If accepted to Blair Stem and Richard Montgomery IB

[Anonymous]

Op here. Some observations after both night sessions and shadow days:

-Blair’s evening session was more informative and organized than RM’s session. It was helpful to see some of the teachers from different subjects at Blair.
-My kid found the opposite to be true for the shadow days. RM was more organized and informative. My kid was excited about Blair’s research class. Yet, the kids spent the double period doing other things such as homework.
Kids seemed overall happier at RM and enthusiastic about the program. (Granted, kids were paired with seniors at RM rather than freshmen at Blair.)
-Both programs have a very high number of NMSF. No other program or school in the county can compare. interestingly, Blair’s medium SAT are 300 higher than RM’s program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two things that have not been mentioned yet. Blair's size can be a negative and the fact that there's a second magnet at the school can be good or bad. There is a lot of competition for clubs and spots on the debate team, etc. so your child may not get to do her first choice of activity all the time.

Blair kids are done with most of their required classes by the end of 10th so 11th and 12th can be fun and full of electives. RMIB requirements go up until 12th and even at the end of 12th your child will be stressed out taking the IB tests. That was a drag.

I haven't seen anyone mention the extra period for the SMCS magnet—that's still a thing, right? But not at RMIB?

Yes. That should be a consideration OP. That extra period really increases the workload and takes away time from other activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Some observations after both night sessions and shadow days:

-Blair’s evening session was more informative and organized than RM’s session. It was helpful to see some of the teachers from different subjects at Blair.
-My kid found the opposite to be true for the shadow days. RM was more organized and informative. My kid was excited about Blair’s research class. Yet, the kids spent the double period doing other things such as homework.
Kids seemed overall happier at RM and enthusiastic about the program. (Granted, kids were paired with seniors at RM rather than freshmen at Blair.)
-Both programs have a very high number of NMSF. No other program or school in the county can compare. interestingly, Blair’s medium SAT are 300 higher than RM’s program.

Should have said “is” above

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair is a strong program but niche, for STEM obviously but majority pre-engineering. RMIB is better for kids who like STEM and humanities, and produces excellent analytical writers across disciplines. Historically RMIB has had better college outcomes because Ivy+ schools prefer a broader liberal arts focus. Blair does better with MIT. Both are very competitive but RMIB students are a little more chill. Last year RMIB produced twice as many NMSF as Blair. This year it was reversed, Blair produced twice as many. So the cohorts vary too.

Tell me you have no idea of what you're talking about without telling me you have no idea.

This is all easy to verify. Although it's not true that there were twice as many RMIB NMSF last year as Blair, it is true there were more. 2024 29 RMIB, 21 Blair. 2025 there were more from Blair. It does vary.

As for college admissions, look at the college commitment websites from last year. You can draw your own conclusions.

Wrong again. Did you actually verify before you posted?
Blair has better college admissions than any school in the state.
Again, tell me you have no idea of what you're talking about without telling me you have no idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blair is a strong program but niche, for STEM obviously but majority pre-engineering. RMIB is better for kids who like STEM and humanities, and produces excellent analytical writers across disciplines. Historically RMIB has had better college outcomes because Ivy+ schools prefer a broader liberal arts focus. Blair does better with MIT. Both are very competitive but RMIB students are a little more chill. Last year RMIB produced twice as many NMSF as Blair. This year it was reversed, Blair produced twice as many. So the cohorts vary too.

OP this post should be ignored other than seeing it as the attitude of an insecure RMIB parent. It's just factually wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair is a strong program but niche, for STEM obviously but majority pre-engineering. RMIB is better for kids who like STEM and humanities, and produces excellent analytical writers across disciplines. Historically RMIB has had better college outcomes because Ivy+ schools prefer a broader liberal arts focus. Blair does better with MIT. Both are very competitive but RMIB students are a little more chill. Last year RMIB produced twice as many NMSF as Blair. This year it was reversed, Blair produced twice as many. So the cohorts vary too.

Tell me you have no idea of what you're talking about without telling me you have no idea.

This is all easy to verify. Although it's not true that there were twice as many RMIB NMSF last year as Blair, it is true there were more. 2024 29 RMIB, 21 Blair. 2025 there were more from Blair. It does vary.

As for college admissions, look at the college commitment websites from last year. You can draw your own conclusions.

Wrong again. Did you actually verify before you posted?
Blair has better college admissions than any school in the state.
Again, tell me you have no idea of what you're talking about without telling me you have no idea.

Most Blair magnet students don't post their admissions on insta and the school does not release that info unlike at RMIB where their whole open house presentation was about college admissions. If you or your child are obsessed with college admissions RMIB is the right way to go. One of the local magazines puts out a list every year of applications and admissions and enrollment even? I haven't looked at it in a while but I remember both schools did very well. I don't understand the need to put down the other school in this thread. It seems to be mostly 1 or more RMIB parents bashing Blair. Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of the four 2024 US Presidential Scholars selected in Maryland, two were RMIB students, the other two from non-magnet publics.

