Magnet application result High School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:My kid is really disappointed. With good grades, 100% on all and high MAP scores 99 percentile, not even got into 1 and wait pooled for 2. My kid definitely knows kids who got in definitely have very very low MAP scores and have even got B's. This make it very sad for the hard working child and feels depressed. DC doesn't want to go to school due to the boastings the other kids do in school. They should look at scores and test in class and the MAP scores if they don't have any administer cogat tests. This is where they do on their own. If it was depending on the essay, for the essays parents or any external sources could have helped too. it is not their original work.
Knowing the type of kids who got in we know for sure it will be hard for them to survive in these programs, even in middle school where grading is easy they could not get good grades. Sometimes my kid is even wondering was there any errors as to why DC was not selected.
Question: If a kid who got in but is not that much suitable for the program and they decide to drop after a year, will they give the open seat to another deserving child in 10th grade or it is gone is gone.

I'm sorry. Your kid is obviously hard working and will be successful no matter where they are. We know two kids who are saying no to Blair and yes to another magnet so maybe your child will get a spot. Just remember that the kid who got in with the Bs didn't steal a spot, they applied and for whatever reason the admission people felt the child could handle the program. The problem is the amount of seats available... Good luck, I'm sorry your child is feeling sad and I hope they get in when spots free up this spring. I don't think they allow entry to the program after 9th grade unfortunately.

So one spot in that class room will get wasted where it can be filled by a deserving kid?

Unfortunately you can't join in 10th. A lot of the required SMAC coursework comes in the first two years. The classes are completely different from those offered at other high schools, and many of them build on each other. Even classes like Chemistry and Physics, which are offered at every high school, don't have the 1-semester, full-credit option elsewhere.

Also, I know you're disappointed for your kid, but please think about the way you are phrasing this. The "wasted" spot also belonged to a "deserving kid," and while most kids who start at Blair SMAC complete the program, there are any number of reasons why a child might leave.

Actually I think Blair offers Honors Bio/Chem for regular 9th graders, which is a good option for CAP kids who are STEM-focused or come from the TPMS program.

Blair offers AP Physics for 9th graders in Algebra2.

Magnet 9th graders take Physics 1st semester and Chem 2nd semester. Not AP. It is a whole year of each, compressed into 1 semester.

The CAP 9th Graders who are in Algebra 2 are recommended for AP Physics 1. Hard class.

Will they tell us this at the admitted open house? We didn't go to the open house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is really disappointed. With good grades, 100% on all and high MAP scores 99 percentile, not even got into 1 and wait pooled for 2. My kid definitely knows kids who got in definitely have very very low MAP scores and have even got B's. This make it very sad for the hard working child and feels depressed. DC doesn't want to go to school due to the boastings the other kids do in school. They should look at scores and test in class and the MAP scores if they don't have any administer cogat tests. This is where they do on their own. If it was depending on the essay, for the essays parents or any external sources could have helped too. it is not their original work.
Knowing the type of kids who got in we know for sure it will be hard for them to survive in these programs, even in middle school where grading is easy they could not get good grades. Sometimes my kid is even wondering was there any errors as to why DC was not selected.
Question: If a kid who got in but is not that much suitable for the program and they decide to drop after a year, will they give the open seat to another deserving child in 10th grade or it is gone is gone.

I'm sorry. Your kid is obviously hard working and will be successful no matter where they are. We know two kids who are saying no to Blair and yes to another magnet so maybe your child will get a spot. Just remember that the kid who got in with the Bs didn't steal a spot, they applied and for whatever reason the admission people felt the child could handle the program. The problem is the amount of seats available... Good luck, I'm sorry your child is feeling sad and I hope they get in when spots free up this spring. I don't think they allow entry to the program after 9th grade unfortunately.

So one spot in that class room will get wasted where it can be filled by a deserving kid?

