Blair magnet and RMIB - how have EA/ED gone?

[Anonymous]

Blair SMCS parent here--anecdotally from DC, kids themselves still keeping close to their chests. It's fewer than 100 kids who've been in this together for a long time, and know they're applying to a lot of the same schools, so one kid's admit might be a friend's deferral. It's not like TJ, much bigger, or the privates, where the college counselor pretty much makes sure that the EDs are parceled out across the class and where kids have more divergent interests/strengths compared to the Blair stem magnet, so that they don't have the same degree of overlap. Yes, you can see on Bethesda magazine, and the school paper/magazine at least a couple of years ago also published pretty much the whole list when all was said and done. (Before getting through the other comments, was inclined to add that at least some of the Blair SCMS kids def see the RM kids as boasty, and not just about college admits, as a contrast. Obvi a generalization, but that feeling has been said in a several different contexts over the years in DC's cohort. YMMV.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it weird how there never seems to be any real information about where Blair SMCS kids go to college, while most of the other schools have instagram pages and RMIB even has a document I’ve seen on previous threads that summarizes admits. Why is Blair SMCS so closed up about it? I know many of the kids go to UM but really would be good to know. It’s a really strong cohort of kids and some realistic expectation setting would be helpful, considering how much kids can’t help but compare themselves to their peers.

They show destinations by HS in Bethesda Magazine each year, so it's pretty easy to see. Blair has more prestigious schools than any other high school by a fairly wide margin, and it's a safe bet a lot of that is the magnet.

Exactly. All you people who claim you're doing this for research can check Bethesda Magazine. Or wait til the end of the year graduation reports.

If you are sitting here in December looking at college admissions for children you do not know at a high school your own child does not (yet or ever) attend, that's mockable and we will laugh at you.

Because I definitely care a lot about whether you will mock and laugh at me, I'm wondering under what circumstances it is ever OK for a person to look at college admit social media. Can I only look at a school my child currently attends? What if they are going to attend or did attend? What if my friend's kid or nephew goes there? Or should I just not look at all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it weird how there never seems to be any real information about where Blair SMCS kids go to college, while most of the other schools have instagram pages and RMIB even has a document I’ve seen on previous threads that summarizes admits. Why is Blair SMCS so closed up about it? I know many of the kids go to UM but really would be good to know. It’s a really strong cohort of kids and some realistic expectation setting would be helpful, considering how much kids can’t help but compare themselves to their peers.

They show destinations by HS in Bethesda Magazine each year, so it's pretty easy to see. Blair has more prestigious schools than any other high school by a fairly wide margin, and it's a safe bet a lot of that is the magnet.

Exactly. All you people who claim you're doing this for research can check Bethesda Magazine. Or wait til the end of the year graduation reports.

If you are sitting here in December looking at college admissions for children you do not know at a high school your own child does not (yet or ever) attend, that's mockable and we will laugh at you.

Because I definitely care a lot about whether you will mock and laugh at me, I'm wondering under what circumstances it is ever OK for a person to look at college admit social media. Can I only look at a school my child currently attends? What if they are going to attend or did attend? What if my friend's kid or nephew goes there? Or should I just not look at all?

The point that you are others keep failing to grasp is that it’s poor taste to be stalking this data in December on Instagram pages when EA/ED decisions have just come out. Further the Instagram pages are self reporting by the kids who want to participate which means it’s not even an accurate reporting of a program/school.

College is more competitive than ever and students are more stressed about the applications and process. If this is data you are really interested in for a meaningful reason there are ways to seek it after RD season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it weird how there never seems to be any real information about where Blair SMCS kids go to college, while most of the other schools have instagram pages and RMIB even has a document I’ve seen on previous threads that summarizes admits. Why is Blair SMCS so closed up about it? I know many of the kids go to UM but really would be good to know. It’s a really strong cohort of kids and some realistic expectation setting would be helpful, considering how much kids can’t help but compare themselves to their peers.

