Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is that right that there is no cohorting in sophomore year for English? I don't think I realized that. My impression is that there aren't a lot of requirements for sophomore year, other than take a bunch of APs, so I'm not sure why that would drive kids out (unless they just are feeling turned off by their AP Gov class).

I have heard that they significantly changed the APEX Bio curriculum this year and made it much, much harder than Honors Bio (although on the transcript it is just reflected as Honors Bio). I don't know if some kids are maybe feeling a little burned by that. I'm a little curious what the average grades in that class are, and how it compares to the regular "honors" Bio.

They expanded the APEX program a LOT a few years ago -- maybe now they are trying to shrink it through an old-school look-to-your-left-look-to-your-right approach.

The best APEX bio teacher retired a couple years ago. APEX bio has always been harder than standard honors, but this may be a growing pains year if they are trying to teach to a test that is a month earlier than end of semester.

Anonymous wrote:Why people stay, compare APEX to whole school:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/r-w/wjhs/uploadedfiles/programs/apex/profile-letter-apex-2023-2024-1.pdf

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/r-w/wjhs/uploadedfiles/counseling/wj-profile-2023--2024.pdf

Anonymous wrote:Is that right that there is no cohorting in sophomore year for English? I don't think I realized that. My impression is that there aren't a lot of requirements for sophomore year, other than take a bunch of APs, so I'm not sure why that would drive kids out (unless they just are feeling turned off by their AP Gov class).

I have heard that they significantly changed the APEX Bio curriculum this year and made it much, much harder than Honors Bio (although on the transcript it is just reflected as Honors Bio). I don't know if some kids are maybe feeling a little burned by that. I'm a little curious what the average grades in that class are, and how it compares to the regular "honors" Bio.

They expanded the APEX program a LOT a few years ago -- maybe now they are trying to shrink it through an old-school look-to-your-left-look-to-your-right approach.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD is a freshman in the APEX program at Walter Johnson. She reports that a lot of kids are dropping out of the program. Does anyone know why this is happening?

So many here who don't know their WJ history.

Because APEX used to be a test-in program with 58 students accepted. Then it was a test-in program with an increased acceptance rate of 78 (in theory because there were so many more students they had to increase the program). Then, like so many participation trophies for all, they got rid of the cohorts (which is what made the program valuable and worthwhile), and made it open to anyone with a GPA of 3.5 in MS. Let's face it, that is the vast majority of students. And that was the undoing of the program. Too many who had no business being there in the first place

Yes we know. But the new reality is what our kids are living in not the history. So we are commenting on current experience.

To be clear, WJ teachers are really good. But I think they are good whether they teach an APEX class or not.

The question was why are so many dropping out, and the answer is because they never should have been there in the first place. The above explains why

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD is a freshman in the APEX program at Walter Johnson. She reports that a lot of kids are dropping out of the program. Does anyone know why this is happening?

So many here who don't know their WJ history.

Because APEX used to be a test-in program with 58 students accepted. Then it was a test-in program with an increased acceptance rate of 78 (in theory because there were so many more students they had to increase the program). Then, like so many participation trophies for all, they got rid of the cohorts (which is what made the program valuable and worthwhile), and made it open to anyone with a GPA of 3.5 in MS. Let's face it, that is the vast majority of students. And that was the undoing of the program. Too many who had no business being there in the first place

Yes we know. But the new reality is what our kids are living in not the history. So we are commenting on current experience.

To be clear, WJ teachers are really good. But I think they are good whether they teach an APEX class or not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No value to the program.

I’ve said this since 2017. WJ and parents acted like it was a prestigious program, but 9th graders elsewhere are managing AP courses without cohorting and a study hall essentially.

What study hall?

There is no study hall

There used to be an extra period attached to APUSH. I can’t recall what it was called. It was essentially a study hall or what we used to call a discussion section.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No value to the program.

I’ve said this since 2017. WJ and parents acted like it was a prestigious program, but 9th graders elsewhere are managing AP courses without cohorting and a study hall essentially.

What study hall?

There is no study hall

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD is a freshman in the APEX program at Walter Johnson. She reports that a lot of kids are dropping out of the program. Does anyone know why this is happening?

So many here who don't know their WJ history.

Because APEX used to be a test-in program with 58 students accepted. Then it was a test-in program with an increased acceptance rate of 78 (in theory because there were so many more students they had to increase the program). Then, like so many participation trophies for all, they got rid of the cohorts (which is what made the program valuable and worthwhile), and made it open to anyone with a GPA of 3.5 in MS. Let's face it, that is the vast majority of students. And that was the undoing of the program. Too many who had no business being there in the first place

Anonymous wrote:My DD is a freshman in the APEX program at Walter Johnson. She reports that a lot of kids are dropping out of the program. Does anyone know why this is happening?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No value to the program.

I’ve said this since 2017. WJ and parents acted like it was a prestigious program, but 9th graders elsewhere are managing AP courses without cohorting and a study hall essentially.

There is no study hall - at least not for my kid. DC perhaps could have "managed" without a cohort - but he benefitted immensely from cohort - in MS didn't really care about grades, but put with high-achieving kids that care - DC upped their game. DC will have completed 10 AP Courses before Senior year (and will take a handful more in senior year)- and has already received 2 5s and 2 3s on AP Exams in Freshman and Sophomore year - which, while not perfect, is still quite good for a kid that never studies and is a testament to the level of teaching in the APEX program. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who has a kid that can achieve at that level but might need a little peer pressure to do so.

Anonymous wrote:There are still cohorts in Sophomore year. By the time you get to junior year, however, it's whatever AP classes you are in - so will likely be a mix of APEX and non.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No value to the program.

I’ve said this since 2017. WJ and parents acted like it was a prestigious program, but 9th graders elsewhere are managing AP courses without cohorting and a study hall essentially.

What study hall?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's always attrition freshman year. The barriers to entry are not much (basically have above a certain GPA in MS) but the classes are more demanding than regular honors, and there are required AP classes starting in 9th - which are also harder than regular honors. So those that would rather get easier As in honors classes rather vs work a little harder in AP/APEX drop out. Also, there are those for whom the schedule doesn't work due to band/Varsity sports/other EC commitments without serious shuffling, which may not seem worth the effort.

How does it interfere with sports and EC commitments? I hadn’t heard this.