I really hope that kid doesn't get to hear stuff like that at school, wow. Somehow the admission thought the child was more deserving of a spot than others. Plus you don't know their actual grades anyway only what an upset child is saying.

Not to mention that some programs like SMACS only look at specific subjects like math and science.

I think PP was talking about the empty spot if a child leaves the program and there is then an “empty seat” in 10th grade

Oh I hope I misunderstood, I was feeling awful for the child who might hear they shouldn't have been given a spot. Thank you!

The real issue is for that child who cannot keep up with the curriculum or who is on the lower achieving level of the group

That is not a thing. I am tired of this myth that unqualified kids who can't hack it are finding their way into the program. My kid definitely did not have the highest MAP-M score (it was plenty high, but their MaP-R was higher). I think they even had a B in 6th grade CS - the horror! Yet they wrote an essay that demonstrated their passion for science, and they've thrived and excelled in the program. My kid "deserved" the spot as much as anyone, but more.importantly is committed to making the most of every opportunity the program offers. Maybe the committee saw that in the application. Maybe it was just dumb luck. Either way, I don't think parents are doing their kids any favors by passing on a misplaced and perhaps ill-informed sense of grievance. That's not a very constructive lesson to take into the world.

TPMS kid or other school?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I teach at the college level, and I hate students' obsession with grades. The focus on all As is producing a culture where kids are afraid to think for themselves, to take risks, think outside the box. It is ok to get Bs and even Cs. In fact at the college level students will find their tools and strategies for pursuing all As will actually be a detriment to them. There is also the issue that their worth and identity is so wrapped up in being a straight A student that when they get their first B or (horrors) C they completely fall apart.

You need the grades to get into magnet and decent colleges now.

It's not all about grades.

Right so then why did some of our well rounded all a kids not get selected?

The PP you’re quoting literally said “It’s not all about grades.” If it was all about grades, maybe your all A kid would have been selected over my (and other PP’s) mostly A kids.

It's not all about grades, it's about grades plus a little extra. But, contrary to what the college-level teacher might think, if a student does get a C on their transcript, their chances of getting in a good college are practically annihilated. Unless said student is an Olympic champion or some kind of a refugee. So it's not that the kids are so shallow and vain, it's the game they are forced to play.

I understand you think that's how it works, but I promise you it's not how it works. Not unless your kid is trying to get into Harvard or Stanford, and guess what, students with Bs and Cs on their high school transcript get into those schools too. Colleges was interesting students with a love of learning. You can't teach a love of learning into a kid, it has to come intrinsically, but you sure as heck can get a kid to fall out of love for learning by making it all about grades and ivies.

Ain't gonna happen if it is an Asian kid who gets the B's and C's. We have to be pretty much academically flawless if we even have to have a decent chance of having the admissions committee look at our application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is really disappointed. With good grades, 100% on all and high MAP scores 99 percentile, not even got into 1 and wait pooled for 2. My kid definitely knows kids who got in definitely have very very low MAP scores and have even got B's. This make it very sad for the hard working child and feels depressed. DC doesn't want to go to school due to the boastings the other kids do in school. They should look at scores and test in class and the MAP scores if they don't have any administer cogat tests. This is where they do on their own. If it was depending on the essay, for the essays parents or any external sources could have helped too. it is not their original work.
Knowing the type of kids who got in we know for sure it will be hard for them to survive in these programs, even in middle school where grading is easy they could not get good grades. Sometimes my kid is even wondering was there any errors as to why DC was not selected.
Question: If a kid who got in but is not that much suitable for the program and they decide to drop after a year, will they give the open seat to another deserving child in 10th grade or it is gone is gone.

Hang in there my friend. Understand your kid’s disappointment but it is a messed up and not so transparent process trying to cater to many constituents. This whole thing doesn’t really matter that much even in the short run.
Your kid will be successful given their hard work that they have out in. Be positive for them. Best wishes.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP with the disappointed kid who was waitlisted for two programs and rejected for the other. Which two is he on the waitpool for? I think some will move more than others. I expect Blair SMACS might not move much for example.

