Magnet not "cool" enough?

[Anonymous]

My 8th grader is resisting applying to Magnet programs -- the Blair program, in particular -- because she perceives it as insufficiently "cool."

She's always loved math and her MAP scores are the highest in her MS. She admits that her classes now aren't really challenging. But at this moment in her life, she's most interested in her social life and her after-school activities, so she wants to go to her home HS (where her friends are going.)

My thought is she should apply now and decide later -- who knows, right? -- but I was curious if anyone with experience could speak to the social dynamics at Blair, and whether it might be a good fit for a teen who is much more interested in using her free time to shop than study.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 8th grader is resisting applying to Magnet programs -- the Blair program, in particular -- because she perceives it as insufficiently "cool."

She's always loved math and her MAP scores are the highest in her MS. She admits that her classes now aren't really challenging. But at this moment in her life, she's most interested in her social life and her after-school activities, so she wants to go to her home HS (where her friends are going.)

My thought is she should apply now and decide later -- who knows, right? -- but I was curious if anyone with experience could speak to the social dynamics at Blair, and whether it might be a good fit for a teen who is much more interested in using her free time to shop than study.

Doesn't sound like she will be a good fit there. Why bother?

[Anonymous]

Embrace the child you have - not the one you want. I say this kindly, as I had to do it too. She will get lots of academic opportunities in her home school - magnet is not the only way to success.

[Anonymous]

get admitted then decline it -- that is really cool

[Anonymous]

If she were in a magnet now, she would realize that there are cool kids there, who hang out all weekend and have sleepovers every Friday and Saturday nights, and somehow still manage to do well in their enriched classes. I don't entirely approve of it, but this is what certain 8th graders do at the Takoma Park STEM magnet.

Perhaps this is not the real reason? The magnet high schools are incredibly selective, and your daughter might not want to apply if she's afraid of rejection. What MAP scores does she have?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 8th grader is resisting applying to Magnet programs -- the Blair program, in particular -- because she perceives it as insufficiently "cool."

She's always loved math and her MAP scores are the highest in her MS. She admits that her classes now aren't really challenging. But at this moment in her life, she's most interested in her social life and her after-school activities, so she wants to go to her home HS (where her friends are going.)

My thought is she should apply now and decide later -- who knows, right? -- but I was curious if anyone with experience could speak to the social dynamics at Blair, and whether it might be a good fit for a teen who is much more interested in using her free time to shop than study.

Doesn't sound like she will be a good fit there. Why bother?

What makes you say it doesn't sound like she would be a good fit there? Do you have experience with the program?

The reason to "bother" is that she's genuinely gifted in math and science. I worry that she's going to struggle academically -- especially in math and science -- for the next four years unless she finds her academic peers.

But socially she's a typical teen and is interested in dating and pop culture and all that stuff, and at the moment she's saying she chooses social fit over academic. I'm asking those with experience if that's a real choice or a false one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:get admitted then decline it -- that is really cool

Haha THIS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Perhaps this is not the real reason? The magnet high schools are incredibly selective, and your daughter might not want to apply if she's afraid of rejection. What MAP scores does she have?

The math person at her MS told me highest in the school. Math was 279 I think?

[Anonymous]

This post is like "should i buy clothes 5 sizes small because I am going to start exercising??"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Perhaps this is not the real reason? The magnet high schools are incredibly selective, and your daughter might not want to apply if she's afraid of rejection. What MAP scores does she have?

The math person at her MS told me highest in the school. Math was 279 I think?

TPMS has plenty of MAP-M over 300 - .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
What makes you say it doesn't sound like she would be a good fit there? Do you have experience with the program?

The reason to "bother" is that she's genuinely gifted in math and science. I worry that she's going to struggle academically -- especially in math and science -- for the next four years unless she finds her academic peers.

But socially she's a typical teen and is interested in dating and pop culture and all that stuff, and at the moment she's saying she chooses social fit over academic. I'm asking those with experience if that's a real choice or a false one.

Why would she struggle academically if she's genuinely gifted in math and science and she's in her home high school? I don't understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What makes you say it doesn't sound like she would be a good fit there? Do you have experience with the program?

The reason to "bother" is that she's genuinely gifted in math and science. I worry that she's going to struggle academically -- especially in math and science -- for the next four years unless she finds her academic peers.

But socially she's a typical teen and is interested in dating and pop culture and all that stuff, and at the moment she's saying she chooses social fit over academic. I'm asking those with experience if that's a real choice or a false one.

Why would she struggle academically if she's genuinely gifted in math and science and she's in her home high school? I don't understand.

Because gifted kids who aren't challenged sometimes turn off. In theory, that's why these programs exist: Not to "get ahead" but to meet actual NEEDS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What makes you say it doesn't sound like she would be a good fit there? Do you have experience with the program?

The reason to "bother" is that she's genuinely gifted in math and science. I worry that she's going to struggle academically -- especially in math and science -- for the next four years unless she finds her academic peers.

But socially she's a typical teen and is interested in dating and pop culture and all that stuff, and at the moment she's saying she chooses social fit over academic. I'm asking those with experience if that's a real choice or a false one.

Why would she struggle academically if she's genuinely gifted in math and science and she's in her home high school? I don't understand.

Because this is what gifted children tend to do when faced with excruciatingly easy work. Different poster here.

OP, I've always told my kids to try out for magnets or other selective programs, and worry about making a choice only if they got in. Try to persuade her, and go from there. Both my kids are in selective programs, and they are happy with their choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Perhaps this is not the real reason? The magnet high schools are incredibly selective, and your daughter might not want to apply if she's afraid of rejection. What MAP scores does she have?

The math person at her MS told me highest in the school. Math was 279 I think?

TPMS has plenty of MAP-M over 300 - .

OP. Obvs she's not at TPMS magnet.

I'm not asking whether she'd get in, I'm just asking whether anyone with a child at the magnet or other actual experience has any insight into the social dynamics within the program. She believes that it wouldn't be a good social fit so she doesn't want to apply, and I wonder whether that perception is grounded in any kind of reality or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What makes you say it doesn't sound like she would be a good fit there? Do you have experience with the program?

The reason to "bother" is that she's genuinely gifted in math and science. I worry that she's going to struggle academically -- especially in math and science -- for the next four years unless she finds her academic peers.

But socially she's a typical teen and is interested in dating and pop culture and all that stuff, and at the moment she's saying she chooses social fit over academic. I'm asking those with experience if that's a real choice or a false one.

Why would she struggle academically if she's genuinely gifted in math and science and she's in her home high school? I don't understand.

Because gifted kids who aren't challenged sometimes turn off. In theory, that's why these programs exist: Not to "get ahead" but to meet actual NEEDS.

I think all parents of struggling kids say that (i.e., my kid is too smart for her own good).