OP here - thanks to you both. I hear it is competitive and my child may not make the cut. For some reason it seems more equitable to know that you missed it based on merit then to have the credentials but have bad luck in a lottery.

It's pure merit, like the Takoma Middle School magnet. Kids submit an application with essays, send in transcripts and teacher recs, and take a test in December. There are large wait pools at both schools. Kids are not picked for acceptance or out of the wait pool randomly, but by merit.

To my knowledge there is no lottery component, only some kind of merit evaluation. More info at http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/curriculum/specialprograms/middle/MSMagnetBrochureEastern.pdf

I see that the Humanities Magnet Program requires an application. Is there also a lottery component similar to the Takoma elementary school magnet due to the number of qualified applicants or is it pure merit?