Walter Johnson APEX Social Studies Program

[Anonymous]

The WJ APEX program has children required to take 3 specific AP classes that are all Social Studies. Why don't they have the focus on STEM or English? It appears unfair and outdated to have the school signature program focused on Social Studies.

[Anonymous]

The three required AP courses are social studies based, but students in the program are also required to take APEX Biology and APEX English 9 and 10. And they have to take a minimum of 3 more AP courses with the flexibility to take STEM, foreign language, English etc. WJ also has the ACES program for science focused students, and LEAD! for world languages.

[Anonymous]

If your child is primarily interested in science, I suggest he or she apply to the Blair Magnet. I believe the deadline is this Friday which could be tough but I would consider it if you have concerns. The impression we got from the APEX administrator and students is that the main strength of the program is that it provides students with a strong peer group. The curriculum itself is not that special. They do some cross disciplinary work especially in 9th grade but the bulk of the material is straight from the AP curriculum and they don't even do much in the way of long papers etc.. The program itself is mostly active for the first two years of high school. The main benefit seems to be that students get to bond with a group of smart and motivated students and they remain a cohesive group all through high school. That is very valuable for a freshman in a big public high school. The kids support each other and I am sure they also motivate each other to do well. I would not rule it out just because your child is mostly interested in science. FWIW most Blair SMAC kids also end up taking AP NSL, AP USH, AP World History and several other AP subjects. Don't knock the social sciences!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your child is primarily interested in science, I suggest he or she apply to the Blair Magnet. I believe the deadline is this Friday which could be tough but I would consider it if you have concerns. The impression we got from the APEX administrator and students is that the main strength of the program is that it provides students with a strong peer group. The curriculum itself is not that special. They do some cross disciplinary work especially in 9th grade but the bulk of the material is straight from the AP curriculum and they don't even do much in the way of long papers etc.. The program itself is mostly active for the first two years of high school. The main benefit seems to be that students get to bond with a group of smart and motivated students and they remain a cohesive group all through high school. That is very valuable for a freshman in a big public high school. The kids support each other and I am sure they also motivate each other to do well. I would not rule it out just because your child is mostly interested in science. FWIW most Blair SMAC kids also end up taking AP NSL, AP USH, AP World History and several other AP subjects. Don't knock the social sciences!!

I meant to say "social studies" not social sciences.

[Anonymous]

NP here, parent of seventh grader who loves social studies and has been bored with what they have covered in middle school so far and would thrive having like minded kids in her classes. I have never heard of this program. Is it limited to students at WJ, or can you apply from outside the boundary? DD is slated for Whitman, so WJ is more appealing than the other magnets because it is significantly closer geographically.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here, parent of seventh grader who loves social studies and has been bored with what they have covered in middle school so far and would thrive having like minded kids in her classes. I have never heard of this program. Is it limited to students at WJ, or can you apply from outside the boundary? DD is slated for Whitman, so WJ is more appealing than the other magnets because it is significantly closer geographically.

It is just for WJ students. From what I have heard it was developed in part to provide students with an appealing program in their home school in order to lose fewer students to RMIB and Blair SMAC. It is not a magnet program, it is easier to get into and the curriculum is not particularly distinctive. They admit 50 students a year (around 10% of the freshman class). They take 6 classes together in high school: 3 in their freshman year, 2 in their sophomore year and 1 in their junior year. They also do a capstone project in their senior year. I have heard from parents who have sent several children through the program that the senior project has been watered down considerably in recent years. It is a wonderful way for freshmen to develop close relationships with like minded students.