He is wait listed for ecology and humanities at poolesville, rejected for RM and SMACS

Fingers crossed for you. I don’t have a sense of whether those program wait pools move but maybe someone else will.

If your son is interested in humanities, I would totally reach out to Ms. Wilder since it’s such a gender imbalanced program. The pools that your son was selected to have the most movement. Humanities is often seen as the back up to RM. Global is often the backup to Humanities/SMCs and RM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is really disappointed. With good grades, 100% on all and high MAP scores 99 percentile, not even got into 1 and wait pooled for 2. My kid definitely knows kids who got in definitely have very very low MAP scores and have even got B's. This make it very sad for the hard working child and feels depressed. DC doesn't want to go to school due to the boastings the other kids do in school. They should look at scores and test in class and the MAP scores if they don't have any administer cogat tests. This is where they do on their own. If it was depending on the essay, for the essays parents or any external sources could have helped too. it is not their original work.
Knowing the type of kids who got in we know for sure it will be hard for them to survive in these programs, even in middle school where grading is easy they could not get good grades. Sometimes my kid is even wondering was there any errors as to why DC was not selected.
Question: If a kid who got in but is not that much suitable for the program and they decide to drop after a year, will they give the open seat to another deserving child in 10th grade or it is gone is gone.

I'm sorry. Your kid is obviously hard working and will be successful no matter where they are. We know two kids who are saying no to Blair and yes to another magnet so maybe your child will get a spot. Just remember that the kid who got in with the Bs didn't steal a spot, they applied and for whatever reason the admission people felt the child could handle the program. The problem is the amount of seats available... Good luck, I'm sorry your child is feeling sad and I hope they get in when spots free up this spring. I don't think they allow entry to the program after 9th grade unfortunately.

So one spot in that class room will get wasted where it can be filled by a deserving kid?

Unfortunately you can't join in 10th. A lot of the required SMAC coursework comes in the first two years. The classes are completely different from those offered at other high schools, and many of them build on each other. Even classes like Chemistry and Physics, which are offered at every high school, don't have the 1-semester, full-credit option elsewhere.

Also, I know you're disappointed for your kid, but please think about the way you are phrasing this. The "wasted" spot also belonged to a "deserving kid," and while most kids who start at Blair SMAC complete the program, there are any number of reasons why a child might leave.

Actually I think Blair offers Honors Bio/Chem for regular 9th graders, which is a good option for CAP kids who are STEM-focused or come from the TPMS program.

Blair offers AP Physics for 9th graders in Algebra2.

Magnet 9th graders take Physics 1st semester and Chem 2nd semester. Not AP. It is a whole year of each, compressed into 1 semester.

The CAP 9th Graders who are in Algebra 2 are recommended for AP Physics 1. Hard class.

The SMACS class is supposedly comparable to honors but different content and compressed into 1 semester. Any Blair kid in Algebra 2 can be recommended for AP Physics.

Yes all Blair students are eligible for AP Physicis in 9th. You just need to be in Algebra 2 and be recommended. It has nothing to do with CAP.

This is changing next year- freshmen are not recommended for AP Physics 1 unless they are taking Precalculus starting fall 2023.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is really disappointed. With good grades, 100% on all and high MAP scores 99 percentile, not even got into 1 and wait pooled for 2. My kid definitely knows kids who got in definitely have very very low MAP scores and have even got B's. This make it very sad for the hard working child and feels depressed. DC doesn't want to go to school due to the boastings the other kids do in school. They should look at scores and test in class and the MAP scores if they don't have any administer cogat tests. This is where they do on their own. If it was depending on the essay, for the essays parents or any external sources could have helped too. it is not their original work.
Knowing the type of kids who got in we know for sure it will be hard for them to survive in these programs, even in middle school where grading is easy they could not get good grades. Sometimes my kid is even wondering was there any errors as to why DC was not selected.
Question: If a kid who got in but is not that much suitable for the program and they decide to drop after a year, will they give the open seat to another deserving child in 10th grade or it is gone is gone.

