Qs about whether to apply for HGC

[Anonymous]

DC is in third grade and MoCo just sent to parents of third graders the forms to start the process of applying to the HGCs. I am torn whether to even apply. DC is bright in that he is in "top" reading and math groups (along with 7 other kids in his class alone - so meaning just one of ~ 30 in his grade in those groups), and scored 99th perc across the board on the second grade standardized tests - but again, seems like many kids scored similarly. He is very inquisitive and creative and a voracious reader, but seems completely within the "norm" in his intelligence - not "off the charts smart" at all. If there were G&T classes available in his home school, there is no question that I'd be pursuing them for him. But to move him to a different school for just 4th and 5th grades seems like a more dramatic step, and it feels like to do that, your child should really be off the grid smart. He is often bored in school - but he also often rushes his work and makes sloppy mistakes. Plus he really needs to be drawn out with respect to his writing skills. Are the kids in the HGCs all scary smart - or would a child like mine find a place there, or even be considered? Our HGC is Chevy Chase, if that makes a difference. TIA.

[Anonymous]

I think it's worth applying. If he gets in, you know he'd fit in academically with the other kids offered spots. (You could make your decision to send him after visiting the school, hearing more about the program, talking with parents of current students.) If he doesn't get in, you know that the home school is the right place for him.

If you don't apply now, you've cut off any option of going.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is in third grade and MoCo just sent to parents of third graders the forms to start the process of applying to the HGCs. I am torn whether to even apply. DC is bright in that he is in "top" reading and math groups (along with 7 other kids in his class alone - so meaning just one of ~ 30 in his grade in those groups), and scored 99th perc across the board on the second grade standardized tests - but again, seems like many kids scored similarly. He is very inquisitive and creative and a voracious reader, but seems completely within the "norm" in his intelligence - not "off the charts smart" at all. If there were G&T classes available in his home school, there is no question that I'd be pursuing them for him. But to move him to a different school for just 4th and 5th grades seems like a more dramatic step, and it feels like to do that, your child should really be off the grid smart. He is often bored in school - but he also often rushes his work and makes sloppy mistakes. Plus he really needs to be drawn out with respect to his writing skills. Are the kids in the HGCs all scary smart - or would a child like mine find a place there, or even be considered? Our HGC is Chevy Chase, if that makes a difference. TIA.

Can't hurt to apply as you can accept or decline if offered admission. Go to the meeting describing the program to get more insight. If you're accepted they will have a day where you and your child can visit and see what it's like.

Not all of the kids are "scary smart" but they're all at least very bright and inquisitive. The majority of the kids in my daughter's school are also the competitive perfectionist types, but my daughter is the rush and make mistakes type as well, so don't feel like that is a major issue. She has gradually learned over the last year that she needs to slow down and be more careful.

[Anonymous]

Yes, apply. The school pulls out kids to test (only kids whose parents have submitted an app). My child would have felt bad if we hadn't because "all the smart kids were tested."

[Anonymous]

Yes, apply. Also important to note that depending on how many kids from home school get in and go, the peer group at home school can change significantly.

Doesn't hurt. You should leave the option open.

[Anonymous]

Yes, go ahead and apply. Wait to see if he actually gets in before worrying about whether he should go.

[Anonymous]

I think these posts, that come up every year, are so funny. Applhy of course! It's very low stress foryour child -- just a test. And chances are he/she won't get in and it will be a moot point .... why worry so much about applying? If you think your DC could get in, apply and then worry about making the decision!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is in third grade and MoCo just sent to parents of third graders the forms to start the process of applying to the HGCs. I am torn whether to even apply. DC is bright in that he is in "top" reading and math groups (along with 7 other kids in his class alone - so meaning just one of ~ 30 in his grade in those groups), and scored 99th perc across the board on the second grade standardized tests - but again, seems like many kids scored similarly. He is very inquisitive and creative and a voracious reader, but seems completely within the "norm" in his intelligence - not "off the charts smart" at all. If there were G&T classes available in his home school, there is no question that I'd be pursuing them for him. But to move him to a different school for just 4th and 5th grades seems like a more dramatic step, and it feels like to do that, your child should really be off the grid smart. He is often bored in school - but he also often rushes his work and makes sloppy mistakes. Plus he really needs to be drawn out with respect to his writing skills. Are the kids in the HGCs all scary smart - or would a child like mine find a place there, or even be considered? Our HGC is Chevy Chase, if that makes a difference. TIA.

This was my third grader to a tee. He moved to HGC and now to MS magnet and he has thrived.

[Anonymous]

The HGCs really work with the students on organizational skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think these posts, that come up every year, are so funny. Applhy of course! It's very low stress foryour child -- just a test. And chances are he/she won't get in and it will be a moot point .... why worry so much about applying? If you think your DC could get in, apply and then worry about making the decision!

