Questions about Richard Montgomery IB program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP at 8:10, as far as I know, MCPS classifies people with South Asian heritage as "Asian".

Also, I don't think that "I don't care what race my kids' friends are" goes with " I specifically put [my kids] in afterschool activities with lots of kids from these cultures [races]."

You might ask some of the parents from India how they feel about putting their kids in afterschool activities with lots of white kids.

I feel just fine about it, actually...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IB based on Humanities is a waster of time. STEM is the only direction worth heading in that is a guaranteed job.

I am in STEM and IB was not a waste of time. I got the STEM throughout college and grad school (at MIT); I didn't need to devote high school to it too.

There are lots of people in STEM. There are a lot fewer who can write a coherent sentence.

I echo this. My DC was a RM/IB kid who went to UMDCP on full ride and to Berkeley engineering for phd work - fully funded. If your kid can get in, willing to do the work, RMIB is an excellent program.

[Anonymous]

RM/IB is a very difficult program. Think carefully before you put your child in the program.

[Anonymous]

My kid got into both RMIB and the Blair Math/Science/Comp Sci Magnet. The math/science kids at RM (on the night admitted kids tour the school) told my kid & their friends that Math/Science dept not great, they'd be better @ Poolesville/Blair. Just saying... My kid knows many at both schools. I hear both good.

[Anonymous]

10:33 - False.

[Anonymous]

I don't think anyone would argue that the Blair magnet offers a better math/science experience than RM magnet or not

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not apply and then make your choice if your child is accepted?

OP here: That is good advice but I thought I would take advantage of this thread to get some information about how the program compares to WJ so we can make a well-informed decision.

You can also consider applying to WJ's APEX program, open only to WJ cluster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid got into both RMIB and the Blair Math/Science/Comp Sci Magnet. The math/science kids at RM (on the night admitted kids tour the school) told my kid & their friends that Math/Science dept not great, they'd be better @ Poolesville/Blair. Just saying... My kid knows many at both schools. I hear both good.

I am not going to argue with you even though I am not sure what you mean by "math/science kids at RM." There is no such thing. Having said that, keep in mind Blair/PHS STEM programs' focus is on, well, STEM field. IB is a program that focuses on multiple aspects of education. Not just STEM, not just reading or writing, or history or whatever. So, if you have a STEM kid who wants to do STEM and really don't care of other aspects, I'd recommend Blair/PHS programs. If you are looking for more balanced education, RM/IB maybe better. This doesn't mean RM/IB kids are bad at Math/Science or RM's Math/Science department is not good. Using Math as an example, a lot of IB kids take AP Cal BC as juniors (some as Soph and some as Senior but many as Juniors) and get 5s on AP exams. My 2cents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid got into both RMIB and the Blair Math/Science/Comp Sci Magnet. The math/science kids at RM (on the night admitted kids tour the school) told my kid & their friends that Math/Science dept not great, they'd be better @ Poolesville/Blair. Just saying... My kid knows many at both schools. I hear both good.

I am not going to argue with you even though I am not sure what you mean by "math/science kids at RM." There is no such thing. Having said that, keep in mind Blair/PHS STEM programs' focus is on, well, STEM field. IB is a program that focuses on multiple aspects of education. Not just STEM, not just reading or writing, or history or whatever. So, if you have a STEM kid who wants to do STEM and really don't care of other aspects, I'd recommend Blair/PHS programs. If you are looking for more balanced education, RM/IB maybe better. This doesn't mean RM/IB kids are bad at Math/Science or RM's Math/Science department is not good. Using Math as an example, a lot of IB kids take AP Cal BC as juniors (some as Soph and some as Senior but many as Juniors) and get 5s on AP exams. My 2cents.

I know a number of kids who went from the TPMS magnet to RM (my kid was at TPMS with them). These are probably the "math/science kids" PP is referring to.

[Anonymous]

10:55 again. Blair magnet kids take AP offerings for many subjects, like englist lit, govt and history. Blair has some fantastic AP teachers in these subjects. So we shouldn't be implying that the magnet's STEM offerings are somehow awful and you should only go there if you "don't care" about non-STEM subjects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid got into both RMIB and the Blair Math/Science/Comp Sci Magnet. The math/science kids at RM (on the night admitted kids tour the school) told my kid & their friends that Math/Science dept not great, they'd be better @ Poolesville/Blair. Just saying... My kid knows many at both schools. I hear both good.

I am not going to argue with you even though I am not sure what you mean by "math/science kids at RM." There is no such thing. Having said that, keep in mind Blair/PHS STEM programs' focus is on, well, STEM field. IB is a program that focuses on multiple aspects of education. Not just STEM, not just reading or writing, or history or whatever. So, if you have a STEM kid who wants to do STEM and really don't care of other aspects, I'd recommend Blair/PHS programs. If you are looking for more balanced education, RM/IB maybe better. This doesn't mean RM/IB kids are bad at Math/Science or RM's Math/Science department is not good. Using Math as an example, a lot of IB kids take AP Cal BC as juniors (some as Soph and some as Senior but many as Juniors) and get 5s on AP exams. My 2cents.

I know a number of kids who went from the TPMS magnet to RM (my kid was at TPMS with them). These are probably the "math/science kids" PP is referring to.

10:50 here. Thanks. I get it. Mine went thru RCMS program but lost that STEM level a long time ago (current IB senior).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:10:55 again. Blair magnet kids take AP offerings for many subjects, like englist lit, govt and history. Blair has some fantastic AP teachers in these subjects. So we shouldn't be implying that the magnet's STEM offerings are somehow awful and you should only go there if you "don't care" about non-STEM subjects.

fair point. I stand corrected.

[Anonymous]

I would pick Blair over RM any day.

[Anonymous]

11:54 reasons?

[Anonymous]

I'm 10:33 and the math/science kids I was referring to were the kids on the math team, it's academic team,& comp sci club. At the event where you toured the school, got the 'congrats you got in packet' and saw all the clubs, those kids told the TPMS kids math & science was not good. Believe me or not, it happened. Most of the TPMS kids are good at both subjects FYI, many got into Eastern, Takoma , and both programs at RC.