Anonymous wrote:I also was curious to the range when we got the scores last year. This is really the only way the median scores are useful..to compare the different centers. Since you don't have a choice where to apply it should really matter. The number of applicant and seats available are different too so you really can't judge competitiveness.

The utility of knowing the median depends upon how far away from it you are. By definition, the median is the middle point where 50% of the scores are greater and 50% are lower. If you are only a few points away from the median, it would be pretty safe to assume that you are within the range of accepted scores.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are the test scores as important as teacher recommendations? My experience with an application to TPES is that they were pretty much irrelevant in the end, as what the teacher had to say about reading and math level was weighted much more heavily. I understand also that AEI is allowed to include factors such as whether the student is likely to get what they need out of the home school and if they decide you'll be fine at the home school, it doesn't matter how high your scores are. The process is not transparent by design.

TPES is not an HGC and the kids are younger. So, that experience is not relevant.

Actually, it is. TPES and HGC both are magnet programs. They are called differently. The selection philosophy is exactly the same. My DS was denied to a HGC because his home school said they can support him. It is a different matter that he is not being supported and no one (other than his parents) is checking.

Anonymous wrote:Are the test scores as important as teacher recommendations? My experience with an application to TPES is that they were pretty much irrelevant in the end, as what the teacher had to say about reading and math level was weighted much more heavily. I understand also that AEI is allowed to include factors such as whether the student is likely to get what they need out of the home school and if they decide you'll be fine at the home school, it doesn't matter how high your scores are. The process is not transparent by design.

TPES is not an HGC and the kids are younger. So, that experience is not relevant.

Are the test scores as important as teacher recommendations? My experience with an application to TPES is that they were pretty much irrelevant in the end, as what the teacher had to say about reading and math level was weighted much more heavily. I understand also that AEI is allowed to include factors such as whether the student is likely to get what they need out of the home school and if they decide you'll be fine at the home school, it doesn't matter how high your scores are. The process is not transparent by design.

I wonder if anyone with perfect or near perfect scores is denied. Like I wonder what the highest rejected scores are? Not trying to be competitive. I am just a data person so I would find it fascinating to have access to all the scores.

My guess is that they would pick Child A, who as an outlier may have more difficulty getting accommodated in his/her regular school.

I agree the range is more important than the mean and median. But as we did not get it from the MCPS letter, what can we do?

Another question is how to evaluate those scores. Below is an example.

Verbal Quant Nonverbal total
Median 134 131 129 394
Child A 150 126 129 405
Child B 134 132 129 395

Assuming Child A and Child B are from the same consortium, and have all O’s and A’s in their report cards, their recommendations are also similar, who has priority to be selected?

I also was curious to the range when we got the scores last year. This is really the only way the median scores are useful..to compare the different centers. Since you don't have a choice where to apply it should really matter. The number of applicant and seats available are different too so you really can't judge competitiveness.

OK, remember though, that this is the median. I agree that the range is much more important.

I also agree that it's important to get more data. It's interesting to see that the median quant score is so much higher one cluster. It's a good question to
ask why -- is it a difference in instruction? in income level? a quirk of community like a lot of rocket scientist families in the cluster?

I think the more important data is not what is the mean or median, but what is the range? Parents who want to know why their child didn't get in to a magnet are often told their child scored below the mean (or median). But by definition, a significant number of accepted kids must be scoring below the mean/median.

There are many reasons why test scores might skew low for a child.

Anonymous wrote:Why? I mean, it doesn't help those who want to appeal, because each is judge differently depending on the applicant pool and number of seats. Do you want to know if your HGC has the smartest students? Curious to know where the less gifted kids live? nope, not offering up the medians from our HGC. Those scores aren't useful to anyone outside our area, and those inside got them already.

It is actually very important to see what kind of variability exist within MCPS selection. If we can get historical data on this, we will have stronger argument to provide more HGCs/magnet programs and stronger acceleration in elementary schools.

Medians for CCES: Verbal 134, Quant 131, Nonverbal 129

Interesting. I would have thought all the Bethesda types would be on here touting how much higher their median scores were because their kids have been unencumbered by the lower SES types,in the DCC.

Why? I mean, it doesn't help those who want to appeal, because each is judge differently depending on the applicant pool and number of seats. Do you want to know if your HGC has the smartest students? Curious to know where the less gifted kids live? nope, not offering up the medians from our HGC. Those scores aren't useful to anyone outside our area, and those inside got them already.

The amount of applicants and academic level of applicants are different in each consortium. So, selecting criterion for HGC students has to be different based on which consortia they live.

Here is median SAS of selected students for Pin Crest/Oak View center that I got from the letter of MCPS

Verbal: 130
Quantitative: 122
Nonverbal: 126

I hope other parents can post their median SAS score of selected students from the other consortium.