The magnet administrator very much doesn’t want to share that info. He made that very clear at the open houses - it has no bearing on where your kid will go and you should pick that program if it’s the right level of challenge for your kid not because you expect it to get them into a particular college.

I’m certain the main reason most of the magnet applicants/students want to go to that magnet is because they and their parents want to get into a particular college. So, yes, these people want to know what the end result of having gone to the magnet will likely look like.

Nope. Not why my kid is there, and you seem to have completely missed the point. The magnet administrator specifically says to prospective students everywhere that this is not the place for you if you are focused only on college applications. He wouldn’t even show his slide on where kids were admitted.

Agreed --Another Blair parent.

One of the reasons why my kid chose Blair over RM. This was several years ago, but RM presentation was very name dropping and tried to overtly one-up Blair. Hopefully RM has changed that with new admin. Really like Mr. O's approach.

+1 This is why I love Blair magnet. And why RMIB turned me off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it weird how there never seems to be any real information about where Blair SMCS kids go to college, while most of the other schools have instagram pages and RMIB even has a document I’ve seen on previous threads that summarizes admits. Why is Blair SMCS so closed up about it? I know many of the kids go to UM but really would be good to know. It’s a really strong cohort of kids and some realistic expectation setting would be helpful, considering how much kids can’t help but compare themselves to their peers.

They show destinations by HS in Bethesda Magazine each year, so it's pretty easy to see. Blair has more prestigious schools than any other high school by a fairly wide margin, and it's a safe bet a lot of that is the magnet.

Exactly. All you people who claim you're doing this for research can check Bethesda Magazine. Or wait til the end of the year graduation reports.

If you are sitting here in December looking at college admissions for children you do not know at a high school your own child does not (yet or ever) attend, that's mockable and we will laugh at you.

Because I definitely care a lot about whether you will mock and laugh at me, I'm wondering under what circumstances it is ever OK for a person to look at college admit social media. Can I only look at a school my child currently attends? What if they are going to attend or did attend? What if my friend's kid or nephew goes there? Or should I just not look at all?

The point that you are others keep failing to grasp is that it’s poor taste to be stalking this data in December on Instagram pages when EA/ED decisions have just come out. Further the Instagram pages are self reporting by the kids who want to participate which means it’s not even an accurate reporting of a program/school.

College is more competitive than ever and students are more stressed about the applications and process. If this is data you are really interested in for a meaningful reason there are ways to seek it after RD season.

So can you answer the question? When is it not "in poor taste" to be looking at (stalking is still an inappropriate word) at these pages in December? Who is allowed to do it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it weird how there never seems to be any real information about where Blair SMCS kids go to college, while most of the other schools have instagram pages and RMIB even has a document I’ve seen on previous threads that summarizes admits. Why is Blair SMCS so closed up about it? I know many of the kids go to UM but really would be good to know. It’s a really strong cohort of kids and some realistic expectation setting would be helpful, considering how much kids can’t help but compare themselves to their peers.

The magnet administrator very much doesn’t want to share that info. He made that very clear at the open houses - it has no bearing on where your kid will go and you should pick that program if it’s the right level of challenge for your kid not because you expect it to get them into a particular college.

I’m certain the main reason most of the magnet applicants/students want to go to that magnet is because they and their parents want to get into a particular college. So, yes, these people want to know what the end result of having gone to the magnet will likely look like.

Nope. Not why my kid is there, and you seem to have completely missed the point. The magnet administrator specifically says to prospective students everywhere that this is not the place for you if you are focused only on college applications. He wouldn’t even show his slide on where kids were admitted.

Agreed --Another Blair parent.

One of the reasons why my kid chose Blair over RM. This was several years ago, but RM presentation was very name dropping and tried to overtly one-up Blair. Hopefully RM has changed that with new admin. Really like Mr. O's approach.

