Reply to What is the Test for Highly Gifted Program Like?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
Not the same.   Prepping specifically for an exam is not the same as enriching a child's environment.

It's one thing to have a kid take one practice test to be familiar, but I've heard some parents "prepping" their kids since K with drilling, after school tutoring, and such. [b] That may get the child into HGC, but once there, the child is on his/her own in the class, and may have a hard time keeping up in class.  
[/b]
HGC is specifically for those top 2 - 3%, not the top 10%.  Per MCPS, the program is designed for these types of students:

- Advanced academic performance in multiple content areas.
- Curiosity and motivation to learn.
- High level of commitment, persistence, and independence.
- Eagerness to solve challenging problems or tasks for which the solution is not readily known.
- Ability to generate unique, unconventional ideas or solutions to problems.
- Ability to consider multiple perspectives and apply critical and creative reasoning skills.

To me, I don't think prepping will help the child in class with some of the above.  It comes down to the way a child's brain works.[/quote]

I have NEVER found this to be true.  We know of several families who have prepped their kids with after school tutoring.  All of them are doing just fine.  Maybe they would have gotten in either way, but I'm sure the prepping didn't hurt.  One child we know didn't get into the HGC on her own, so the mom did a tutoring service (not APlus or the other one listed above) and her child was admitted into the Magnet Middle School.

It's fine if you believe that some kids are just 'smarter' and more 'gifted' than others.  I might agree that some super 'gifted' kids might be.  But, really, I think a good number of the smart, hard-working kids would do well at an HGC.  There are just not enough spots.  I think that's where we disagree.  You feel that only some kids deserve to be there, but I think that if a kid is smart 'enough' and willing to do the work to keep up, he/she deserves a spot as well.  And, if prepping gives the kids a small leg up by being familiar with the types of questions, then so be it.  [/quote]

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