Anonymous
Post 09/26/2017 10:44     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have only my anecdotal evidence from families I have known at the schools. The kids who went to ER were brighter and more motivated than their peers, but not exceptionally gifted. The kids at Blair are going to invent something or cure a disease some day. Blair had something like 40 National Merit Semifinalists last year. The kids I knew who went to ER were bright, hard working kids. The kids at Blair were off the charts gifted. Even if you moved to Montgomery County, your child would ave to apply to the Blair magnet and compete against extremely bright kids. Your child might be extremely bright too, and get in. But i wouldn't move with the assumption that he or she would get in.


Yah this is complete hyperbole. A small number "off the charts gifted" kids have come through Blair over the years no doubt but that is no where near the normal magnet kid. Most are more harder working and well rounded than super gifted. The average state school honors dorm will far and away exceed the talent pool of any given year's class at most magnet schools including Blair.

Signed
Blair Magnet graduate


Agree with all of this except the well rounded part. Most of the kids are very focused on science and math and all their after school activities like math circle and science bowl that focus on that and they hardly socialize with others in the program on weekends because they all live so far away. I am not exaggerating. I knew only one kid who played a sport but his mother told me she was going to pull him out of Blair because it wasn't a great fit. I'm sure there are some that are well rounded but I met very few.



My DC is graduating from the magnet and I agree with the above. I also agree with a previous poster who said the remaining at some high schools might be a better experience. The Blair magnet isn't what it once was.

You are right. It is BETTER now.


Yes, it is much better for an average student who is well prepped.

Well, they are doing a great job if they can turn average students into scholars.
Anonymous
Post 09/26/2017 10:31     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What did it used to be?


Check out the demographics. It tells the whole story. The OLO report is a good place to start.


Which OLO report?

It's a funny idea, that you can assess the quality of a program by the demographics of the students in the program. Well, "funny" isn't really the right word, but it will do.


Oy! The demographics tell a story. The demographics of high performers in the district vs the demographics at the magnet will tell you who finds it attractive.
Anonymous
Post 09/26/2017 10:26     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What did it used to be?


Check out the demographics. It tells the whole story. The OLO report is a good place to start.


Which OLO report?

It's a funny idea, that you can assess the quality of a program by the demographics of the students in the program. Well, "funny" isn't really the right word, but it will do.
Anonymous
Post 09/26/2017 10:23     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
Anonymous wrote:What did it used to be?


Check out the demographics. It tells the whole story. The OLO report is a good place to start.
Anonymous
Post 09/26/2017 10:21     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have only my anecdotal evidence from families I have known at the schools. The kids who went to ER were brighter and more motivated than their peers, but not exceptionally gifted. The kids at Blair are going to invent something or cure a disease some day. Blair had something like 40 National Merit Semifinalists last year. The kids I knew who went to ER were bright, hard working kids. The kids at Blair were off the charts gifted. Even if you moved to Montgomery County, your child would ave to apply to the Blair magnet and compete against extremely bright kids. Your child might be extremely bright too, and get in. But i wouldn't move with the assumption that he or she would get in.


Yah this is complete hyperbole. A small number "off the charts gifted" kids have come through Blair over the years no doubt but that is no where near the normal magnet kid. Most are more harder working and well rounded than super gifted. The average state school honors dorm will far and away exceed the talent pool of any given year's class at most magnet schools including Blair.

Signed
Blair Magnet graduate


Agree with all of this except the well rounded part. Most of the kids are very focused on science and math and all their after school activities like math circle and science bowl that focus on that and they hardly socialize with others in the program on weekends because they all live so far away. I am not exaggerating. I knew only one kid who played a sport but his mother told me she was going to pull him out of Blair because it wasn't a great fit. I'm sure there are some that are well rounded but I met very few.



My DC is graduating from the magnet and I agree with the above. I also agree with a previous poster who said the remaining at some high schools might be a better experience. The Blair magnet isn't what it once was.

You are right. It is BETTER now.


Yes, it is much better for an average student who is well prepped.
Anonymous
Post 09/26/2017 10:17     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have only my anecdotal evidence from families I have known at the schools. The kids who went to ER were brighter and more motivated than their peers, but not exceptionally gifted. The kids at Blair are going to invent something or cure a disease some day. Blair had something like 40 National Merit Semifinalists last year. The kids I knew who went to ER were bright, hard working kids. The kids at Blair were off the charts gifted. Even if you moved to Montgomery County, your child would ave to apply to the Blair magnet and compete against extremely bright kids. Your child might be extremely bright too, and get in. But i wouldn't move with the assumption that he or she would get in.


Yah this is complete hyperbole. A small number "off the charts gifted" kids have come through Blair over the years no doubt but that is no where near the normal magnet kid. Most are more harder working and well rounded than super gifted. The average state school honors dorm will far and away exceed the talent pool of any given year's class at most magnet schools including Blair.

Signed
Blair Magnet graduate


Agree with all of this except the well rounded part. Most of the kids are very focused on science and math and all their after school activities like math circle and science bowl that focus on that and they hardly socialize with others in the program on weekends because they all live so far away. I am not exaggerating. I knew only one kid who played a sport but his mother told me she was going to pull him out of Blair because it wasn't a great fit. I'm sure there are some that are well rounded but I met very few.



My DC is graduating from the magnet and I agree with the above. I also agree with a previous poster who said the remaining at some high schools might be a better experience. The Blair magnet isn't what it once was.

You are right. It is BETTER now.
Anonymous
Post 09/26/2017 00:46     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
Anonymous wrote:What did it used to be?


