can you get into a top college if you don't do CAP/Magnet/IB?

[Anonymous]

This may seem like a dumb question but we are contemplating moving from out of town to MoCo and I'm having trouble understanding from these forums and the school websites the bewildering array of choices here. I'm also worried, based on the timing of our move, that my DC won't even be able to apply to magnets at the right time. Anyone have a child just go to one of the big schools Whitman/BCC/Blair without going to those special programs--can they still take whatever AP courses are offered and get into a really good school?

DH and I were both lucky enough to go to a great Ivy league school but we both came from small towns so aren't familiar with the whole a million schools/choices/10 APs expected world. I knew everyone in the entire county who applied to the same schools I did! This is definitely a different league and era, so any advice most appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Have no idea what things are like now, but my sister graduated from a MoCo high school in 2002 - was not IB, CAP, magnet, etc (but was a "W" school if that makes a difference...) and went to Cornell. I don't know if she took any AP classes at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This may seem like a dumb question but we are contemplating moving from out of town to MoCo and I'm having trouble understanding from these forums and the school websites the bewildering array of choices here. I'm also worried, based on the timing of our move, that my DC won't even be able to apply to magnets at the right time. Anyone have a child just go to one of the big schools Whitman/BCC/Blair without going to those special programs--can they still take whatever AP courses are offered and get into a really good school?

DH and I were both lucky enough to go to a great Ivy league school but we both came from small towns so aren't familiar with the whole a million schools/choices/10 APs expected world. I knew everyone in the entire county who applied to the same schools I did! This is definitely a different league and era, so any advice most appreciated.

Yes its absolutely possible. Bethesda Mag posts a list of how many people from the Ws, BCC and Blair got into each college. You can compare.

I have access to naviance for Churchill so if you request a college I will post the statistics from it (probably tomorrow morning). It says the number of people apply, the number of people getting in, the average GPA and SAT score, etc.

Keep in mind though that a lot of criteria the Ivies use to determine acceptance are ungraphable.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't move to MoCo. The school system has sold its curriculum to Pearson and has been on a downward slide on performance indicators.

If you can afford it move to the wealthier parts of the county and hope your children graduate at a time when universities still give some values to MCPS graduates.

[Anonymous]

Oh and I forgot to mention - you don't have to go to a magnet to take AP classes.

[Anonymous]

That Bethesda Magazine list, as mentioned by a PP, is a good place to start if it's available online.

As you will see, many, many MoCo kids go on to top schools, far more than are in the magnets.

Actually, the only concern I would have about MoCo is that there are so many highly qualified kids applying to these same schools, that a kid could easily get lost in the numbers game.

The best advice I would give to somebody coming into the system is to not pay too much attention to this forum. You'll get a very skewered perspective.

[Anonymous]

In some cases being at magnet or top school is a hindrance because all the kids are applying to top schools.. Sticking out a a less popular school can increase your odds. That said the top schools do offer more APs etc..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That Bethesda Magazine list, as mentioned by a PP, is a good place to start if it's available online.

As you will see, many, many MoCo kids go on to top schools, far more than are in the magnets.

Actually, the only concern I would have about MoCo is that there are so many highly qualified kids applying to these same schools, that a kid could easily get lost in the numbers game.

The best advice I would give to somebody coming into the system is to not pay too much attention to this forum. You'll get a very skewered perspective.

+1. Yes the perspective on this forum is skewed. MoCo schools are top notch, even with the new curriculum. Plenty of kids get into top schools from their home schools. The key is to do well taking a rigorous set of classes. A child can take rigorous classes at any of the MCPS high schools. In fact, I would say that a child taking rigorous classes at Gaitherburg High School with a straight A average will have a better chance of getting into a top school than a child similarly situated at Whitman or Churchill.

