MCPS - National Merit Seminfinalists pretty unevenly distributed, don't you think?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they just need to say how many of these kids are in the magnet programs...

Most people would guess all of the NMSF at Blair and RM are magnet students. And they will not be off.

[Anonymous]

Throwing out questions because I don't know the answers.

1) Are there free tutoring programs for tests like the PSAT's at schools with a lower income population?

2) Also, I know all 10th graders in MCPS can take the PSAT's at no cost, but for low income students, do they have to pay to take the PSAT's in 11th grade to qualify as a National Merit Scholar?

3) What percentage of 11th graders at low income schools take the PSAT's so they can qualify as a National Merit Scholar? What percentage of kids at the "W" schools take it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they just need to say how many of these kids are in the magnet programs...

Most people would guess all of the NMSF at Blair and RM are magnet students. And they will not be off.

Actually, not all of them are part of the magnets. Several take magnet classes, as all those who are zoned for Blair are eligible to do, but they are not magnet students. My non scientific poll shows a little over half are dedicated magnet, the rest zoned or DCC kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they just need to say how many of these kids are in the magnet programs...

Most people would guess all of the NMSF at Blair and RM are magnet students. And they will not be off.

Actually, not all of them are part of the magnets. Several take magnet classes, as all those who are zoned for Blair are eligible to do, but they are not magnet students. My non scientific poll shows a little over half are dedicated magnet, the rest zoned or DCC kids.

I can believe this. I bet there are families who live, say, in Silver Spring, whose kids don't test into the magnet or for other reasons don't want to be in the magnet environment. Since Blair is arguably the best of the DCC high schools I can see them going to Blair and doing quite well without nexessarily being in the magnet program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they just need to say how many of these kids are in the magnet programs...

Most people would guess all of the NMSF at Blair and RM are magnet students. And they will not be off.

Actually, not all of them are part of the magnets. Several take magnet classes, as all those who are zoned for Blair are eligible to do, but they are not magnet students. My non scientific poll shows a little over half are dedicated magnet, the rest zoned or DCC kids.

I can believe this. I bet there are families who live, say, in Silver Spring, whose kids don't test into the magnet or for other reasons don't want to be in the magnet environment. Since Blair is arguably the best of the DCC high schools I can see them going to Blair and doing quite well without nexessarily being in the magnet program.

And isn't the CAPP program only open to DCC students anyway?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they just need to say how many of these kids are in the magnet programs...

Most people would guess all of the NMSF at Blair and RM are magnet students. And they will not be off.

Actually, not all of them are part of the magnets. Several take magnet classes, as all those who are zoned for Blair are eligible to do, but they are not magnet students. My non scientific poll shows a little over half are dedicated magnet, the rest zoned or DCC kids.

I can believe this. I bet there are families who live, say, in Silver Spring, whose kids don't test into the magnet or for other reasons don't want to be in the magnet environment. Since Blair is arguably the best of the DCC high schools I can see them going to Blair and doing quite well without nexessarily being in the magnet program.

And isn't the CAPP program only open to DCC students anyway?

Yes - http://cap.mbhs.edu/admission.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they just need to say how many of these kids are in the magnet programs...

Most people would guess all of the NMSF at Blair and RM are magnet students. And they will not be off.

Actually, not all of them are part of the magnets. Several take magnet classes, as all those who are zoned for Blair are eligible to do, but they are not magnet students. My non scientific poll shows a little over half are dedicated magnet, the rest zoned or DCC kids.

I can believe this. I bet there are families who live, say, in Silver Spring, whose kids don't test into the magnet or for other reasons don't want to be in the magnet environment. Since Blair is arguably the best of the DCC high schools I can see them going to Blair and doing quite well without nexessarily being in the magnet program.

And isn't the CAPP program only open to DCC students anyway?

Yes, and it is an amazing program full of impressive kids.

[Anonymous]

Then Blair is a better school than Whitman if half of the NMSF kids are not in Magnet.

What about RM? Same?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Then Blair is a better school than Whitman if half of the NMSF kids are not in Magnet.

What about RM? Same?

Blair is much bigger than Whitman and any other county school. I really doubt half the NMSFs are outside the magnets anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they just need to say how many of these kids are in the magnet programs...

Most people would guess all of the NMSF at Blair and RM are magnet students. And they will not be off.

Actually, not all of them are part of the magnets. Several take magnet classes, as all those who are zoned for Blair are eligible to do, but they are not magnet students. My non scientific poll shows a little over half are dedicated magnet, the rest zoned or DCC kids.

I can believe this. I bet there are families who live, say, in Silver Spring, whose kids don't test into the magnet or for other reasons don't want to be in the magnet environment. Since Blair is arguably the best of the DCC high schools I can see them going to Blair and doing quite well without nexessarily being in the magnet program.

And isn't the CAPP program only open to DCC students anyway?

Yes - http://cap.mbhs.edu/admission.html

Not quite. If you are out of DCC but attend the Eastern magnet, you can go on to CAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they just need to say how many of these kids are in the magnet programs...

Most people would guess all of the NMSF at Blair and RM are magnet students. And they will not be off.

Actually, not all of them are part of the magnets. Several take magnet classes, as all those who are zoned for Blair are eligible to do, but they are not magnet students. My non scientific poll shows a little over half are dedicated magnet, the rest zoned or DCC kids.

I can believe this. I bet there are families who live, say, in Silver Spring, whose kids don't test into the magnet or for other reasons don't want to be in the magnet environment. Since Blair is arguably the best of the DCC high schools I can see them going to Blair and doing quite well without nexessarily being in the magnet program.

And isn't the CAPP program only open to DCC students anyway?

Yes - http://cap.mbhs.edu/admission.html

Not quite. If you are out of DCC but attend the Eastern magnet, you can go on to CAP.

Right. Live in or go to a school that feeds a DCC HS. So, Eastern or Takoma Park magnet kids as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then Blair is a better school than Whitman if half of the NMSF kids are not in Magnet.

What about RM? Same?

Blair is much bigger than Whitman and any other county school. I really doubt half the NMSFs are outside the magnets anyway.

I do too. But that pp was adamant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then Blair is a better school than Whitman if half of the NMSF kids are not in Magnet.

What about RM? Same?

Blair is much bigger than Whitman and any other county school. I really doubt half the NMSFs are outside the magnets anyway.

I do too. But that pp was adamant.

They are NOT in the general classes.

But to answer the subject of the original post ... Don't you think they are unevenly distributed... yes... they are... but if you attributed the NM to the schools they should attend there would be more in their home school. Schools don't create NM kids, I don't even think they should list the kids school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Then Blair is a better school than Whitman if half of the NMSF kids are not in Magnet.

What about RM? Same?

Blair is much bigger than Whitman and any other county school. I really doubt half the NMSFs are outside the magnets anyway.

I do too. But that pp was adamant.

They are NOT in the general classes.

But to answer the subject of the original post ... Don't you think they are unevenly distributed... yes... they are... but if you attributed the NM to the schools they should attend there would be more in their home school. Schools don't create NM kids, I don't even think they should list the kids school.

You have a point. My DC is on the NMSF list and she's only been in her school a year. Before that she attended a school in another state. Not sure her "W" school can claim a lot of credit here.

[Anonymous]

I find the W schools realize it has a lot more to do with income, etc but the magnet schools like to lay claim to the NMS as a way to "prove" the program is worth it.