I'm sorry. Your kid is obviously hard working and will be successful no matter where they are. We know two kids who are saying no to Blair and yes to another magnet so maybe your child will get a spot. Just remember that the kid who got in with the Bs didn't steal a spot, they applied and for whatever reason the admission people felt the child could handle the program. The problem is the amount of seats available... Good luck, I'm sorry your child is feeling sad and I hope they get in when spots free up this spring. I don't think they allow entry to the program after 9th grade unfortunately.

So one spot in that class room will get wasted where it can be filled by a deserving kid?

Unfortunately you can't join in 10th. A lot of the required SMAC coursework comes in the first two years. The classes are completely different from those offered at other high schools, and many of them build on each other. Even classes like Chemistry and Physics, which are offered at every high school, don't have the 1-semester, full-credit option elsewhere.

Also, I know you're disappointed for your kid, but please think about the way you are phrasing this. The "wasted" spot also belonged to a "deserving kid," and while most kids who start at Blair SMAC complete the program, there are any number of reasons why a child might leave.

Actually I think Blair offers Honors Bio/Chem for regular 9th graders, which is a good option for CAP kids who are STEM-focused or come from the TPMS program.

Blair offers AP Physics for 9th graders in Algebra2.

Magnet 9th graders take Physics 1st semester and Chem 2nd semester. Not AP. It is a whole year of each, compressed into 1 semester.

The CAP 9th Graders who are in Algebra 2 are recommended for AP Physics 1. Hard class.

The SMACS class is supposedly comparable to honors but different content and compressed into 1 semester. Any Blair kid in Algebra 2 can be recommended for AP Physics.

Yes all Blair students are eligible for AP Physicis in 9th. You just need to be in Algebra 2 and be recommended. It has nothing to do with CAP.

This is changing next year- freshmen are not recommended for AP Physics 1 unless they are taking Precalculus starting fall 2023.

That’s interesting, since they’re going to start letting 9th graders take APUSH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I teach at the college level, and I hate students' obsession with grades. The focus on all As is producing a culture where kids are afraid to think for themselves, to take risks, think outside the box. It is ok to get Bs and even Cs. In fact at the college level students will find their tools and strategies for pursuing all As will actually be a detriment to them. There is also the issue that their worth and identity is so wrapped up in being a straight A student that when they get their first B or (horrors) C they completely fall apart.

You need the grades to get into magnet and decent colleges now.

It's not all about grades.

Right so then why did some of our well rounded all a kids not get selected?

The PP you’re quoting literally said “It’s not all about grades.” If it was all about grades, maybe your all A kid would have been selected over my (and other PP’s) mostly A kids.

It's not all about grades, it's about grades plus a little extra. But, contrary to what the college-level teacher might think, if a student does get a C on their transcript, their chances of getting in a good college are practically annihilated. Unless said student is an Olympic champion or some kind of a refugee. So it's not that the kids are so shallow and vain, it's the game they are forced to play.

I understand you think that's how it works, but I promise you it's not how it works. Not unless your kid is trying to get into Harvard or Stanford, and guess what, students with Bs and Cs on their high school transcript get into those schools too. Colleges was interesting students with a love of learning. You can't teach a love of learning into a kid, it has to come intrinsically, but you sure as heck can get a kid to fall out of love for learning by making it all about grades and ivies.

