MS magnet test - is it really this hard

[Anonymous]

For last few weeks I've been having my child do some practice SCAT tests for the math part of the MS magnet test. The intermediate SCAT (since designed for 6-9th graders) is surprisingly hard. Seems really unfair to me that they are going to test these kids on advanced math when they have not offered them any path to learn it - after talking away all meaningful acceleration other than compact math. Luckily my child seems to pick things up easy but I am pretty annoyed with this whole thing.

[Anonymous]

Are you sure that is the right test? We didn't do any prep so I can't help with that..but hopefully someone else will have more info. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For last few weeks I've been having my child do some practice SCAT tests for the math part of the MS magnet test. The intermediate SCAT (since designed for 6-9th graders) is surprisingly hard. Seems really unfair to me that they are going to test these kids on advanced math when they have not offered them any path to learn it - after talking away all meaningful acceleration other than compact math. Luckily my child seems to pick things up easy but I am pretty annoyed with this whole thing.

...after taking away all meaningful acceleration other than the meaningful acceleration that they offer, that is...

But really, OP, I don't understand the issue here. The kids who take the test are compared to other kids who take the test. Your kid doesn't need to get an A on the MS magnet math test. Your kid just needs to do better than enough other kids.

Or are you concerned that all of the other kids have been doing math prep, but your kid hasn't?

(I have no idea what the math part of the MS magnet test actually is.)

[Anonymous]

It's hard. But my child said that the actual test last year was easier than the practice questions.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I know of several parents who paid thousands for prep classes. I thought that was ridiculous and did not do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For last few weeks I've been having my child do some practice SCAT tests for the math part of the MS magnet test. The intermediate SCAT (since designed for 6-9th graders) is surprisingly hard. Seems really unfair to me that they are going to test these kids on advanced math when they have not offered them any path to learn it - after talking away all meaningful acceleration other than compact math. Luckily my child seems to pick things up easy but I am pretty annoyed with this whole thing.

+1

The effect is that kids learning math outside of MCPS (Kumon, Dr. Li's prep class etc.) will be the ones admitted.

[Anonymous]

The reason all the tests are hard is that they are built to differentiate between high-performing students. The tests are fine-grained and target the right hand portion of the bell curve.

Anyway, no need to worry, the point is to do better than the other test-takers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For last few weeks I've been having my child do some practice SCAT tests for the math part of the MS magnet test. The intermediate SCAT (since designed for 6-9th graders) is surprisingly hard. Seems really unfair to me that they are going to test these kids on advanced math when they have not offered them any path to learn it - after talking away all meaningful acceleration other than compact math. Luckily my child seems to pick things up easy but I am pretty annoyed with this whole thing.

+1

The effect is that kids learning math outside of MCPS (Kumon, Dr. Li's prep class etc.) will be the ones admitted.

There is no possible way for you to know this, given

1. You don't know what the test actually is.
2. You don't know which of the applicants did prep classes and which didn't.
3. You don't know the test scores of the applicants.
4. You don't know which of the applicants were admitted.
5. You don't know what the test scores of the applicants who did prep classes would have been if they had not done prep classes.

Even if you went around asking all of the sixth-grade students in the program right now whether or not they did prep classes, and they all answered honestly, you still wouldn't know this. However, if you want to spend thousands of dollars on prep classes, you are free to do so. There are plenty of people who will be happy to take your money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For last few weeks I've been having my child do some practice SCAT tests for the math part of the MS magnet test. The intermediate SCAT (since designed for 6-9th graders) is surprisingly hard. Seems really unfair to me that they are going to test these kids on advanced math when they have not offered them any path to learn it - after talking away all meaningful acceleration other than compact math. Luckily my child seems to pick things up easy but I am pretty annoyed with this whole thing.

+1

The effect is that kids learning math outside of MCPS (Kumon, Dr. Li's prep class etc.) will be the ones admitted.

There is no possible way for you to know this, given

1. You don't know what the test actually is.
2. You don't know which of the applicants did prep classes and which didn't.
3. You don't know the test scores of the applicants.
4. You don't know which of the applicants were admitted.
5. You don't know what the test scores of the applicants who did prep classes would have been if they had not done prep classes.

Even if you went around asking all of the sixth-grade students in the program right now whether or not they did prep classes, and they all answered honestly, you still wouldn't know this. However, if you want to spend thousands of dollars on prep classes, you are free to do so. There are plenty of people who will be happy to take your money.

I do know that the test has not changed since MCPS stopped offering accelerated math. By definition that means that kids are not able to be prepared for it as they could be e.g. 6 years ago.

~Parent to two TPMS magnet kids, now Blair magnet kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I do know that the test has not changed since MCPS stopped offering accelerated math. By definition that means that kids are not able to be prepared for it as they could be e.g. 6 years ago.

~Parent to two TPMS magnet kids, now Blair magnet kids

1. MCPS offers accelerated math.

2. No, it doesn't. Admission is not a function of getting a certain percent of the test questions correct. Admission is a function of scoring higher than the other kids taking that same test at the same time.

Now, I suppose it's possible that the median math score of students admitted to the math/science/computer science program has gone down in the last few years. I would be surprised if it had, but that's an empirical question.

[Anonymous]

The test tests mathematical reasoning. You do need to know fractions and prime numbers and things like that but mostly you need to understand mathematical principles that help to eliminate steps. It's very time pressured.

The median score of accepted students on the math section was 41/50. It's not necessary to get all the answers right.

There are students who were accepted who weren't in compacted math and many you were rejected who were in compacted math.

[Anonymous]

This angst is making me really happy that my child only wanted to apply to Eastern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I do know that the test has not changed since MCPS stopped offering accelerated math. By definition that means that kids are not able to be prepared for it as they could be e.g. 6 years ago.

~Parent to two TPMS magnet kids, now Blair magnet kids

That has been my experience too. Which now means that the kids who are studying outside of school are the ones who have a greater chance of getting in. I know I will be flamed for it, but there is a less and less differentiation in instruction and curriculum in MCPS now. So, acceleration that gave an edge to students is not available in school. This acceleration is now coming from studying at home, tutors, prep classes, online courses, but not from MCPS. The achievement gap will continue to widen because of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For last few weeks I've been having my child do some practice SCAT tests for the math part of the MS magnet test. The intermediate SCAT (since designed for 6-9th graders) is surprisingly hard. Seems really unfair to me that they are going to test these kids on advanced math when they have not offered them any path to learn it - after talking away all meaningful acceleration other than compact math. Luckily my child seems to pick things up easy but I am pretty annoyed with this whole thing.

+1

The effect is that kids learning math outside of MCPS (Kumon, Dr. Li's prep class etc.) will be the ones admitted.

Agree. Particularly so, since my DS was one of the ones in the first year of the curriculum change who had been on an accelerated path but was then pulled off in 3rd grade due to C2.0. He managed to do well on the test, without the acceleration, but that is probably because we supplemented at home.

He is a fast learner at math but does need instruction.

Ironically, I think the reduction in acceleration opportunities will only increase inquiries even though they were probably created to decrease inequity. Only those with the means (financial and time and educational) will be able to continue higher level instruction at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Ironically, I think the reduction in acceleration opportunities will only increase inquiries even though they were probably created to decrease inequity. Only those with the means (financial and time and educational) will be able to continue higher level instruction at home.

The reduction in "acceleration opportunities" was created, BEFORE Currriculum 2.0, because MCPS was overaccelerating math students. The math teachers had been saying this for years.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/03/AR2008060303438.html

Not to mention that the supposedly-dumbed-down MPCS math curriculum leads to AP Calculus AB in 12th grade for on-grade-level math.