4th Grade CES Admission Criteria?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any idea which grades are used to determine selection?

Do they look at grades for the 1st and 2nd marking period or does it include the 3rd or interim grades for 3rd?

Do some grades matter more than others i.e. Does a B in music matter less than one in social studies or reading?

I'm guessing there isn't a way to know this but thought I'd put this out there.

My DC who normally gets straight A's somehow got a B in one of the reading categories in Q2 of 3rd grade, but still managed to get in because of very high MAP-R and CogAT scores. Nobody knows what exactly they look at for grades or how it's weighted.

Whereas my kid got in with straights As but a lower CogAT score than seems to be the norm (based on what is being self-reported here on DCUM). My hypothesis is that the lower CogAT score was overlooked because the overall score was brought down by the quantitative portion of the test and the CES is meant to be a language-rich program.

Basically, there is no secret recipe for guaranteed admission.

There is no secret recipe, and, frankly, how/why does it really matter for any particular child? It's not as if 3rd graders are so busy academically that you can't try to do well on all the different criteria that are within one's control. Beyond that, you are just cursing the darkness. (Yes, you can disagree with the process/criteria all you want, but that's not not going to change anything immediately, or improve a child's chances.) I guess you could try moving to a cohort-less ES, but that strikes me as a bit extreme.

[Anonymous]

"I guess you could try moving to a cohort-less ES,...."

This will be the only winning strategy. A 99% kid in the W cluster will not get in. A 99% or even just 97% kid in the Rockville HS cluster ES would definitely get in CES.

[Anonymous]

Fast forward 2 years in the future: to get into Takoma Park/ Eastern MS magnet, your CES kid will definitely get in TP/Eastern because your home school MS (in Rockville HS cluster) would not have a comparable cohort for you kid.

Just need to take the pain for 1 year (during 3rd grade), your kid will definitely get in CES and TP/Eastern MS magnet. Here is the plan:

K-2 live anywhere and go to an ES in any cluster
End 2nd grade summer - rent a condo on the east side of the track in Rockville
3rd grade - enroll in the ES in Rockville HS cluster
4-5 Grade - CES
6-8 grade - TP/Eastern MS magnet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"I guess you could try moving to a cohort-less ES,...."

This will be the only winning strategy. A 99% kid in the W cluster will not get in. A 99% or even just 97% kid in the Rockville HS cluster ES would definitely get in CES.

This is not the winning strategy. My 99% kid didn’t get in and we’re not in a W cluster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I guess you could try moving to a cohort-less ES,...."

This will be the only winning strategy. A 99% kid in the W cluster will not get in. A 99% or even just 97% kid in the Rockville HS cluster ES would definitely get in CES.

This is not the winning strategy. My 99% kid didn’t get in and we’re not in a W cluster.

But do you live in Rockville?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I guess you could try moving to a cohort-less ES,...."

This will be the only winning strategy. A 99% kid in the W cluster will not get in. A 99% or even just 97% kid in the Rockville HS cluster ES would definitely get in CES.

This is not the winning strategy. My 99% kid didn’t get in and we’re not in a W cluster.

But do you live in Rockville?

DP. We do; however, my 99% kid who didn't get in is in a W cluster.. My bad, should have moved to Twinbrook ES catchment area..

But, jokes apart, you can't be serious! Who on Earth is buying and selling - and moving into rentals - just to get into MoCo's "enriched" programs? If you have the money to pull all that s--t off, just send your child to private and save yourself the grief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I guess you could try moving to a cohort-less ES,...."

This will be the only winning strategy. A 99% kid in the W cluster will not get in. A 99% or even just 97% kid in the Rockville HS cluster ES would definitely get in CES.

This is not the winning strategy. My 99% kid didn’t get in and we’re not in a W cluster.

But do you live in Rockville?

DP. We do; however, my 99% kid who didn't get in is in a W cluster.. My bad, should have moved to Twinbrook ES catchment area..

But, jokes apart, you can't be serious! Who on Earth is buying and selling - and moving into rentals - just to get into MoCo's "enriched" programs? If you have the money to pull all that s--t off, just send your child to private and save yourself the grief.