B/C students often cannot get into UMD let alone other good schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is really disappointed. With good grades, 100% on all and high MAP scores 99 percentile, not even got into 1 and wait pooled for 2. My kid definitely knows kids who got in definitely have very very low MAP scores and have even got B's. This make it very sad for the hard working child and feels depressed. DC doesn't want to go to school due to the boastings the other kids do in school. They should look at scores and test in class and the MAP scores if they don't have any administer cogat tests. This is where they do on their own. If it was depending on the essay, for the essays parents or any external sources could have helped too. it is not their original work.
Knowing the type of kids who got in we know for sure it will be hard for them to survive in these programs, even in middle school where grading is easy they could not get good grades. Sometimes my kid is even wondering was there any errors as to why DC was not selected.
Question: If a kid who got in but is not that much suitable for the program and they decide to drop after a year, will they give the open seat to another deserving child in 10th grade or it is gone is gone.

I'm sorry. Your kid is obviously hard working and will be successful no matter where they are. We know two kids who are saying no to Blair and yes to another magnet so maybe your child will get a spot. Just remember that the kid who got in with the Bs didn't steal a spot, they applied and for whatever reason the admission people felt the child could handle the program. The problem is the amount of seats available... Good luck, I'm sorry your child is feeling sad and I hope they get in when spots free up this spring. I don't think they allow entry to the program after 9th grade unfortunately.

So one spot in that class room will get wasted where it can be filled by a deserving kid?

Unfortunately you can't join in 10th. A lot of the required SMAC coursework comes in the first two years. The classes are completely different from those offered at other high schools, and many of them build on each other. Even classes like Chemistry and Physics, which are offered at every high school, don't have the 1-semester, full-credit option elsewhere.

Also, I know you're disappointed for your kid, but please think about the way you are phrasing this. The "wasted" spot also belonged to a "deserving kid," and while most kids who start at Blair SMAC complete the program, there are any number of reasons why a child might leave.

Actually I think Blair offers Honors Bio/Chem for regular 9th graders, which is a good option for CAP kids who are STEM-focused or come from the TPMS program.

Blair offers AP Physics for 9th graders in Algebra2.

Magnet 9th graders take Physics 1st semester and Chem 2nd semester. Not AP. It is a whole year of each, compressed into 1 semester.

The CAP 9th Graders who are in Algebra 2 are recommended for AP Physics 1. Hard class.

Shouldn't most of the CAP kids be in Pre-Cal in 9th...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is really disappointed. With good grades, 100% on all and high MAP scores 99 percentile, not even got into 1 and wait pooled for 2. My kid definitely knows kids who got in definitely have very very low MAP scores and have even got B's. This make it very sad for the hard working child and feels depressed. DC doesn't want to go to school due to the boastings the other kids do in school. They should look at scores and test in class and the MAP scores if they don't have any administer cogat tests. This is where they do on their own. If it was depending on the essay, for the essays parents or any external sources could have helped too. it is not their original work.
Knowing the type of kids who got in we know for sure it will be hard for them to survive in these programs, even in middle school where grading is easy they could not get good grades. Sometimes my kid is even wondering was there any errors as to why DC was not selected.
Question: If a kid who got in but is not that much suitable for the program and they decide to drop after a year, will they give the open seat to another deserving child in 10th grade or it is gone is gone.

I'm sorry. Your kid is obviously hard working and will be successful no matter where they are. We know two kids who are saying no to Blair and yes to another magnet so maybe your child will get a spot. Just remember that the kid who got in with the Bs didn't steal a spot, they applied and for whatever reason the admission people felt the child could handle the program. The problem is the amount of seats available... Good luck, I'm sorry your child is feeling sad and I hope they get in when spots free up this spring. I don't think they allow entry to the program after 9th grade unfortunately.

So one spot in that class room will get wasted where it can be filled by a deserving kid?

Unfortunately you can't join in 10th. A lot of the required SMAC coursework comes in the first two years. The classes are completely different from those offered at other high schools, and many of them build on each other. Even classes like Chemistry and Physics, which are offered at every high school, don't have the 1-semester, full-credit option elsewhere.

Also, I know you're disappointed for your kid, but please think about the way you are phrasing this. The "wasted" spot also belonged to a "deserving kid," and while most kids who start at Blair SMAC complete the program, there are any number of reasons why a child might leave.

