MS Magnet letters are starting to arrive

[Anonymous]

Surprised at Eastern (fine with it, as TPMS was first choice. But well above median in Raven and Reading Comp. 1 below median in writing.) Currently at HGC. Really surprised that it's an outright rejection vs. wait list.

Same situation, except DC really wanted Eastern. At median in Raven, above median in Reading, below median in writing = rejection. I would've thought wait list, so I am curious about whether there was something they didn't like about DC's application, too.
But DC is handling it very well and has moved on to the normal routine of tormenting siblings and thinking about weekend plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In at Takoma, rejected at Eastern (small white envelope). Surprised at Eastern (fine with it, as TPMS was first choice. But well above median in Raven and Reading Comp. 1 below median in writing.) Currently at HGC. Really surprised that it's an outright rejection vs. wait list.

That is weird. Girl? Just asking bc my boy had opposite results (accepte at Eastern, WL at Takoma).

Boy[/


I've heard there is a max number that can come from any given home middle school.

[Anonymous]

Interesting that the median reading comp is the same at EMS and TPMS. I would have thought that it would be higher at TPMS.

IS TPMS a reading intensive program? I remember at the EMS Open House, they emphasized that the assigned reading was several years above grade level. But, I don't remember if they said anything about assigned text levels at TPMS. I do remember that TPMS said that they rely on the SCAT and Raven more than the reading comp for entry decisions because these are data that correlate more with subsequent performance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting that the median reading comp is the same at EMS and TPMS. I would have thought that it would be higher at TPMS.

IS TPMS a reading intensive program? I remember at the EMS Open House, they emphasized that the assigned reading was several years above grade level. But, I don't remember if they said anything about assigned text levels at TPMS. I do remember that TPMS said that they rely on the SCAT and Raven more than the reading comp for entry decisions because these are data that correlate more with subsequent performance.

TPMS offers honors English as part of the regular school curriculum. It is not a reading intensive program, though they do read some good material (some of the 7th grade books are Call of the Wild, Ann Frank, Midsummer Night's Dream). I never hear about assigned text levels at TPMS. And the writing is far less demanding than at HGC.

[Anonymous]

Rejected at TPMS, Waitlisted at Eastern. SCAT score was much lower than we expected. The median is pretty high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting that the median reading comp is the same at EMS and TPMS. I would have thought that it would be higher at TPMS.

IS TPMS a reading intensive program? I remember at the EMS Open House, they emphasized that the assigned reading was several years above grade level. But, I don't remember if they said anything about assigned text levels at TPMS. I do remember that TPMS said that they rely on the SCAT and Raven more than the reading comp for entry decisions because these are data that correlate more with subsequent performance.

Oops, I meant to say I would have thought that the median reading comp would be LOWER at TPMS since it has a math/science focus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Surprised at Eastern (fine with it, as TPMS was first choice. But well above median in Raven and Reading Comp. 1 below median in writing.) Currently at HGC. Really surprised that it's an outright rejection vs. wait list.

Same situation, except DC really wanted Eastern. At median in Raven, above median in Reading, below median in writing = rejection. I would've thought wait list, so I am curious about whether there was something they didn't like about DC's application, too.
But DC is handling it very well and has moved on to the normal routine of tormenting siblings and thinking about weekend plans.

Application essay may have something to do with it. Had a friend who's kid scored very well on the tests but got waitlisted b/c of the essay. They appealed & got in (this was a few years ago). I thought it was very test driven, but if people aren't even getting waitlisted w/ 2 scores at/above the median, something else must be going on. Like PP, my kid was well above on Raven & RC but 1 below on Writing, but she is in (thankfully). She has a nat'l level achievement in a humanities-related area, so maybe that meant something? Or, maybe Eastern puts less weight on test & looks more at essays? Maybe call them or appeal. Several kids got into both, so slots will open up & (in my lay opinion) 2 scores at/above median seems really good to get in let alone be waitlisted!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Surprised at Eastern (fine with it, as TPMS was first choice. But well above median in Raven and Reading Comp. 1 below median in writing.) Currently at HGC. Really surprised that it's an outright rejection vs. wait list.

Same situation, except DC really wanted Eastern. At median in Raven, above median in Reading, below median in writing = rejection. I would've thought wait list, so I am curious about whether there was something they didn't like about DC's application, too.
But DC is handling it very well and has moved on to the normal routine of tormenting siblings and thinking about weekend plans.

Application essay may have something to do with it. Had a friend who's kid scored very well on the tests but got waitlisted b/c of the essay. They appealed & got in (this was a few years ago). I thought it was very test driven, but if people aren't even getting waitlisted w/ 2 scores at/above the median, something else must be going on. Like PP, my kid was well above on Raven & RC but 1 below on Writing, but she is in (thankfully). She has a nat'l level achievement in a humanities-related area, so maybe that meant something? Or, maybe Eastern puts less weight on test & looks more at essays? Maybe call them or appeal. Several kids got into both, so slots will open up & (in my lay opinion) 2 scores at/above median seems really good to get in let alone be waitlisted!

They must be looking at something other than test scores. My child did well on RC but not well on the other two tests and got accepted.

[Anonymous]

All things being equal - they will choose the candidate with a low performing home middle school over the candidate with a high performing middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All things being equal - they will choose the candidate with a low performing home middle school over the candidate with a high performing middle school.

Why is that?

I've heard that there is a cap per home middle school too.

[Anonymous]

Both schools want representation from all schools of the county. So scores are important, but strong recommendations or wining some competitions can make a difference.
They do not want only W kids in either magnets.
Also their theory that child in good cluster will be find in home school, and child in "troubled" cluster will have very little opportunities.
That make sense. Also they try to balance gender.
As a result, it is much more difficult for boy from W school to get to Takoma then girl from any area. Similar it is not easy for girl from W school to get to Eastern, but many boys get there even when their first choice is Takoma.
If your scores are close to median, it makes sense to appeal. You may also ask MCPS what criteria were used by selecting committee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All things being equal - they will choose the candidate with a low performing home middle school over the candidate with a high performing middle school.

Why is that?

I've heard that there is a cap per home middle school too.

Because you have a good home option. Seems pretty obvious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All things being equal - they will choose the candidate with a low performing home middle school over the candidate with a high performing middle school.

Why is that?

I've heard that there is a cap per home middle school too.

Because you have a good home option. Seems pretty obvious.

We don't have a good home option and my child was accepted. However, I've heard that there is a cap of how many students are admitted from our home ms school and there are many students who apply to the magnets who are rejected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All things being equal - they will choose the candidate with a low performing home middle school over the candidate with a high performing middle school.

Why is that?

I've heard that there is a cap per home middle school too.

Because you have a good home option. Seems pretty obvious.

What is your source for this?

I don't believe the home school plays a factor at all in terms of perceived quality - only in terms of how many kids from each home school they are accepting/rejecting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both schools want representation from all schools of the county. So scores are important, but strong recommendations or wining some competitions can make a difference.
They do not want only W kids in either magnets.
Also their theory that child in good cluster will be find in home school, and child in "troubled" cluster will have very little opportunities.
That make sense. Also they try to balance gender.
As a result, it is much more difficult for boy from W school to get to Takoma then girl from any area. Similar it is not easy for girl from W school to get to Eastern, but many boys get there even when their first choice is Takoma.
If your scores are close to median, it makes sense to appeal. You may also ask MCPS what criteria were used by selecting committee.

I want to see your sources for all of this, because I do not believe you have sources.

Legally speaking, they can only balance for gender where all other things are equal. They cannot and will not take a lower-qualified child of one gender over a higher-qualified child of another gender.