High expectation and no stress-- which high school in mcps is best ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If kids can't handle HS stress, how will they handle college stress? It will be much more stressful than HS.

College classes are a few hours a day. It is a piece of cake compared to 7-8hrs of school and 3-4 hours of HW

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the same poster from a few pages back who said my "W" school sophomore was ok with the stress level.

I'm responding now to the point about intense academics v. everything else that kids need/want to do. I agree with the point that it's crazy and counterproductive to expect kids to do absolutely everything to the highest level. You need to set your priorities, in consultation with your kid. My kid knows I care most about his school work. He does other stuff, but when it's crunch time he knows that he is going to half ass his way through non school work commitments and he has my blessing to do that. He even has my blessing to half ass his way through school assignments in classes where he can afford to get a less than great grade at that moment.

I don't think high school is too early to figure out how to prioritize your obligations. And part of our job as parents is to help our kids figure out how to make those calculations.

This is really the issue. Families need to discuss with what is most important to them. For some, it is academics, so the three sports a year is crazy. For others, the most important thing is sports, so three sports is what they want, but they should't expect their children to be in 4 APS. Also, we have to keep in mind, some children don't struggle with 4 APs (or whatever), while for others the coursework is almost impossible. The problem really is posters like the PP above who wants her/his children to play 3 sports and take the most challenging classes- when clearly it is too much stress for both her/his child and him/her. You have to know your child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If kids can't handle HS stress, how will they handle college stress? It will be much more stressful than HS.

They can handle normal HS stress and are successful in college. That is why people are looking for normal HSs.

They just don't plan to make it crazy stressful with 4-5 APS, 5 ECs and 5 hours of sleep.

not b/c of school work, but b/c all other "stuff" they do - games, FB, texting, surfing...etc.

Really? You see 4-5APs and 5 EC's and all you can think that is making their life too stressful is FB and texting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If kids can't handle HS stress, how will they handle college stress? It will be much more stressful than HS.

College classes are a few hours a day. It is a piece of cake compared to 7-8hrs of school and 3-4 hours of HW

I think this is a misleading and somewhat careless statement. College is a different ballgame. You can't compare it with HS classes. My DC who is a graduate of MCPS magnet finds college classes very difficult - yes, it's only a few hours a day but the amount of work you have to do out of class can be overwhelming depending on your major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If kids can't handle HS stress, how will they handle college stress? It will be much more stressful than HS.

College classes are a few hours a day. It is a piece of cake compared to 7-8hrs of school and 3-4 hours of HW

I think this is a misleading and somewhat careless statement. College is a different ballgame. You can't compare it with HS classes. My DC who is a graduate of MCPS magnet finds college classes very difficult - yes, it's only a few hours a day but the amount of work you have to do out of class can be overwhelming depending on your major.

I disagree. Most kids find college easier when they have a very stressful HS experience. You should check why your daughter is having a problem in college. Maybe it is a social skills issue, not use to being away without her parents help.

When she was home did she clean, cook, do laundry, socialize, voluntter etc. If not you probably crippled her thinking 5APs and test prep were more important than living life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If kids can't handle HS stress, how will they handle college stress? It will be much more stressful than HS.

College classes are a few hours a day. It is a piece of cake compared to 7-8hrs of school and 3-4 hours of HW

I think this is a misleading and somewhat careless statement. College is a different ballgame. You can't compare it with HS classes. My DC who is a graduate of MCPS magnet finds college classes very difficult - yes, it's only a few hours a day but the amount of work you have to do out of class can be overwhelming depending on your major.

I disagree. Most kids find college easier when they have a very stressful HS experience. You should check why your daughter is having a problem in college. Maybe it is a social skills issue, not use to being away without her parents help.

When she was home did she clean, cook, do laundry, socialize, voluntter etc. If not you probably crippled her thinking 5APs and test prep were more important than living life.

Not in my experience. College demands way more than high school. Maybe the RMIB or TJ is more demanding than some colleges, a tough major in college is a lot harder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If kids can't handle HS stress, how will they handle college stress? It will be much more stressful than HS.

College classes are a few hours a day. It is a piece of cake compared to 7-8hrs of school and 3-4 hours of HW

I agree, I found my college schedule to be much easier than what I had in high school. I'll be honest and say graduate school (where I also worked FT) was easier to manage as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If kids can't handle HS stress, how will they handle college stress? It will be much more stressful than HS.

College classes are a few hours a day. It is a piece of cake compared to 7-8hrs of school and 3-4 hours of HW

I think this is a misleading and somewhat careless statement. College is a different ballgame. You can't compare it with HS classes. My DC who is a graduate of MCPS magnet finds college classes very difficult - yes, it's only a few hours a day but the amount of work you have to do out of class can be overwhelming depending on your major.

I disagree. Most kids find college easier when they have a very stressful HS experience. You should check why your daughter is having a problem in college. Maybe it is a social skills issue, not use to being away without her parents help.

When she was home did she clean, cook, do laundry, socialize, voluntter etc. If not you probably crippled her thinking 5APs and test prep were more important than living life.

Not in my experience. College demands way more than high school. Maybe the RMIB or TJ is more demanding than some colleges, a tough major in college is a lot harder.

1510 here - my kid came out of one of two magnets you mentioned with literally perfect test scores, close to 4.0/4.8 GPA. College is easy if you are aiming for a B-average. It's a different story if you are aiming for 4.0 GPA. It is so much harder than HS even the magnet program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If kids can't handle HS stress, how will they handle college stress? It will be much more stressful than HS.