A carrot to get white and Asian parents to send their kids to minority schools with the promise of some sheltering to prop up the attendance ratios and test scores to try and stem the tide of further white flight. Ok never mind, it is exactly what it used to be
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 20:37     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
What did it used to be?
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 17:56     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have only my anecdotal evidence from families I have known at the schools. The kids who went to ER were brighter and more motivated than their peers, but not exceptionally gifted. The kids at Blair are going to invent something or cure a disease some day. Blair had something like 40 National Merit Semifinalists last year. The kids I knew who went to ER were bright, hard working kids. The kids at Blair were off the charts gifted. Even if you moved to Montgomery County, your child would ave to apply to the Blair magnet and compete against extremely bright kids. Your child might be extremely bright too, and get in. But i wouldn't move with the assumption that he or she would get in.


Yah this is complete hyperbole. A small number "off the charts gifted" kids have come through Blair over the years no doubt but that is no where near the normal magnet kid. Most are more harder working and well rounded than super gifted. The average state school honors dorm will far and away exceed the talent pool of any given year's class at most magnet schools including Blair.

Signed
Blair Magnet graduate


Agree with all of this except the well rounded part. Most of the kids are very focused on science and math and all their after school activities like math circle and science bowl that focus on that and they hardly socialize with others in the program on weekends because they all live so far away. I am not exaggerating. I knew only one kid who played a sport but his mother told me she was going to pull him out of Blair because it wasn't a great fit. I'm sure there are some that are well rounded but I met very few.


My DC is graduating from the magnet and I agree with the above. I also agree with a previous poster who said the remaining at some high schools might be a better experience. The Blair magnet isn't what it once was.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 16:33     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
Anonymous wrote:The last few posters would be surprised by my child's magnet expeuence. No prep..3 seasons of sports..frequent weekend socialization ..not every weekend but as much as my kid at our local school. Hopefully most readers know that anyone that makes a sweeping generalization is really just talking about their own experience.[/quot

I will also add my child could have gone to rmib but Blair seemed more interesting and less crazed. His life is not totally focused on science.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 15:50     Subject: Re:Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
Haters gonna hate!
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 15:24     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
The last few posters would be surprised by my child's magnet expeuence. No prep..3 seasons of sports..frequent weekend socialization ..not every weekend but as much as my kid at our local school. Hopefully most readers know that anyone that makes a sweeping generalization is really just talking about their own experience.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 15:23     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have only my anecdotal evidence from families I have known at the schools. The kids who went to ER were brighter and more motivated than their peers, but not exceptionally gifted. The kids at Blair are going to invent something or cure a disease some day. Blair had something like 40 National Merit Semifinalists last year. The kids I knew who went to ER were bright, hard working kids. The kids at Blair were off the charts gifted. Even if you moved to Montgomery County, your child would ave to apply to the Blair magnet and compete against extremely bright kids. Your child might be extremely bright too, and get in. But i wouldn't move with the assumption that he or she would get in.


Yah this is complete hyperbole. A small number "off the charts gifted" kids have come through Blair over the years no doubt but that is no where near the normal magnet kid. Most are more harder working and well rounded than super gifted. The average state school honors dorm will far and away exceed the talent pool of any given year's class at most magnet schools including Blair.

Signed
Blair Magnet graduate


Agree with all of this except the well rounded part. Most of the kids are very focused on science and math and all their after school activities like math circle and science bowl that focus on that and they hardly socialize with others in the program on weekends because they all live so far away. I am not exaggerating. I knew only one kid who played a sport but his mother told me she was going to pull him out of Blair because it wasn't a great fit. I'm sure there are some that are well rounded but I met very few.


My child is a Blair SMAC student and is extremely well-rounded. DC plays a sport, plays an instrument, is involved in theater, loves the non-magnet classes, and has a lot of friends outside the magnet.

I agree that DC is the exception and not the rule-in fact, one of the reasons most of DC's friends are from outside the magnet is that the magnet kids are generally not only not well-rounded, but singlemindedly focused on academics.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 15:15     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
What else does Blair have to offer? From my (admittedly dated) experience, ERHS has decent athletics programs, drama clubs, language offerings, etc.

I think a PP had it right in suggesting you look into the quality of schooling if your kid doesn't get into S&T and use that as your base level for comparison.
Anonymous
Post 09/25/2017 15:01     Subject: Stem magnet - Blair vs Eleanor roosevelt
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have only my anecdotal evidence from families I have known at the schools. The kids who went to ER were brighter and more motivated than their peers, but not exceptionally gifted. The kids at Blair are going to invent something or cure a disease some day. Blair had something like 40 National Merit Semifinalists last year. The kids I knew who went to ER were bright, hard working kids. The kids at Blair were off the charts gifted. Even if you moved to Montgomery County, your child would ave to apply to the Blair magnet and compete against extremely bright kids. Your child might be extremely bright too, and get in. But i wouldn't move with the assumption that he or she would get in.


Yah this is complete hyperbole. A small number "off the charts gifted" kids have come through Blair over the years no doubt but that is no where near the normal magnet kid. Most are more harder working and well rounded than super gifted. The average state school honors dorm will far and away exceed the talent pool of any given year's class at most magnet schools including Blair.

Signed
Blair Magnet graduate


Agree with all of this except the well rounded part. Most of the kids are very focused on science and math and all their after school activities like math circle and science bowl that focus on that and they hardly socialize with others in the program on weekends because they all live so far away. I am not exaggerating. I knew only one kid who played a sport but his mother told me she was going to pull him out of Blair because it wasn't a great fit. I'm sure there are some that are well rounded but I met very few.