Blair for gifted kid, but not magnet

[Anonymous]

Whatever happened this year for admissions is not a good model. The kids who were in 8th at TPMS were one of the only universal selection years that used the full Cogat but they also had the peer cohort criteria when they were admitted which limited the number of kids from their elementary and home middle schools. If you had a couple outliers who were your classmates (they really tried to make sure all the elementary schools were representedl) you were out of luck even if you had higher stats than others across the county who did get in.

For Blair admissions this year they did not use the Cogat so it was much harder to differentiate between high achievers but on the other hand it does not seem like they used any kind of numerical peer cohort type of screening. I don't know if they tried to make sure all the middle schools were represented.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UMD is now turning down top mcps grads in anticipation they will not accept UMD.

And you know this how, exactly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whatever happened this year for admissions is not a good model. The kids who were in 8th at TPMS were one of the only universal selection years that used the full Cogat but they also had the peer cohort criteria when they were admitted which limited the number of kids from their elementary and home middle schools. If you had a couple outliers who were your classmates (they really tried to make sure all the elementary schools were representedl) you were out of luck even if you had higher stats than others across the county who did get in.

For Blair admissions this year they did not use the Cogat so it was much harder to differentiate between high achievers but on the other hand it does not seem like they used any kind of numerical peer cohort type of screening. I don't know if they tried to make sure all the middle schools were represented.

High school magnet admission procedures were always different from those for elementary and middle school magnets, fwiw. And Cogat was dropped only because of Covid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whatever happened this year for admissions is not a good model. The kids who were in 8th at TPMS were one of the only universal selection years that used the full Cogat but they also had the peer cohort criteria when they were admitted which limited the number of kids from their elementary and home middle schools. If you had a couple outliers who were your classmates (they really tried to make sure all the elementary schools were representedl) you were out of luck even if you had higher stats than others across the county who did get in.

For Blair admissions this year they did not use the Cogat so it was much harder to differentiate between high achievers but on the other hand it does not seem like they used any kind of numerical peer cohort type of screening. I don't know if they tried to make sure all the middle schools were represented.

I’m not sure why you are saying there was something wrong with this years admissions. At least 35 kids got in from TPMS. Which is similar to previous years and still a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UMD is now turning down top mcps grads in anticipation they will not accept UMD.

And you know this how, exactly?

Lots of safety schools do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whatever happened this year for admissions is not a good model. The kids who were in 8th at TPMS were one of the only universal selection years that used the full Cogat but they also had the peer cohort criteria when they were admitted which limited the number of kids from their elementary and home middle schools. If you had a couple outliers who were your classmates (they really tried to make sure all the elementary schools were representedl) you were out of luck even if you had higher stats than others across the county who did get in.

For Blair admissions this year they did not use the Cogat so it was much harder to differentiate between high achievers but on the other hand it does not seem like they used any kind of numerical peer cohort type of screening. I don't know if they tried to make sure all the middle schools were represented.

High school magnet admission procedures were always different from those for elementary and middle school magnets, fwiw. And Cogat was dropped only because of Covid.

Not to mention the gatekeeper tests like SAT or CogAT have fallen out of favor since they favor those who can afford prep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am considering moving into the zone for Blair, but i am kind of worried about (and excited about?) the magnet dynamic. My kids are super smart, academic types—but so are lots of kids. If they don’t get into a magnet and they end up just attending Blair outside the magnet, is there a second-class citizen vibe? Will the nerdy smart kids they would normally like all be in the magnet, and they will be bummed? And then for college admissions, are they at an inherent disadvantage in this scenario? I LOVE the idea of the magnet options in mcps and the Blair zone, but I know that being smart is no guarantee you actually get in, and I don’t want them having a great experience to be totally on the line.

I live in the boundary of Blair. One of my kids was in the STEM magnet the other was not, both children are equally bright and motivated. Even the one not in the magnet managed to take about 50% of the magnet curriculum. I also felt they were more than able to make up for the other 50% with solid AP offerings.