College classes are a few hours a day. It is a piece of cake compared to 7-8hrs of school and 3-4 hours of HW

I think this is a misleading and somewhat careless statement. College is a different ballgame. You can't compare it with HS classes. My DC who is a graduate of MCPS magnet finds college classes very difficult - yes, it's only a few hours a day but the amount of work you have to do out of class can be overwhelming depending on your major.

I disagree. Most kids find college easier when they have a very stressful HS experience. You should check why your daughter is having a problem in college. Maybe it is a social skills issue, not use to being away without her parents help.

When she was home did she clean, cook, do laundry, socialize, voluntter etc. If not you probably crippled her thinking 5APs and test prep were more important than living life.

I am guessing your DC is a directional college student?

[Anonymous]

It is pretty impossible to compare HS to College, so much is school dependent. If your DC is in a school where the majority of lower level courses are taught by adjuncts with Masters from mediocre schools and the testing is all closed-choice questions - yes, your child will probably find it easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is pretty impossible to compare HS to College, so much is school dependent. If your DC is in a school where the majority of lower level courses are taught by adjuncts with Masters from mediocre schools and the testing is all closed-choice questions - yes, your child will probably find it easier.

+1. Agree. Also depends on major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If kids can't handle HS stress, how will they handle college stress? It will be much more stressful than HS.

College classes are a few hours a day. It is a piece of cake compared to 7-8hrs of school and 3-4 hours of HW

I think this is a misleading and somewhat careless statement. College is a different ballgame. You can't compare it with HS classes. My DC who is a graduate of MCPS magnet finds college classes very difficult - yes, it's only a few hours a day but the amount of work you have to do out of class can be overwhelming depending on your major.

Maybe it is to some. Mine moved to a local private in 9th and she is a college sophomore and has found it extremely easy in college. All those term papers, HAARKS, speeches, midterms and final exams. 100% ready and getting higher grades. I would think magnets are no different. The one thing she has found from non-magnet/college prep schools are most kids do not know how to write papers. This concerns me as my middle kid is going magnet next year. We shall see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the same poster from a few pages back who said my "W" school sophomore was ok with the stress level.

I'm responding now to the point about intense academics v. everything else that kids need/want to do. I agree with the point that it's crazy and counterproductive to expect kids to do absolutely everything to the highest level. You need to set your priorities, in consultation with your kid. My kid knows I care most about his school work. He does other stuff, but when it's crunch time he knows that he is going to half ass his way through non school work commitments and he has my blessing to do that. He even has my blessing to half ass his way through school assignments in classes where he can afford to get a less than great grade at that moment.

I don't think high school is too early to figure out how to prioritize your obligations. And part of our job as parents is to help our kids figure out how to make those calculations.

So if your child grew up playing soccer and baseball and wanted to play on the high school teams, what would you say? Would you say he still has to take high caliber classes first because academics comes first? You can't really half ass sports or theater. Rehearsals and practices are mandatory or you are off the team/production. So do you tell your child that they can't do the activities to take the highest classes you want him to take? What if he said he only wanted to take 1 AP course instead of 3 so he can play the sports and not feel overwhelmed. Would you let him? My guess is no. So instead the poor kid has to take the classes YOU want him to take to play the sports HE wants to play. And that equates to stress, sleep deprivation, and an internal hatred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the same poster from a few pages back who said my "W" school sophomore was ok with the stress level.

I'm responding now to the point about intense academics v. everything else that kids need/want to do. I agree with the point that it's crazy and counterproductive to expect kids to do absolutely everything to the highest level. You need to set your priorities, in consultation with your kid. My kid knows I care most about his school work. He does other stuff, but when it's crunch time he knows that he is going to half ass his way through non school work commitments and he has my blessing to do that. He even has my blessing to half ass his way through school assignments in classes where he can afford to get a less than great grade at that moment.

I don't think high school is too early to figure out how to prioritize your obligations. And part of our job as parents is to help our kids figure out how to make those calculations.

So if your child grew up playing soccer and baseball and wanted to play on the high school teams, what would you say? Would you say he still has to take high caliber classes first because academics comes first? You can't really half ass sports or theater. Rehearsals and practices are mandatory or you are off the team/production. So do you tell your child that they can't do the activities to take the highest classes you want him to take? What if he said he only wanted to take 1 AP course instead of 3 so he can play the sports and not feel overwhelmed. Would you let him? My guess is no. So instead the poor kid has to take the classes YOU want him to take to play the sports HE wants to play. And that equates to stress, sleep deprivation, and an internal hatred.

My kid neither wanted to, nor was talented enough, to play high school sports. So we didn't have to have that conversation. But we've had other conversations about things he's wanted to do. Fortunately for me, he WANTS to take the AP classes, largely enjoys them, and hasn't hit irreconcilable conflicts between school work and other interests (yet). We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Again, fortunately for me and my kid, we have a relationship in which he knows that he can express his needs and desires and that his parents will listen to him. We are a team -- I don't dangle the stuff he wants in life over his head and insist that he do my bidding.

Meanwhile, though, you've done a pretty thorough job of projecting your own issues and suppositions on to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:how about Rachel Carson > Lakelands MS > Quince Orchard HS?

I would also add

Diamond/Thurgood Marshall/Jones Lane > Ridgeview MS > Qunice Orchard HS (You avoid overcrowded Lakelands. The principal at RMS won MD principal of the year and you can see how it all trickles down to staff and students. We are not in HS yet but my children are doing very well at Diamond/Ridgeview. My eldest in Ridgeview is very into music and the band teacher seems extremely dedicated to the students.)