The range of kid test performance in the privates is far wider than that of those invited to CES. That's why some people care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I guess you could try moving to a cohort-less ES,...."

This will be the only winning strategy. A 99% kid in the W cluster will not get in. A 99% or even just 97% kid in the Rockville HS cluster ES would definitely get in CES.

This is not the winning strategy. My 99% kid didn’t get in and we’re not in a W cluster.

But do you live in Rockville?

DP. We do; however, my 99% kid who didn't get in is in a W cluster.. My bad, should have moved to Twinbrook ES catchment area..

But, jokes apart, you can't be serious! Who on Earth is buying and selling - and moving into rentals - just to get into MoCo's "enriched" programs? If you have the money to pull all that s--t off, just send your child to private and save yourself the grief.

I know people who are purposely renting in a district with a local CES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I guess you could try moving to a cohort-less ES,...."

This will be the only winning strategy. A 99% kid in the W cluster will not get in. A 99% or even just 97% kid in the Rockville HS cluster ES would definitely get in CES.

This is not the winning strategy. My 99% kid didn’t get in and we’re not in a W cluster.

But do you live in Rockville?

DP. We do; however, my 99% kid who didn't get in is in a W cluster.. My bad, should have moved to Twinbrook ES catchment area..

But, jokes apart, you can't be serious! Who on Earth is buying and selling - and moving into rentals - just to get into MoCo's "enriched" programs? If you have the money to pull all that s--t off, just send your child to private and save yourself the grief.

I know people who are purposely renting in a district with a local CES.

CES only really matters if your child needs to opt out of their local environment because of low peers. It is an opt out for too many poor kids, it isn’t some automatic transformative life altering experience. If your kids already has lots of 1% around them who cares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I guess you could try moving to a cohort-less ES,...."

This will be the only winning strategy. A 99% kid in the W cluster will not get in. A 99% or even just 97% kid in the Rockville HS cluster ES would definitely get in CES.

This is not the winning strategy. My 99% kid didn’t get in and we’re not in a W cluster.

But do you live in Rockville?

DP. We do; however, my 99% kid who didn't get in is in a W cluster.. My bad, should have moved to Twinbrook ES catchment area..

But, jokes apart, you can't be serious! Who on Earth is buying and selling - and moving into rentals - just to get into MoCo's "enriched" programs? If you have the money to pull all that s--t off, just send your child to private and save yourself the grief.

I know people who are purposely renting in a district with a local CES.

CES only really matters if your child needs to opt out of their local environment because of low peers. It is an opt out for too many poor kids, it isn’t some automatic transformative life altering experience. If your kids already has lots of 1% around them who cares.

Nonsense! There's 1% and the 0.1%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I guess you could try moving to a cohort-less ES,...."

This will be the only winning strategy. A 99% kid in the W cluster will not get in. A 99% or even just 97% kid in the Rockville HS cluster ES would definitely get in CES.

This is not the winning strategy. My 99% kid didn’t get in and we’re not in a W cluster.

But do you live in Rockville?

DP. We do; however, my 99% kid who didn't get in is in a W cluster.. My bad, should have moved to Twinbrook ES catchment area..

But, jokes apart, you can't be serious! Who on Earth is buying and selling - and moving into rentals - just to get into MoCo's "enriched" programs? If you have the money to pull all that s--t off, just send your child to private and save yourself the grief.

I know people who are purposely renting in a district with a local CES.

CES only really matters if your child needs to opt out of their local environment because of low peers. It is an opt out for too many poor kids, it isn’t some automatic transformative life altering experience. If your kids already has lots of 1% around them who cares.

Nonsense! There's 1% and the 0.1%.

Our DC is at a regional CES, coming from what we consider to be an excellent ES. It's a more rigorous, challenging curriculum, although there isn't necessarily more homework (actually, there's not a lot of homework at all). From our perspective, it's a better program for our DC, but it's still a bunch of 10 year olds who can have varying attention spans, behavioral issues, fixation on Fortnite (boys, at least), etc. For anyone who thinks it is a bunch of young Einsteins running around, it isn't. (Yes, I'm sure some of these kids are the 0.1%, but that's not even a significant minority.) We consider our DC fortunate to be there, but I think too many parents here fixate on the CES program. Great if you DC is selected, but, really (and especially for all theses W cluster parents), the ES' in this area are really good, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I guess you could try moving to a cohort-less ES,...."