Interesting!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair is a strong program but niche, for STEM obviously but majority pre-engineering. RMIB is better for kids who like STEM and humanities, and produces excellent analytical writers across disciplines. Historically RMIB has had better college outcomes because Ivy+ schools prefer a broader liberal arts focus. Blair does better with MIT. Both are very competitive but RMIB students are a little more chill. Last year RMIB produced twice as many NMSF as Blair. This year it was reversed, Blair produced twice as many. So the cohorts vary too.

Tell me you have no idea of what you're talking about without telling me you have no idea.

This is all easy to verify. Although it's not true that there were twice as many RMIB NMSF last year as Blair, it is true there were more. 2024 29 RMIB, 21 Blair. 2025 there were more from Blair. It does vary.

As for college admissions, look at the college commitment websites from last year. You can draw your own conclusions.

Wrong again. Did you actually verify before you posted?
Blair has better college admissions than any school in the state.
Again, tell me you have no idea of what you're talking about without telling me you have no idea.

Where are you getting these numbers? "2024 29 RMIB, 21 Blair. 2025 there were more from Blair."
I think the 2025 numbers come out in the fall?
In 2024 Blair had 45, RM 25. In 2023, Blair had 41, RM 29.
I think both schools are great, but facts are facts. Blair is the larger school. Not all of those kids are magnet students or IB students but most are from DC's year from eyeballing the list.


2024
https://www.mymcmedia.org/158-county-students-named-national-merit-semifinalists/
2023
https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/press/index.aspx?pagetype=showrelease&id=13329

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair is a strong program but niche, for STEM obviously but majority pre-engineering. RMIB is better for kids who like STEM and humanities, and produces excellent analytical writers across disciplines. Historically RMIB has had better college outcomes because Ivy+ schools prefer a broader liberal arts focus. Blair does better with MIT. Both are very competitive but RMIB students are a little more chill. Last year RMIB produced twice as many NMSF as Blair. This year it was reversed, Blair produced twice as many. So the cohorts vary too.

Tell me you have no idea of what you're talking about without telling me you have no idea.

This is all easy to verify. Although it's not true that there were twice as many RMIB NMSF last year as Blair, it is true there were more. 2024 29 RMIB, 21 Blair. 2025 there were more from Blair. It does vary.

As for college admissions, look at the college commitment websites from last year. You can draw your own conclusions.

Wrong again. Did you actually verify before you posted?
Blair has better college admissions than any school in the state.
Again, tell me you have no idea of what you're talking about without telling me you have no idea.

Most Blair magnet students don't post their admissions on insta and the school does not release that info unlike at RMIB where their whole open house presentation was about college admissions. If you or your child are obsessed with college admissions RMIB is the right way to go. One of the local magazines puts out a list every year of applications and admissions and enrollment even? I haven't looked at it in a while but I remember both schools did very well. I don't understand the need to put down the other school in this thread. It seems to be mostly 1 or more RMIB parents bashing Blair. Why?

LOL at suggesting Blair parents don't care about elite college outcomes. Fhs. Blair usually has more MIT admits, RMIB has slighly more Ivy+ admits. However, athletic recruiting is a factor. I noticed some Ivy admits are recruits, at both schools. This does mean that a very high number of high stats kids are shut out from T-10s. Both schools do pretty well, but home schools generally do just as well. Go to a magnet because you care about the education and college readiness, not because you think it will improve your college admissions chances. Competing against other magnet kids generally makes it harder not easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair is a strong program but niche, for STEM obviously but majority pre-engineering. RMIB is better for kids who like STEM and humanities, and produces excellent analytical writers across disciplines. Historically RMIB has had better college outcomes because Ivy+ schools prefer a broader liberal arts focus. Blair does better with MIT. Both are very competitive but RMIB students are a little more chill. Last year RMIB produced twice as many NMSF as Blair. This year it was reversed, Blair produced twice as many. So the cohorts vary too.

Tell me you have no idea of what you're talking about without telling me you have no idea.

This is all easy to verify. Although it's not true that there were twice as many RMIB NMSF last year as Blair, it is true there were more. 2024 29 RMIB, 21 Blair. 2025 there were more from Blair. It does vary.

As for college admissions, look at the college commitment websites from last year. You can draw your own conclusions.

Wrong again. Did you actually verify before you posted?
Blair has better college admissions than any school in the state.
Again, tell me you have no idea of what you're talking about without telling me you have no idea.

Most Blair magnet students don't post their admissions on insta and the school does not release that info unlike at RMIB where their whole open house presentation was about college admissions. If you or your child are obsessed with college admissions RMIB is the right way to go. One of the local magazines puts out a list every year of applications and admissions and enrollment even? I haven't looked at it in a while but I remember both schools did very well. I don't understand the need to put down the other school in this thread. It seems to be mostly 1 or more RMIB parents bashing Blair. Why?

LOL at suggesting Blair parents don't care about elite college outcomes. Fhs. Blair usually has more MIT admits, RMIB has slighly more Ivy+ admits. However, athletic recruiting is a factor. I noticed some Ivy admits are recruits, at both schools. This does mean that a very high number of high stats kids are shut out from T-10s. Both schools do pretty well, but home schools generally do just as well. Go to a magnet because you care about the education and college readiness, not because you think it will improve your college admissions chances. Competing against other magnet kids generally makes it harder not easier.

