I would focus on SMCS. The essay won't matter much for VAC and RMIB is not specialized so it does not matter what your child says for that one either.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The essays are a few paragraphs each and no big deal.

I know, I'm worried that in a few paragraphs it's going to be hard to convince people that he is both all about art and all about STEM, oh and also well rounded.

Write with RM in mind (well-rounded) the other two programs are a subset of the academic interest.

RM is definitely his last choice though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid who wants to apply to SMCS and RMIB and the Visual Arts program at Einstein.

Is it all one essay? I feel like he would write 3 very different essays for those 3 programs.

I think being interested in STEAM makes it easy. VAC will require an interview and portfolio so the essay matters less. Good luck to your child, OP.

Who put Art in Sci, Tech, Eng, and Math? Makes no sense. Might as well just call STEAM "school". Now get off my lawn!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The essays are a few paragraphs each and no big deal.

I know, I'm worried that in a few paragraphs it's going to be hard to convince people that he is both all about art and all about STEM, oh and also well rounded.

Write with RM in mind (well-rounded) the other two programs are a subset of the academic interest.

They care about scores, grades and the essay in that order.

Also it's still not a lottery, PP.

What I remember was that there was multiple essays. My kid applied to Poolesville SMCS, Global Ecology, Poolesville Humanities and RMIB and got into all of them. These were the years before lottery and admission was based on merit.

After your performance in the application exam and your performance at school, essays were the third thing that was evaluated.

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid who wants to apply to SMCS and RMIB and the Visual Arts program at Einstein.

Is it all one essay? I feel like he would write 3 very different essays for those 3 programs.

I think being interested in STEAM makes it easy. VAC will require an interview and portfolio so the essay matters less. Good luck to your child, OP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The essays are a few paragraphs each and no big deal.

I know, I'm worried that in a few paragraphs it's going to be hard to convince people that he is both all about art and all about STEM, oh and also well rounded.

I hardly doubt they care much about the essays like others say. We did meh essays and kid got waitlisted (kid didn't want to go but I wanted to apply).

They absolutely care about the essays - many cases it’s the only way to differentiate.

It is hard to make the essay work for multiple different programs. My kid had the same concerns and managed to work it out and got offered SMCS, RM IB, Blair CAP and Wheaton engineering - all pretty different programs.

Where is your child going?

I think it's MOSTLY based on grades/scores. They do not care about the essays too much for most of the admits but maybe if your child is at the bottom of the pool.

DC's good friend barely spent any time on their essay. They were working on it together right before the deadline so DC knows and that friend got in to all the programs you named too. DC who spent a lot more time on their essay but had lower scores did not get in to all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The essays are a few paragraphs each and no big deal.

I know, I'm worried that in a few paragraphs it's going to be hard to convince people that he is both all about art and all about STEM, oh and also well rounded.

I hardly doubt they care much about the essays like others say. We did meh essays and kid got waitlisted (kid didn't want to go but I wanted to apply).

They absolutely care about the essays - many cases it’s the only way to differentiate.

It is hard to make the essay work for multiple different programs. My kid had the same concerns and managed to work it out and got offered SMCS, RM IB, Blair CAP and Wheaton engineering - all pretty different programs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The essays are a few paragraphs each and no big deal.

I know, I'm worried that in a few paragraphs it's going to be hard to convince people that he is both all about art and all about STEM, oh and also well rounded.

I hardly doubt they care much about the essays like others say. We did meh essays and kid got waitlisted (kid didn't want to go but I wanted to apply).

Anonymous wrote:The essays are a few paragraphs each and no big deal.

I know, I'm worried that in a few paragraphs it's going to be hard to convince people that he is both all about art and all about STEM, oh and also well rounded.

The essays are a few paragraphs each and no big deal.

Yes, it was one essay. Writing to audiences at different magnets was a challenge for my son who was looking at SMCS and RMIB. It worked out for him though.

I have a kid who wants to apply to SMCS and RMIB and the Visual Arts program at Einstein.

Is it all one essay? I feel like he would write 3 very different essays for those 3 programs.