This will be the only winning strategy. A 99% kid in the W cluster will not get in. A 99% or even just 97% kid in the Rockville HS cluster ES would definitely get in CES.

This is not the winning strategy. My 99% kid didn’t get in and we’re not in a W cluster.

But do you live in Rockville?

DP. We do; however, my 99% kid who didn't get in is in a W cluster.. My bad, should have moved to Twinbrook ES catchment area..

But, jokes apart, you can't be serious! Who on Earth is buying and selling - and moving into rentals - just to get into MoCo's "enriched" programs? If you have the money to pull all that s--t off, just send your child to private and save yourself the grief.

I know people who are purposely renting in a district with a local CES.

CES only really matters if your child needs to opt out of their local environment because of low peers. It is an opt out for too many poor kids, it isn’t some automatic transformative life altering experience. If your kids already has lots of 1% around them who cares.

Nonsense! There's 1% and the 0.1%.

Our DC is at a regional CES, coming from what we consider to be an excellent ES. It's a more rigorous, challenging curriculum, although there isn't necessarily more homework (actually, there's not a lot of homework at all). From our perspective, it's a better program for our DC, but it's still a bunch of 10 year olds who can have varying attention spans, behavioral issues, fixation on Fortnite (boys, at least), etc. For anyone who thinks it is a bunch of young Einsteins running around, it isn't. (Yes, I'm sure some of these kids are the 0.1%, but that's not even a significant minority.) We consider our DC fortunate to be there, but I think too many parents here fixate on the CES program. Great if you DC is selected, but, really (and especially for all theses W cluster parents), the ES' in this area are really good, too.

It is nice to see a non-crazy person posting. Most CES or magnet kids are just normal middle class kids with potential. It isn’t some pocket of kids picked by the gov to be the future of the party. I went to the Blair magnet in the early 90s and bought into how “smart” we were. The I went to a state school for college and stayed in the honors dorm. The concentration of talent there was 10x greater than the magnet program. I wasn’t even close to being special there but had strong work habits at that point. Which is the main point, these programs aren’t for geniuses necessarily, more for bright kids who have the support at home to grow into great students. There are lots of ways get to that point that don’t involve the school systems rebalancing programs.

Save for a small handful of kids, the average magnet class’s kids are no different than any driven high SES classroom at any school. How many of the classrooms filled with those types of kids is what defines a school which is why people get so excited about the subject.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I guess you could try moving to a cohort-less ES,...."

This will be the only winning strategy. A 99% kid in the W cluster will not get in. A 99% or even just 97% kid in the Rockville HS cluster ES would definitely get in CES.

This is not the winning strategy. My 99% kid didn’t get in and we’re not in a W cluster.

But do you live in Rockville?

DP. We do; however, my 99% kid who didn't get in is in a W cluster.. My bad, should have moved to Twinbrook ES catchment area..

But, jokes apart, you can't be serious! Who on Earth is buying and selling - and moving into rentals - just to get into MoCo's "enriched" programs? If you have the money to pull all that s--t off, just send your child to private and save yourself the grief.

I know people who are purposely renting in a district with a local CES.

Of course it matters. Simply because the general curriculum (even the honored class in MS) is by no means or intention to fit for the needs of the 1% student. The teachers are trained to not encourage enrichment. So a bunch of 1% students still have to stay bored all day long. Personal experience.

CES only really matters if your child needs to opt out of their local environment because of low peers. It is an opt out for too many poor kids, it isn’t some automatic transformative life altering experience. If your kids already has lots of 1% around them who cares.

[Anonymous]

If you are an underrepresented group, you have a significant leg-up in the selection criteria. They try to have a healthy mix of experiences and backgrounds otherwise you get a group of students who are basically all the same and don't really challenge each other in enough ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are an underrepresented group, you have a significant leg-up in the selection criteria. They try to have a healthy mix of experiences and backgrounds otherwise you get a group of students who are basically all the same and don't really challenge each other in enough ways.

That's actually against the law and if they did that they would be sued.