RMIB hasn't changed. They were obsessively focused on college admission outcomes in their open house presentation for this year's class. Multiple kids turned it down for CAP this year in addition to the stem program and that was a factor. Heard they had to go pretty far to the wait list. We personally know six kids who got off the waitlist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it weird how there never seems to be any real information about where Blair SMCS kids go to college, while most of the other schools have instagram pages and RMIB even has a document I’ve seen on previous threads that summarizes admits. Why is Blair SMCS so closed up about it? I know many of the kids go to UM but really would be good to know. It’s a really strong cohort of kids and some realistic expectation setting would be helpful, considering how much kids can’t help but compare themselves to their peers.

The magnet administrator very much doesn’t want to share that info. He made that very clear at the open houses - it has no bearing on where your kid will go and you should pick that program if it’s the right level of challenge for your kid not because you expect it to get them into a particular college.

I’m certain the main reason most of the magnet applicants/students want to go to that magnet is because they and their parents want to get into a particular college. So, yes, these people want to know what the end result of having gone to the magnet will likely look like.

Nope. Not why my kid is there, and you seem to have completely missed the point. The magnet administrator specifically says to prospective students everywhere that this is not the place for you if you are focused only on college applications. He wouldn’t even show his slide on where kids were admitted.

Agreed --Another Blair parent.

One of the reasons why my kid chose Blair over RM. This was several years ago, but RM presentation was very name dropping and tried to overtly one-up Blair. Hopefully RM has changed that with new admin. Really like Mr. O's approach.

RMIB hasn't changed. They were obsessively focused on college admission outcomes in their open house presentation for this year's class. Multiple kids turned it down for CAP this year in addition to the stem program and that was a factor. Heard they had to go pretty far to the wait list. We personally know six kids who got off the waitlist.

My kid is older so I can’t speak to the open house but I don’t think this is an accurate portrayal of the school environment. The kids are really supportive of each other. Most kids go to UMCP anyway, including many of the top students, so it’s not like there’s some massive focus on the college admits. I think All the kids from our neighborhood actually accepted their RMIB offers, but it may be in part because there are super nice kids from our MS that went there, which maybe factored in to the comfort level. But if you love math or tech, Blair is a better place to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blair SMCS parent here--anecdotally from DC, kids themselves still keeping close to their chests. It's fewer than 100 kids who've been in this together for a long time, and know they're applying to a lot of the same schools, so one kid's admit might be a friend's deferral. It's not like TJ, much bigger, or the privates, where the college counselor pretty much makes sure that the EDs are parceled out across the class and where kids have more divergent interests/strengths compared to the Blair stem magnet, so that they don't have the same degree of overlap. Yes, you can see on Bethesda magazine, and the school paper/magazine at least a couple of years ago also published pretty much the whole list when all was said and done. (Before getting through the other comments, was inclined to add that at least some of the Blair SCMS kids def see the RM kids as boasty, and not just about college admits, as a contrast. Obvi a generalization, but that feeling has been said in a several different contexts over the years in DC's cohort. YMMV.)

I'm hearing results from my kid's regional IB and they are fantastic. Same stats as the RMIB kids but a smaller cohort. Less competition from their friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it weird how there never seems to be any real information about where Blair SMCS kids go to college, while most of the other schools have instagram pages and RMIB even has a document I’ve seen on previous threads that summarizes admits. Why is Blair SMCS so closed up about it? I know many of the kids go to UM but really would be good to know. It’s a really strong cohort of kids and some realistic expectation setting would be helpful, considering how much kids can’t help but compare themselves to their peers.

The magnet administrator very much doesn’t want to share that info. He made that very clear at the open houses - it has no bearing on where your kid will go and you should pick that program if it’s the right level of challenge for your kid not because you expect it to get them into a particular college.

I’m certain the main reason most of the magnet applicants/students want to go to that magnet is because they and their parents want to get into a particular college. So, yes, these people want to know what the end result of having gone to the magnet will likely look like.

