College admissions and Blair high school courses

[Anonymous]

We recently did a tour of MIT and DS really loved it (who does not!). He is heavily into computer science, but it was not clear to us from the visit whether he needs to get the most advanced math offered by Blair for improving his chances of getting into that school (obviously it is a long-shot, but we trying to ensure that the odds don't get worse because he did not take the appropriate courses at Blair). Admissions Officers seemed to indicate that they looked for kids who have taken the toughest courses at their school (and they know Blair's strengths and weaknesses).
Any advice from parents who have gone through this or going through will be greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Is he in the magnet?

I would think that is what MIT wants to see - that he has taken the most challenging courses available to him.

Another question re: magnet students: My DC is taking the most challenging magnet classes available. As we look at colleges, we are seeing that many schools' offerings don't go that far beyond what the Blair magnet offers and what DC will have taken by the time graduation rolls around.

Is that really true? If so, do Blair students who want to study math in college need to winnow their choices down to schools that offer very high levels of math instruction, beyond what is typically seen in most college course catalogs?

[Anonymous]

Shouldn't any kid with their eye on a top engineering school have the best math and science courses in their schedule?

[Anonymous]

Ugh, you are all wrong about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh, you are all wrong about this.

??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh, you are all wrong about this.

Huh?

[Anonymous]

Why isn't he taking the toughest math courses?

If it is because they are too tough, why would you think he could survive MIT?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is he in the magnet?

I would think that is what MIT wants to see - that he has taken the most challenging courses available to him.

Another question re: magnet students: My DC is taking the most challenging magnet classes available. As we look at colleges, we are seeing that many schools' offerings don't go that far beyond what the Blair magnet offers and what DC will have taken by the time graduation rolls around.

Is that really true? If so, do Blair students who want to study math in college need to winnow their choices down to schools that offer very high levels of math instruction, beyond what is typically seen in most college course catalogs?

So, your concern is college math classes may be too easy for your blair kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We recently did a tour of MIT and DS really loved it (who does not!). He is heavily into computer science, but it was not clear to us from the visit whether he needs to get the most advanced math offered by Blair for improving his chances of getting into that school (obviously it is a long-shot, but we trying to ensure that the odds don't get worse because he did not take the appropriate courses at Blair). Admissions Officers seemed to indicate that they looked for kids who have taken the toughest courses at their school (and they know Blair's strengths and weaknesses).
Any advice from parents who have gone through this or going through will be greatly appreciated.

Have you spoken with your son's guidance counselor? That is the person with whom I would get advice about this. They will know what courses the kids who, in the past, got into MIT took who were in the magnet program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We recently did a tour of MIT and DS really loved it (who does not!). He is heavily into computer science, but it was not clear to us from the visit whether he needs to get the most advanced math offered by Blair for improving his chances of getting into that school (obviously it is a long-shot, but we trying to ensure that the odds don't get worse because he did not take the appropriate courses at Blair). Admissions Officers seemed to indicate that they looked for kids who have taken the toughest courses at their school (and they know Blair's strengths and weaknesses).
Any advice from parents who have gone through this or going through will be greatly appreciated.

Have you spoken with your son's guidance counselor? That is the person with whom I would get advice about this. They will know what courses the kids who, in the past, got into MIT took who were in the magnet program.

I'd advise you not to take courses with sole purpose of getting into mit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We recently did a tour of MIT and DS really loved it (who does not!). He is heavily into computer science, but it was not clear to us from the visit whether he needs to get the most advanced math offered by Blair for improving his chances of getting into that school (obviously it is a long-shot, but we trying to ensure that the odds don't get worse because he did not take the appropriate courses at Blair). Admissions Officers seemed to indicate that they looked for kids who have taken the toughest courses at their school (and they know Blair's strengths and weaknesses).
Any advice from parents who have gone through this or going through will be greatly appreciated.

Have you spoken with your son's guidance counselor? That is the person with whom I would get advice about this. They will know what courses the kids who, in the past, got into MIT took who were in the magnet program.

I'd advise you not to take courses with sole purpose of getting into mit.

There is no guarantee that her child would get into MIT, but why shouldn't he take the courses he needs to get into MIT if that is what he wants? There is nothing wrong with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We recently did a tour of MIT and DS really loved it (who does not!). He is heavily into computer science, but it was not clear to us from the visit whether he needs to get the most advanced math offered by Blair for improving his chances of getting into that school (obviously it is a long-shot, but we trying to ensure that the odds don't get worse because he did not take the appropriate courses at Blair). Admissions Officers seemed to indicate that they looked for kids who have taken the toughest courses at their school (and they know Blair's strengths and weaknesses).
Any advice from parents who have gone through this or going through will be greatly appreciated.

Have you spoken with your son's guidance counselor? That is the person with whom I would get advice about this. They will know what courses the kids who, in the past, got into MIT took who were in the magnet program.

I'd advise you not to take courses with sole purpose of getting into mit.

There is no guarantee that her child would get into MIT, but why shouldn't he take the courses he needs to get into MIT if that is what he wants? There is nothing wrong with that.

Yes, there's nothing wrong with that if the courses he is taking are subject matters he is really interested in. It's called following your passion. But, if he is taking courses to get into MIT (whether he likes it or not), that'd be wrong and you lost sight of the purpose education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is he in the magnet?

I would think that is what MIT wants to see - that he has taken the most challenging courses available to him.

Another question re: magnet students: My DC is taking the most challenging magnet classes available. As we look at colleges, we are seeing that many schools' offerings don't go that far beyond what the Blair magnet offers and what DC will have taken by the time graduation rolls around.

Is that really true? If so, do Blair students who want to study math in college need to winnow their choices down to schools that offer very high levels of math instruction, beyond what is typically seen in most college course catalogs?

So, your concern is college math classes may be too easy for your blair kid?

LOL. College courses are at a different level than HS classes. Don't get fooled by course titles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We recently did a tour of MIT and DS really loved it (who does not!). He is heavily into computer science, but it was not clear to us from the visit whether he needs to get the most advanced math offered by Blair for improving his chances of getting into that school (obviously it is a long-shot, but we trying to ensure that the odds don't get worse because he did not take the appropriate courses at Blair). Admissions Officers seemed to indicate that they looked for kids who have taken the toughest courses at their school (and they know Blair's strengths and weaknesses).
Any advice from parents who have gone through this or going through will be greatly appreciated.

Have you spoken with your son's guidance counselor? That is the person with whom I would get advice about this. They will know what courses the kids who, in the past, got into MIT took who were in the magnet program.

I'd advise you not to take courses with sole purpose of getting into mit.

There is no guarantee that her child would get into MIT, but why shouldn't he take the courses he needs to get into MIT if that is what he wants? There is nothing wrong with that.

What HE wants? or What YOU want?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is he in the magnet?

I would think that is what MIT wants to see - that he has taken the most challenging courses available to him.

Another question re: magnet students: My DC is taking the most challenging magnet classes available. As we look at colleges, we are seeing that many schools' offerings don't go that far beyond what the Blair magnet offers and what DC will have taken by the time graduation rolls around.

Is that really true? If so, do Blair students who want to study math in college need to winnow their choices down to schools that offer very high levels of math instruction, beyond what is typically seen in most college course catalogs?

So, your concern is college math classes may be too easy for your blair kid?

No. My concern is that my kid has already done a lot of the classes available in the math departments at many colleges.

Not a brag, not a humblebrag, just a statement of fact and a request for input.