How well do Ws+BCC prep for college writing?

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[Post New]06/26/2023 09:19
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Anonymous
How well do Ws+BCC prep for college writing? I'm interested in Whitman and BCC in particular, as that is where I will likely move because of my commuting needs. I suspect both schools do math and science fine. (Those seem to be subjects that schools in general are better able execute well on, and / or students are better able to fill in gaps with workbooks, friends, parental support, etc.)

But what about writing? Feedback on writing assignments, writing labs, etc.

-- I see on BCC's website that it has something called TAP -- Time for Academic Progress every day after school for an hour to get extra support. Is it more for remedial work? ESOL students? Or a "regular" kid needing more feedback on writing? (https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/bcchs/academics/tap/.)

-- I see on Whitman's website that it offers Academic Support, among other things, to get organized, and a Writing Center.

I welcome experience, insights, and feedback. Thank you.
[Post New]06/26/2023 09:33
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Anonymous
They don't teach writing at all and the reason why is because homework only accounts for something like 5% of a grade and it is literally NEVER commented on, just checked that it has been done.
[Post New]06/26/2023 09:44
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Anonymous
Writing is the hardest thing to teach in HS because it is incredibly time consuming.

Probably the best preparation is doing the full IB program at BCC-- they work on an "extended essay" for quite a bit as part of IB.
[Post New]06/26/2023 10:09
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Transplant_1
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Do they get good support, feedback, etc. on the extended essay? I can imagine after barely any support in public middle school and the earlier part of HS, the extended essay would hit them like a ton of bricks.
[Post New]06/26/2023 10:31
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:How well do Ws+BCC prep for college writing? I'm interested in Whitman and BCC in particular, as that is where I will likely move because of my commuting needs. I suspect both schools do math and science fine. (Those seem to be subjects that schools in general are better able execute well on, and / or students are better able to fill in gaps with workbooks, friends, parental support, etc.)

But what about writing? Feedback on writing assignments, writing labs, etc.

-- I see on BCC's website that it has something called TAP -- Time for Academic Progress every day after school for an hour to get extra support. Is it more for remedial work? ESOL students? Or a "regular" kid needing more feedback on writing? (https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/bcchs/academics/tap/.)

-- I see on Whitman's website that it offers Academic Support, among other things, to get organized, and a Writing Center.

I welcome experience, insights, and feedback. Thank you.


It has more to do with which classes you take. If you take honors English at BCC or any MCPS HS it's all about the same.
[Post New]06/26/2023 10:33
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Transplant_1
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Understood, but what then about the external support, eg Whitman's Writing Center or BCC's TAP?
[Post New]06/26/2023 10:45
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Anonymous
Transplant_1 wrote:Do they get good support, feedback, etc. on the extended essay? I can imagine after barely any support in public middle school and the earlier part of HS, the extended essay would hit them like a ton of bricks.


Yes—it was a few years ago for us but as I recall it is an actual class where they talk to them about how to do the research and then the students do an outline, first draft, etc.
[Post New]06/26/2023 18:15
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Anonymous
I think your best bet is IB at BCC.
[Post New]06/26/2023 19:09
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Transplant_1
Member Offline
But, in the end, if IB and extended essay is not the right fit, how is Whitman's Writing Center and BCC's TAP?
[Post New]06/26/2023 20:00
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Transplant_1 wrote:Do they get good support, feedback, etc. on the extended essay? I can imagine after barely any support in public middle school and the earlier part of HS, the extended essay would hit them like a ton of bricks.


Yes—it was a few years ago for us but as I recall it is an actual class where they talk to them about how to do the research and then the students do an outline, first draft, etc.


That's an actual class for the kids who don't take foreign languages.
[Post New]06/27/2023 09:36
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Transplant_1 wrote:Do they get good support, feedback, etc. on the extended essay? I can imagine after barely any support in public middle school and the earlier part of HS, the extended essay would hit them like a ton of bricks.


Yes—it was a few years ago for us but as I recall it is an actual class where they talk to them about how to do the research and then the students do an outline, first draft, etc.


That's an actual class for the kids who don't take foreign languages.


How can they do the IB diploma without foreign languages? If they don’t take a language, they can’t get the IB diploma, so what would be the point of the extended essay?
[Post New]06/27/2023 09:41
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Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Transplant_1 wrote:Do they get good support, feedback, etc. on the extended essay? I can imagine after barely any support in public middle school and the earlier part of HS, the extended essay would hit them like a ton of bricks.


Yes—it was a few years ago for us but as I recall it is an actual class where they talk to them about how to do the research and then the students do an outline, first draft, etc.


That's an actual class for the kids who don't take foreign languages.


I don't think that's right-- my kid definitely had a foreign language.
[Post New]06/27/2023 11:28
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Anonymous
Not sure what that class is but regular kids generally don’t take the academic support classes and those are for kids with Ieps. Get a tutor if writing is a concern. They worked on writing at our ms.
[Post New]06/27/2023 12:23
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Transplant_1
Member Offline
PP here. I'm trying to understand the extent of writing feedback (to prepare for college) provided directly through classes, and if the student needs more help, the extent to which Whitman's Writing Center and / or BCC's TAP provides it -- for "regular" kid, not IEP, nor ESOL, nor "remedial."
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