Actually I think Blair offers Honors Bio/Chem for regular 9th graders, which is a good option for CAP kids who are STEM-focused or come from the TPMS program.

Blair offers AP Physics for 9th graders in Algebra2.

Magnet 9th graders take Physics 1st semester and Chem 2nd semester. Not AP. It is a whole year of each, compressed into 1 semester.

The CAP 9th Graders who are in Algebra 2 are recommended for AP Physics 1. Hard class.

It’s not about how hard it is. The original question was why kids can’t transfer into SMAC in 10th if someone else leaves. This is one of the reasons why. SMAC kids will have finished high school Honors Physics and Chemistry by the end of 9th, which I don’t think is possible for students at other schools. (In addition to the differences in Math, Computer Science, and R&E.)

Your point does, however, reinforce that there are ways to have a challenging STEM HS curriculum outside of SMAC, and outside of Blair, so the kids who will go to their home schools can still seek out the challenges those schools do have.

Same for MS, it sounds like from posts here my child has had a more challenging math and CS track than most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I teach at the college level, and I hate students' obsession with grades. The focus on all As is producing a culture where kids are afraid to think for themselves, to take risks, think outside the box. It is ok to get Bs and even Cs. In fact at the college level students will find their tools and strategies for pursuing all As will actually be a detriment to them. There is also the issue that their worth and identity is so wrapped up in being a straight A student that when they get their first B or (horrors) C they completely fall apart.

You need the grades to get into magnet and decent colleges now.

It's not all about grades.

Right so then why did some of our well rounded all a kids not get selected?

The PP you’re quoting literally said “It’s not all about grades.” If it was all about grades, maybe your all A kid would have been selected over my (and other PP’s) mostly A kids.

It's not all about grades, it's about grades plus a little extra. But, contrary to what the college-level teacher might think, if a student does get a C on their transcript, their chances of getting in a good college are practically annihilated. Unless said student is an Olympic champion or some kind of a refugee. So it's not that the kids are so shallow and vain, it's the game they are forced to play.

I understand you think that's how it works, but I promise you it's not how it works. Not unless your kid is trying to get into Harvard or Stanford, and guess what, students with Bs and Cs on their high school transcript get into those schools too. Colleges was interesting students with a love of learning. You can't teach a love of learning into a kid, it has to come intrinsically, but you sure as heck can get a kid to fall out of love for learning by making it all about grades and ivies.

B/C students often cannot get into UMD let alone other good schools.

Exactly. Harvard or Stanford are reaches that few people seriously think about but these days, UMD and UVA are hard to get into with questionable transcripts.

Even a couple of years ago it wasn't nearly as brutal as it is now..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I teach at the college level, and I hate students' obsession with grades. The focus on all As is producing a culture where kids are afraid to think for themselves, to take risks, think outside the box. It is ok to get Bs and even Cs. In fact at the college level students will find their tools and strategies for pursuing all As will actually be a detriment to them. There is also the issue that their worth and identity is so wrapped up in being a straight A student that when they get their first B or (horrors) C they completely fall apart.

You need the grades to get into magnet and decent colleges now.

It's not all about grades.

Right so then why did some of our well rounded all a kids not get selected?

The PP you’re quoting literally said “It’s not all about grades.” If it was all about grades, maybe your all A kid would have been selected over my (and other PP’s) mostly A kids.

It's not all about grades, it's about grades plus a little extra. But, contrary to what the college-level teacher might think, if a student does get a C on their transcript, their chances of getting in a good college are practically annihilated. Unless said student is an Olympic champion or some kind of a refugee. So it's not that the kids are so shallow and vain, it's the game they are forced to play.

I understand you think that's how it works, but I promise you it's not how it works. Not unless your kid is trying to get into Harvard or Stanford, and guess what, students with Bs and Cs on their high school transcript get into those schools too. Colleges was interesting students with a love of learning. You can't teach a love of learning into a kid, it has to come intrinsically, but you sure as heck can get a kid to fall out of love for learning by making it all about grades and ivies.