Nope. Not why my kid is there, and you seem to have completely missed the point. The magnet administrator specifically says to prospective students everywhere that this is not the place for you if you are focused only on college applications. He wouldn’t even show his slide on where kids were admitted.

Agreed --Another Blair parent.

One of the reasons why my kid chose Blair over RM. This was several years ago, but RM presentation was very name dropping and tried to overtly one-up Blair. Hopefully RM has changed that with new admin. Really like Mr. O's approach.

RMIB hasn't changed. They were obsessively focused on college admission outcomes in their open house presentation for this year's class. Multiple kids turned it down for CAP this year in addition to the stem program and that was a factor. Heard they had to go pretty far to the wait list. We personally know six kids who got off the waitlist.

I have a current CAP 9th grader and know a few of the kids who turned down RMIB for either CAP or the Blair magnet. It was a mix of factors, including time, distance, and wanting to preserve space for intensive extracurricular activities. However, the open house and the "shadow day" were factors as well. Apparently there was a heavy focus on Harvard admissions in particular, as well as some teasing about how Blair is "ghetto" and kids would be dumb to choose it over RMIB. Some kids thrive in that kind of pressure, but the kids I know who passed it up all seem very happy with the choices that they made.

[Anonymous]

TLDR:

Parents of Blair kids say Blair is the better choice, including for college admissions, and say that RMIB is a pressure cooker bad environment.
Parents of RMIB kids say that RMIB is a better choice for their kid because of the writing focus and curriculum and that the cohort is very supportive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about RMIB but the two Ivy admits today from my child's friends were Blair CAP and Wheaton Engineering. That doesn't mean there weren't more, obviously, but those are the two they heard about.

Was about to say something similar. Wheaton is doing great with at least 5 Ivy/T15 admits!

Know another Blair CAP admitted to Northwestern.

This group gets a little myopic. (I am also a Blair magnet parent, so nothing against Blair magnet --very happy with that program too).

How do you know that about Wheaton? Is it posted somewhere?

It's posted here, you just saw it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TLDR:

Parents of Blair kids say Blair is the better choice, including for college admissions, and say that RMIB is a pressure cooker bad environment.
Parents of RMIB kids say that RMIB is a better choice for their kid because of the writing focus and curriculum and that the cohort is very supportive.

Yes, you've captured it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TLDR:

Parents of Blair kids say Blair is the better choice, including for college admissions, and say that RMIB is a pressure cooker bad environment.
Parents of RMIB kids say that RMIB is a better choice for their kid because of the writing focus and curriculum and that the cohort is very supportive.

Yes, you've captured it.

Except that RMIB also claims better choice for college admissions. Reported early admits so far include Chicago(x2), Northwestern, Cornell, Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, Duke. Definitely solid results. I think it helps that RM kids are a mix of humanities and STEM focus, vs. all STEM focus. It's easier for them to differentiate their applications. But kids aiming for MIT and Caltech should go to Blair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TLDR:

Parents of Blair kids say Blair is the better choice, including for college admissions, and say that RMIB is a pressure cooker bad environment.
Parents of RMIB kids say that RMIB is a better choice for their kid because of the writing focus and curriculum and that the cohort is very supportive.

Yes, you've captured it.

Except that RMIB also claims better choice for college admissions. Reported early admits so far include Chicago(x2), Northwestern, Cornell, Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, Duke. Definitely solid results. I think it helps that RM kids are a mix of humanities and STEM focus, vs. all STEM focus. It's easier for them to differentiate their applications. But kids aiming for MIT and Caltech should go to Blair.

Oh you ruined it....

It isn't about WHICH school is better, but about the overall back-and-forth.
And I think you are the first person on this thread to claim that RMIB is a better choice for college admissions. As an RMIB parent myself, I think it is solid, and good for my kid. But I don't claim overall admission odds are better than Blair. There is no way to even make that determination...

[Anonymous]

Any MIT or CalTech admissions from any MCPS schools?