Where was that suggestion? I'm saying it's hard to compare by looking at the social media postings because so few Blair magnet students post. But RMIB students and families are much more open and aggressive about college being the No. 1 goal and so is the program administration. The Blair magnet admin is the opposite and actively discourages kids from focusing solely on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of the four 2024 US Presidential Scholars selected in Maryland, two were RMIB students, the other two from non-magnet publics.

Interesting!

More info about the US Presidential Scholars last year:
https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Documents/2024/0625/State-Board-Meeting-Presidential-Scholars-2024-A.pdf

The year before, I don't think any magnet students were named. In 2022, I think one Blair. So, not a regular thing for either magnet program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of the four 2024 US Presidential Scholars selected in Maryland, two were RMIB students, the other two from non-magnet publics.

Interesting!

More info about the US Presidential Scholars last year:
https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Documents/2024/0625/State-Board-Meeting-Presidential-Scholars-2024-A.pdf

The year before, I don't think any magnet students were named. In 2022, I think one Blair. So, not a regular thing for either magnet program.

Since they don't want to draw from the same schools every year, doubt any RMIB students will make it in 2025. I'm very surprised two were named last year, but they seemed to have unusual leadership and community contributions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RMIB is more well rounded -- lots of kids go on to major in STEM or humanities, and some both.

Blair students pretty much all end up majoring in STEM.

That doesn't make them less well rounded. DC is fluent in two world languages and an expert in European history, like their father who has PhD in engineering and has read tens of thousand of pages of history books. A lot of bright kids like history and languages but don't make it their major.

That's nice for your kid, but how many Blair students do you think are that well rounded? Not many.

Whereas RMIB students are more well rounded since the STEM oriented kids still have to take the IB humanities classes, and vice versa.

Plenty. They have a bunch of kids in all state orchestra. This is not easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of the four 2024 US Presidential Scholars selected in Maryland, two were RMIB students, the other two from non-magnet publics.

Interesting!

More info about the US Presidential Scholars last year:
https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Documents/2024/0625/State-Board-Meeting-Presidential-Scholars-2024-A.pdf

The year before, I don't think any magnet students were named. In 2022, I think one Blair. So, not a regular thing for either magnet program.

Better to look at the list of candidates, since the chosen Scholars are part of a very subjective process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Blair is a strong program but niche, for STEM obviously but majority pre-engineering. RMIB is better for kids who like STEM and humanities, and produces excellent analytical writers across disciplines. Historically RMIB has had better college outcomes because Ivy+ schools prefer a broader liberal arts focus. Blair does better with MIT. Both are very competitive but RMIB students are a little more chill. Last year RMIB produced twice as many NMSF as Blair. This year it was reversed, Blair produced twice as many. So the cohorts vary too.

Tell me you have no idea of what you're talking about without telling me you have no idea.

This is all easy to verify. Although it's not true that there were twice as many RMIB NMSF last year as Blair, it is true there were more. 2024 29 RMIB, 21 Blair. 2025 there were more from Blair. It does vary.

As for college admissions, look at the college commitment websites from last year. You can draw your own conclusions.

Wrong again. Did you actually verify before you posted?
Blair has better college admissions than any school in the state.
Again, tell me you have no idea of what you're talking about without telling me you have no idea.

Most Blair magnet students don't post their admissions on insta and the school does not release that info unlike at RMIB where their whole open house presentation was about college admissions. If you or your child are obsessed with college admissions RMIB is the right way to go. One of the local magazines puts out a list every year of applications and admissions and enrollment even? I haven't looked at it in a while but I remember both schools did very well. I don't understand the need to put down the other school in this thread. It seems to be mostly 1 or more RMIB parents bashing Blair. Why?

LOL at suggesting Blair parents don't care about elite college outcomes. Fhs. Blair usually has more MIT admits, RMIB has slighly more Ivy+ admits. However, athletic recruiting is a factor. I noticed some Ivy admits are recruits, at both schools. This does mean that a very high number of high stats kids are shut out from T-10s. Both schools do pretty well, but home schools generally do just as well. Go to a magnet because you care about the education and college readiness, not because you think it will improve your college admissions chances. Competing against other magnet kids generally makes it harder not easier.

Where was that suggestion? I'm saying it's hard to compare by looking at the social media postings because so few Blair magnet students post. But RMIB students and families are much more open and aggressive about college being the No. 1 goal and so is the program administration. The Blair magnet admin is the opposite and actively discourages kids from focusing solely on that.

Because the pool of students is too uniform, which results in somewhat less impressive college admissions outcomes. You act like Blair is not emphasizing college outcomes as some kind of noble act. Please. I do think Blair encourages students to be more realistic, which is good. 175+ students completing against each other for spots at the same 10 or so schools. The odds are very tough. A high number of Blair students end up attending UMD with scholarships, because they did not get into Ivies or MIT. Nothing wrong with that. From a financial perspective, it's very smart. But there is a reason Blair magnet admin doesn't trumpet college outcomes.