Ain't gonna happen if it is an Asian kid who gets the B's and C's. We have to be pretty much academically flawless if we even have to have a decent chance of having the admissions committee look at our application.

To make you feel better, if it is a middle-class White kid who isn't a legacy or an athlete, his chances aren't that much higher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is really disappointed. With good grades, 100% on all and high MAP scores 99 percentile, not even got into 1 and wait pooled for 2. My kid definitely knows kids who got in definitely have very very low MAP scores and have even got B's. This make it very sad for the hard working child and feels depressed. DC doesn't want to go to school due to the boastings the other kids do in school. They should look at scores and test in class and the MAP scores if they don't have any administer cogat tests. This is where they do on their own. If it was depending on the essay, for the essays parents or any external sources could have helped too. it is not their original work.
Knowing the type of kids who got in we know for sure it will be hard for them to survive in these programs, even in middle school where grading is easy they could not get good grades. Sometimes my kid is even wondering was there any errors as to why DC was not selected.
Question: If a kid who got in but is not that much suitable for the program and they decide to drop after a year, will they give the open seat to another deserving child in 10th grade or it is gone is gone.

I'm sorry. Your kid is obviously hard working and will be successful no matter where they are. We know two kids who are saying no to Blair and yes to another magnet so maybe your child will get a spot. Just remember that the kid who got in with the Bs didn't steal a spot, they applied and for whatever reason the admission people felt the child could handle the program. The problem is the amount of seats available... Good luck, I'm sorry your child is feeling sad and I hope they get in when spots free up this spring. I don't think they allow entry to the program after 9th grade unfortunately.

So one spot in that class room will get wasted where it can be filled by a deserving kid?

Unfortunately you can't join in 10th. A lot of the required SMAC coursework comes in the first two years. The classes are completely different from those offered at other high schools, and many of them build on each other. Even classes like Chemistry and Physics, which are offered at every high school, don't have the 1-semester, full-credit option elsewhere.

Also, I know you're disappointed for your kid, but please think about the way you are phrasing this. The "wasted" spot also belonged to a "deserving kid," and while most kids who start at Blair SMAC complete the program, there are any number of reasons why a child might leave.

Actually I think Blair offers Honors Bio/Chem for regular 9th graders, which is a good option for CAP kids who are STEM-focused or come from the TPMS program.

Blair offers AP Physics for 9th graders in Algebra2.

Magnet 9th graders take Physics 1st semester and Chem 2nd semester. Not AP. It is a whole year of each, compressed into 1 semester.

The CAP 9th Graders who are in Algebra 2 are recommended for AP Physics 1. Hard class.

Shouldn't most of the CAP kids be in Pre-Cal in 9th...

No the advanced track is Algebra 2 in grade 9. It is very rare for 9th graders to take pre calculus, only if they took Algebra 1 in grade 6.

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Anonymous wrote:I teach at the college level, and I hate students' obsession with grades. The focus on all As is producing a culture where kids are afraid to think for themselves, to take risks, think outside the box. It is ok to get Bs and even Cs. In fact at the college level students will find their tools and strategies for pursuing all As will actually be a detriment to them. There is also the issue that their worth and identity is so wrapped up in being a straight A student that when they get their first B or (horrors) C they completely fall apart.

You need the grades to get into magnet and decent colleges now.

It's not all about grades.

Right so then why did some of our well rounded all a kids not get selected?

The PP you’re quoting literally said “It’s not all about grades.” If it was all about grades, maybe your all A kid would have been selected over my (and other PP’s) mostly A kids.

It's not all about grades, it's about grades plus a little extra. But, contrary to what the college-level teacher might think, if a student does get a C on their transcript, their chances of getting in a good college are practically annihilated. Unless said student is an Olympic champion or some kind of a refugee. So it's not that the kids are so shallow and vain, it's the game they are forced to play.

