school magnets. Westland sends 10 and North Bethesda sends 6 to the middle school magnets.

This was the main point. People like to think the the magnets are heads and shoulders above other scenarios but truth be told the local populations around the W's who are all for the most part highly educated and successful themselves don't even bother pushing for their kids to apply or accept because of their local option. Say what you will but these families know what they are looking at and still very few opt in. It might help the best of the best STEM students but not your average smart kid. I know why local families hold on to the notion that it is a super program but it is more about sheltering strong students from general population kids that could derail their focus. That isn't as big of a problem at a place like Whitman opposed to say an Einstein.

Before you scoff remember that the school within a school is basically in the magnet's charter and all the metrics are going to be higher simply due to the kids selected. They would be high if they had them watch Disney movies all day.

The vast majority of kids can't get in. Don't fool yourself.

[Anonymous]

My child is part of the Blair Magnet and I have to say I was amazed at the variety of courses that are offered at Blair outside of the magnet. The size of the school gives them the opportunity to offer more languages and electives than at our smaller (about 2,000 kid) school. I never realized how different the course offerings were at the high schools. I just thought a bigger school would have more sections of the same classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The first part of this post is simply not true, at least not for the Whitman cluster in terms of there being "plenty" of kids attending the magnets.

There are exact numbers in the Choice Study and they are so low for the Whitman cluster that on some charts they don't even list them for privacy reasons.

True from the Bethesda area high schools the Whitman cluster sends very few. On the other hand BCC sends 11 and WJ sends 17 to the two high school magnets. Westland sends 10 and North Bethesda sends 6 to the middle school magnets.

This was the main point. People like to think the the magnets are heads and shoulders above other scenarios but truth be told the local populations around the W's who are all for the most part highly educated and successful themselves don't even bother pushing for their kids to apply or accept because of their local option. Say what you will but these families know what they are looking at and still very few opt in. It might help the best of the best STEM students but not your average smart kid. I know why local families hold on to the notion that it is a super program but it is more about sheltering strong students from general population kids that could derail their focus. That isn't as big of a problem at a place like Whitman opposed to say an Einstein.

Before you scoff remember that the school within a school is basically in the magnet's charter and all the metrics are going to be higher simply due to the kids selected. They would be high if they had them watch Disney movies all day.

The vast majority of kids can't get in. Don't fool yourself.

+1000

[Anonymous]

I don't think the above statements contradict eachother. There are kids going to Whitman that are incredibly bright that don't bother applying to Blair and could probably get in. It's not just that their parents think the academics are good enough but it's just too far.
But, yes, the vast majority of kids at Whitman would not be able to get in.
If you look at the SAT performance and college admissions of Whitman's top students and the admissions numbers from comparable high schools there are probably very roughly 10-15 kids who could get in but don't apply. Extrapolating that there are probably 100 kids who could have a reasonable chance of getting in but don't apply. Yes, I am pulling these numbers out of thin air but they are based in the numbers in the Choice Study for other nearby high performing high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The first part of this post is simply not true, at least not for the Whitman cluster in terms of there being "plenty" of kids attending the magnets.

There are exact numbers in the Choice Study and they are so low for the Whitman cluster that on some charts they don't even list them for privacy reasons.

True from the Bethesda area high schools the Whitman cluster sends very few. On the other hand BCC sends 11 and WJ sends 17 to the two high school magnets. Westland sends 10 and North Bethesda sends 6 to the middle school magnets.

This was the main point. People like to think the the magnets are heads and shoulders above other scenarios but truth be told the local populations around the W's who are all for the most part highly educated and successful themselves don't even bother pushing for their kids to apply or accept because of their local option. Say what you will but these families know what they are looking at and still very few opt in. It might help the best of the best STEM students but not your average smart kid. I know why local families hold on to the notion that it is a super program but it is more about sheltering strong students from general population kids that could derail their focus. That isn't as big of a problem at a place like Whitman opposed to say an Einstein.

Before you scoff remember that the school within a school is basically in the magnet's charter and all the metrics are going to be higher simply due to the kids selected. They would be high if they had them watch Disney movies all day.

The magnet is about addressing the needs of very high-performing kids, where such needs cannot be met in home schools.

It is not about "sheltering strong students from general population kids," FFS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think the above statements contradict eachother. There are kids going to Whitman that are incredibly bright that don't bother applying to Blair and could probably get in. It's not just that their parents think the academics are good enough but it's just too far.
But, yes, the vast majority of kids at Whitman would not be able to get in.
If you look at the SAT performance and college admissions of Whitman's top students and the admissions numbers from comparable high schools there are probably very roughly 10-15 kids who could get in but don't apply. Extrapolating that there are probably 100 kids who could have a reasonable chance of getting in but don't apply. Yes, I am pulling these numbers out of thin air but they are based in the numbers in the Choice Study for other nearby high performing high schools.

But probably not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The first part of this post is simply not true, at least not for the Whitman cluster in terms of there being "plenty" of kids attending the magnets.

There are exact numbers in the Choice Study and they are so low for the Whitman cluster that on some charts they don't even list them for privacy reasons.

True from the Bethesda area high schools the Whitman cluster sends very few. On the other hand BCC sends 11 and WJ sends 17 to the two high school magnets. Westland sends 10 and North Bethesda sends 6 to the middle school magnets.

This was the main point. People like to think the the magnets are heads and shoulders above other scenarios but truth be told the local populations around the W's who are all for the most part highly educated and successful themselves don't even bother pushing for their kids to apply or accept because of their local option. Say what you will but these families know what they are looking at and still very few opt in. It might help the best of the best STEM students but not your average smart kid. I know why local families hold on to the notion that it is a super program but it is more about sheltering strong students from general population kids that could derail their focus. That isn't as big of a problem at a place like Whitman opposed to say an Einstein.

Before you scoff remember that the school within a school is basically in the magnet's charter and all the metrics are going to be higher simply due to the kids selected. They would be high if they had them watch Disney movies all day.

The magnet is about addressing the needs of very high-performing kids, where such needs cannot be met in home schools.

It is not about "sheltering strong students from general population kids," FFS.

You make it sound like prison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think the above statements contradict eachother. There are kids going to Whitman that are incredibly bright that don't bother applying to Blair and could probably get in. It's not just that their parents think the academics are good enough but it's just too far.
But, yes, the vast majority of kids at Whitman would not be able to get in.
If you look at the SAT performance and college admissions of Whitman's top students and the admissions numbers from comparable high schools there are probably very roughly 10-15 kids who could get in but don't apply. Extrapolating that there are probably 100 kids who could have a reasonable chance of getting in but don't apply. Yes, I am pulling these numbers out of thin air but they are based in the numbers in the Choice Study for other nearby high performing high schools.

This seems true, In fact, just substitute any moco high-school...