Anonymous
Post 02/12/2016 09:27     Subject: Re:Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have similar situation. My child wants to be egineer, but prefers Ecology program in Poolesville over SMAC...


PHS GE is an excellent fun program - a lot of field trips. SMAC is more difficult program though and SMAC kids score higher (generally speaking) on standardized tests.


Well I am afraid with opposite results. My child always scores very high on Standardized test, I am more worried about eventual GPA.
Child has tendency to end up with High Bs or low As due to laziness, and spending too much time with fantasy books...


your DC will have to address that issue as soon as possible. DC won't do well in either program... particularly SMAC.
Anonymous
Post 02/12/2016 08:15     Subject: Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
The best engineering schools look for well-rounded, problem-solving kids. As long as your child gets through AP physics and (hopefully) MV he/she will well positioned to do well in an engineering major.
Anonymous
Post 02/12/2016 08:11     Subject: Re:Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
Anonymous wrote:My DC had a similar situation and chose CAP, seems to be working out. I think an important consideration, is for an Engineering major, HS is nearly the end of the line for humanities, so it's good to take advantage of the best available, while no matter how advanced the math and science is in HS, there will be better in college. I was a science major and still remember my HS English as amazing while all my math/science teachers were dwarfed by later work. Especially in a situation like Blair, where taking quality math/science is available every year, a focus on humanities in HS may actually be better prep for a science degree. Only caveat, there are a fair share of math/science haters in CAP and some rivalry between the programs, so your DC might need to hold their head up through that.


+100

Explore and be creative now. Learn about the world and your SELF through humanities. Focus later on a practical degree.
Anonymous
Post 02/12/2016 08:03     Subject: Re:Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
Another thing to consider is the level of instruction in the humanities and social studies in Blair HS.
The SMAC program is head and shoulders above anything your child would get in any other high school in Mont. County.
CAP might be better than the regular high school experience in Blair but I am not sure that is a good enough reason to pick it over SMAC. Your SMAC kid will get to take a lot of AP classes in history, english etc. and will probably get the same educational experience he or she would get in any good Mont. County high school in the humanities and social studies.
Anonymous
Post 02/12/2016 07:11     Subject: Re:Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
Anonymous wrote:My DC had a similar situation and chose CAP, seems to be working out. I think an important consideration, is for an Engineering major, HS is nearly the end of the line for humanities, so it's good to take advantage of the best available, while no matter how advanced the math and science is in HS, there will be better in college. I was a science major and still remember my HS English as amazing while all my math/science teachers were dwarfed by later work. Especially in a situation like Blair, where taking quality math/science is available every year, a focus on humanities in HS may actually be better prep for a science degree. Only caveat, there are a fair share of math/science haters in CAP and some rivalry between the programs, so your DC might need to hold their head up through that.



DH is an engineer who writes very well and is extremely well-read. It has been great for him in his career. Being well rounded definitely sets you apart.
Anonymous
Post 02/12/2016 06:48     Subject: Re:Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
My DC had a similar situation and chose CAP, seems to be working out. I think an important consideration, is for an Engineering major, HS is nearly the end of the line for humanities, so it's good to take advantage of the best available, while no matter how advanced the math and science is in HS, there will be better in college. I was a science major and still remember my HS English as amazing while all my math/science teachers were dwarfed by later work. Especially in a situation like Blair, where taking quality math/science is available every year, a focus on humanities in HS may actually be better prep for a science degree. Only caveat, there are a fair share of math/science haters in CAP and some rivalry between the programs, so your DC might need to hold their head up through that.
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2016 23:11     Subject: Re:Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have similar situation. My child wants to be egineer, but prefers Ecology program in Poolesville over SMAC...


PHS GE is an excellent fun program - a lot of field trips. SMAC is more difficult program though and SMAC kids score higher (generally speaking) on standardized tests.


Well I am afraid with opposite results. My child always scores very high on Standardized test, I am more worried about eventual GPA.
Child has tendency to end up with High Bs or low As due to laziness, and spending too much time with fantasy books...
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2016 23:03     Subject: Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
I had a friend at Princeton who was the very top-ranked Computer Science major in his graduating class (this was told to me by other Comp. Sci. majors, not by him). He was a graduate of an IB program, which I'm told is very humanities-heavy. He was the most normal, well-read, interesting Computer Science major I've ever met.
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2016 22:35     Subject: Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
OP again that was meant to be a silly emoji not a question mark. Sorry!
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2016 22:34     Subject: Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
Thanks this is helpful. To the PP, thank you for that example -- though I can't afford Ivy anyhow ?
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2016 22:13     Subject: Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
Have a neighbor who graduated from CAP and went to an Ivy to major in chemistry. I've heard that he had a great experience and ability to do high-level science/math.
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2016 21:22     Subject: Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
DS is a science kid but attends CAP. He's taking AP level science and math and next year will take a class with the magnet kids.

CAP has a lot of requirements so he might need to wait a year or two but he will be able to access all that magnet stuff
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2016 20:15     Subject: Re:Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
Anonymous wrote:I have similar situation. My child wants to be egineer, but prefers Ecology program in Poolesville over SMAC...


PHS GE is an excellent fun program - a lot of field trips. SMAC is more difficult program though and SMAC kids score higher (generally speaking) on standardized tests.
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2016 20:12     Subject: Re:Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
I have similar situation. My child wants to be egineer, but prefers Ecology program in Poolesville over SMAC...
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2016 16:09     Subject: Got into both CAP and Blair Magnet, but...
DC got into both CAP and Blair Math and Science Magnet. Wants to major in engineering in college, but would rather do the CAP program because it sounds like more fun. Which is fine with me; I'm told you can still take math/science magnet classes if you qualify.
However. I'd like to hear others' experiences. For anyone with a science-geared kid who did CAP in high school, how did that affect how well your child did applying for college with a science major, and then how well your child did in college?