I understand you think that's how it works, but I promise you it's not how it works. Not unless your kid is trying to get into Harvard or Stanford, and guess what, students with Bs and Cs on their high school transcript get into those schools too. Colleges was interesting students with a love of learning. You can't teach a love of learning into a kid, it has to come intrinsically, but you sure as heck can get a kid to fall out of love for learning by making it all about grades and ivies.

B/C students often cannot get into UMD let alone other good schools.

Good grief, there's a difference between having a few Bs and Cs on your transcript and having a B or C average. College admissions is like roulette. There are more qualified applicants than spots (and qualified is defined broadly, not on grades alone) and so colleges are looking to build a class based on what will round out a thriving campus community. Maybe they need more violists in their orchestra, or kids passionate about organizing campus service projects, or so on. There's a whole literature on this if you go out and look for it.

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Anonymous wrote:My kid is really disappointed. With good grades, 100% on all and high MAP scores 99 percentile, not even got into 1 and wait pooled for 2. My kid definitely knows kids who got in definitely have very very low MAP scores and have even got B's. This make it very sad for the hard working child and feels depressed. DC doesn't want to go to school due to the boastings the other kids do in school. They should look at scores and test in class and the MAP scores if they don't have any administer cogat tests. This is where they do on their own. If it was depending on the essay, for the essays parents or any external sources could have helped too. it is not their original work.
Knowing the type of kids who got in we know for sure it will be hard for them to survive in these programs, even in middle school where grading is easy they could not get good grades. Sometimes my kid is even wondering was there any errors as to why DC was not selected.
Question: If a kid who got in but is not that much suitable for the program and they decide to drop after a year, will they give the open seat to another deserving child in 10th grade or it is gone is gone.

I'm sorry. Your kid is obviously hard working and will be successful no matter where they are. We know two kids who are saying no to Blair and yes to another magnet so maybe your child will get a spot. Just remember that the kid who got in with the Bs didn't steal a spot, they applied and for whatever reason the admission people felt the child could handle the program. The problem is the amount of seats available... Good luck, I'm sorry your child is feeling sad and I hope they get in when spots free up this spring. I don't think they allow entry to the program after 9th grade unfortunately.

So one spot in that class room will get wasted where it can be filled by a deserving kid?

Unfortunately you can't join in 10th. A lot of the required SMAC coursework comes in the first two years. The classes are completely different from those offered at other high schools, and many of them build on each other. Even classes like Chemistry and Physics, which are offered at every high school, don't have the 1-semester, full-credit option elsewhere.

Also, I know you're disappointed for your kid, but please think about the way you are phrasing this. The "wasted" spot also belonged to a "deserving kid," and while most kids who start at Blair SMAC complete the program, there are any number of reasons why a child might leave.

Actually I think Blair offers Honors Bio/Chem for regular 9th graders, which is a good option for CAP kids who are STEM-focused or come from the TPMS program.

Blair offers AP Physics for 9th graders in Algebra2.

Magnet 9th graders take Physics 1st semester and Chem 2nd semester. Not AP. It is a whole year of each, compressed into 1 semester.

The CAP 9th Graders who are in Algebra 2 are recommended for AP Physics 1. Hard class.

It’s not about how hard it is. The original question was why kids can’t transfer into SMAC in 10th if someone else leaves. This is one of the reasons why. SMAC kids will have finished high school Honors Physics and Chemistry by the end of 9th, which I don’t think is possible for students at other schools. (In addition to the differences in Math, Computer Science, and R&E.)

Your point does, however, reinforce that there are ways to have a challenging STEM HS curriculum outside of SMAC, and outside of Blair, so the kids who will go to their home schools can still seek out the challenges those schools do have.

Same for MS, it sounds like from posts here my child has had a more challenging math and CS track than most.

Ok, so my kid was at Blair SMACS. Physics was good but hurried. Computer science is good but not great. Math in general is good. Peer group is great.