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is in third grade and MoCo just sent to parents of third graders the forms to start the process of applying to the HGCs. I am torn whether to even apply. DC is bright in that he is in "top" reading and math groups (along with 7 other kids in his class alone - so meaning just one of ~ 30 in his grade in those groups), and scored 99th perc across the board on the second grade standardized tests - but again, seems like many kids scored similarly. He is very inquisitive and creative and a voracious reader, but seems completely within the "norm" in his intelligence - not "off the charts smart" at all. If there were G&T classes available in his home school, there is no question that I'd be pursuing them for him. But to move him to a different school for just 4th and 5th grades seems like a more dramatic step, and it feels like to do that, your child should really be off the grid smart. He is often bored in school - but he also often rushes his work and makes sloppy mistakes. Plus he really needs to be drawn out with respect to his writing skills. Are the kids in the HGCs all scary smart - or would a child like mine find a place there, or even be considered? Our HGC is Chevy Chase, if that makes a difference. TIA.

This was my third grader to a tee. He moved to HGC and now to MS magnet and he has thrived.

Also, what the hell is "scary smart"? This is another trope that comes up every year: HCG kids are smart but socially awkward, weird, behavior problems, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is in third grade and MoCo just sent to parents of third graders the forms to start the process of applying to the HGCs. I am torn whether to even apply. DC is bright in that he is in "top" reading and math groups (along with 7 other kids in his class alone - so meaning just one of ~ 30 in his grade in those groups), and scored 99th perc across the board on the second grade standardized tests - but again, seems like many kids scored similarly. He is very inquisitive and creative and a voracious reader, but seems completely within the "norm" in his intelligence - not "off the charts smart" at all. If there were G&T classes available in his home school, there is no question that I'd be pursuing them for him. But to move him to a different school for just 4th and 5th grades seems like a more dramatic step, and it feels like to do that, your child should really be off the grid smart. He is often bored in school - but he also often rushes his work and makes sloppy mistakes. Plus he really needs to be drawn out with respect to his writing skills. Are the kids in the HGCs all scary smart - or would a child like mine find a place there, or even be considered? Our HGC is Chevy Chase, if that makes a difference. TIA.

This was my third grader to a tee. He moved to HGC and now to MS magnet and he has thrived.

Also, what the hell is "scary smart"? This is another trope that comes up every year: HCG kids are smart but socially awkward, weird, behavior problems, etc.

I agree.

Are Center kids very smart? Yes, that is how they were admitted. The point of the Center is to provide them with educational options not available to them in the regular classroom.

Are they scary smart? I don't know what this means.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the helpful replies. Without knowing one child who has gone to an HGC (this is my oldest), I wanted to get a sense if there are children with similar profiles to my child who attend the HGCs. There are many very smart children in my child's class/grade each year, many seem "gifted" to me in one way or another. But obviously most will not attend an HGC. So I am weighing whether it is worth even considering it as a possibility for school next year, since in our case it requires a move to a different school, leaving friends and a lovely community. I guess the term "highly gifted" implies something more to me than just getting a 99% on the WISC or similar test, but maybe what I am envisioning at the HGCs is not the case.

[Anonymous]

OP, in my very limited experience, "Center For Smart Kids Who Got Accepted" would be a better name than "Highly Gifted Center". There are a lot more kids who would benefit from the HGC curriculum than kids who got accepted to the HGC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the helpful replies. Without knowing one child who has gone to an HGC (this is my oldest), I wanted to get a sense if there are children with similar profiles to my child who attend the HGCs. There are many very smart children in my child's class/grade each year, many seem "gifted" to me in one way or another. But obviously most will not attend an HGC. So I am weighing whether it is worth even considering it as a possibility for school next year, since in our case it requires a move to a different school, leaving friends and a lovely community. I guess the term "highly gifted" implies something more to me than just getting a 99% on the WISC or similar test, but maybe what I am envisioning at the HGCs is not the case.

I think they name it center for the HIGHLY Gifted so they can limit it to a small percentage of kids -- since MCPS defines about 30% of its students as "gifted," there would be lawsuits otherwise.

It's also a real term though, and refers to the top 3%, more or less, of kids measured by IQ. So if your child got a 99% percentile on the WISC, they fall into that group. And even though we live in Lake Woebegone , even in MoCo the distribution applies. Of course, we are talking about 99% percentile OVERALL, not on one particular subtest.

Also the test for the Centers isn't the WISC so your child could have a very high IQ and not do well on the particular test they use, or at least not as well as the WISC score could predict. And despite what they tell you, that test score is the most important thing for admission -- although other things are taken into account.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, OP, if your child was in the 99th percentile on the WISC as an overall score, then yes, your child would be fine at an HGC.