[Anonymous]

Yes. My own kids are/were in private, but they have lots of friends at BCC, Whitman, Churchill and WJ who have gone on to highly-selective colleges and universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This may seem like a dumb question but we are contemplating moving from out of town to MoCo and I'm having trouble understanding from these forums and the school websites the bewildering array of choices here. I'm also worried, based on the timing of our move, that my DC won't even be able to apply to magnets at the right time. Anyone have a child just go to one of the big schools Whitman/BCC/Blair without going to those special programs--can they still take whatever AP courses are offered and get into a really good school?

DH and I were both lucky enough to go to a great Ivy league school but we both came from small towns so aren't familiar with the whole a million schools/choices/10 APs expected world. I knew everyone in the entire county who applied to the same schools I did! This is definitely a different league and era, so any advice most appreciated.

If I were you, I'd move to the Wheaton HS zone. I bet that there are a whole lot fewer applications to "top colleges" from Wheaton HS than from Whitman/BCC/Blair. Here is a list of the AP classes Wheaton HS offers (scroll down to the bottom):

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/wheatonhs/departments/aphonors/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't move to MoCo. The school system has sold its curriculum to Pearson and has been on a downward slide on performance indicators.

If you can afford it move to the wealthier parts of the county and hope your children graduate at a time when universities still give some values to MCPS graduates.

Snort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This may seem like a dumb question but we are contemplating moving from out of town to MoCo and I'm having trouble understanding from these forums and the school websites the bewildering array of choices here. I'm also worried, based on the timing of our move, that my DC won't even be able to apply to magnets at the right time. Anyone have a child just go to one of the big schools Whitman/BCC/Blair without going to those special programs--can they still take whatever AP courses are offered and get into a really good school?

DH and I were both lucky enough to go to a great Ivy league school but we both came from small towns so aren't familiar with the whole a million schools/choices/10 APs expected world. I knew everyone in the entire county who applied to the same schools I did! This is definitely a different league and era, so any advice most appreciated.

If I were you, I'd move to the Wheaton HS zone. I bet that there are a whole lot fewer applications to "top colleges" from Wheaton HS than from Whitman/BCC/Blair. Here is a list of the AP classes Wheaton HS offers (scroll down to the bottom):

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/wheatonhs/departments/aphonors/

I think if one was really determined to give a bright-but-maybe-not-magnet-level kid a chance at a top school, and was not caught up in the status game, this is very smart advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This may seem like a dumb question but we are contemplating moving from out of town to MoCo and I'm having trouble understanding from these forums and the school websites the bewildering array of choices here. I'm also worried, based on the timing of our move, that my DC won't even be able to apply to magnets at the right time. Anyone have a child just go to one of the big schools Whitman/BCC/Blair without going to those special programs--can they still take whatever AP courses are offered and get into a really good school?

DH and I were both lucky enough to go to a great Ivy league school but we both came from small towns so aren't familiar with the whole a million schools/choices/10 APs expected world. I knew everyone in the entire county who applied to the same schools I did! This is definitely a different league and era, so any advice most appreciated.

If I were you, I'd move to the Wheaton HS zone. I bet that there are a whole lot fewer applications to "top colleges" from Wheaton HS than from Whitman/BCC/Blair. Here is a list of the AP classes Wheaton HS offers (scroll down to the bottom):

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/wheatonhs/departments/aphonors/

I think if one was really determined to give a bright-but-maybe-not-magnet-level kid a chance at a top school, and was not caught up in the status game, this is very smart advice.

Completely agree.

But OP, why are you so invested in Ivies for your kids?

[Anonymous]

YES.

In fact your chances dramatically improve because you are competing with kids of all capabilities in a regular kid vs, uber-smart and hard working ones in magnet.

If you are in a good W school - go for it. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks. that's interesting. i always thought kids from the big city got a lot of educational opportunities DH and I didn't and I see that's true, but man the rat race is tough. My kids, esp. one of DCs seems really bright, but it's too early to say.

And to the PP who asked--I didn't as about Ivies I asked about getting into really good schools. If my DC could get into Davidson or CalTech I would be thrilled.