Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We are probably going to end up suggesting ds take this path from magnet MS - UMD for undergrad to save money for grad school. How has it worked out for your kids and their peers?

it is working out well for our two kids - both received full ride scholarships from umd. DC1 is getting his engineering phd (fully funded) @ "top 5" engineering school and DC2 wants to go to med school so we are saving 529 money for that purpose. DC2 will be able to come out of med school without debt/loan. i am 100% sure they couldn't do it without mcps magnet programs.

so, yeah, it's fine. kids always have to deal with "you worked that hard for umd?" or "you settled with umd?" comments but other than that it's all good. coming out of umd with high gpa is much harder than people think.

What makes you certain that they couldn't do it without MCPS magnet programs? You don't think they could have achieved the scholarships at UMD if they went to a non-magnet high school? I'm not being snarky -- it's a great thing they've accomplished. I just don't understand why they needed a magnet program to do it.

I don't want to side-track this thread with my kids' story but I will answer your question. It is one family's experience - nothing more, nothing less. I believe in order to produce successful kids you need three factors - 1) kid who wants to try and do well; 2) school/program that provides challenges and support; and 3) the family that makes kid's education #1 priority. You need to have all three working together. It is a huge commitment from all involved - student/teaching staff/parents. Again, for my kids, the magnet program really pushed/encouraged them to go extra mile - day after day for 4 years. I really doubt they could have attained the same results from the home school. Maybe your kid can but not mine. Also, keep in mind, full ride at UMD is given to top ~1% of incoming applicants. Accomplishments of top 1% of applicant vs. top 2-3% is very small but, nevertheless, it's big enough for one kid getting full ride vs. second one getting significantly smaller scholarship. You will find out in a few years that the college app process is tough, getting merit money out of school is tougher, and getting significant money (full tuition or full ride) is very very very difficult. The magnet programs - whether you support it or not - provides that extra edge for certain high performing kids.

Thanks. I'm glad it worked out so well for you. I do wonder what about the home school makes you think it wouldn't have provided challenge and support. Do you think the teachers are better at the magnet? Or the magnet school just has higher expectations of the students? Do you think that's true even if the kids at the home school are in AP classes?
I'm not doubting your experience. I'm trying to get at whether your view on this is specific to *your* home school rather than all non-magnet high schools.

I am not going to say magnet teachers are "better" than non-magnet teachers but I think magnet kids make their job easier so they can focus on what they are hired to do - teach. Expectations are higher as well as the depth of materials covered, no doubt. Even for AP classes. Many of kids friends from magnet MS went back to their home HS all over the county. Many of them fizzled out in HS/college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What makes you certain that they couldn't do it without MCPS magnet programs? You don't think they could have achieved the scholarships at UMD if they went to a non-magnet high school? I'm not being snarky -- it's a great thing they've accomplished. I just don't understand why they needed a magnet program to do it.

I don't understand why they needed any school at all to do it! It's not like there's no such thing as homeschooling and self-study.

But maybe they benefited from the magnet...?

Not sure why you're upset by this question and feel the need to be sarcastic. But I'll try asking it a different way: what do you think the magnet gave them that enabled them to accomplish this that they would not have found at another MCPS high school? I'm not doubting that the magnet is great, nor do I have any anti-magnet agenda. I'm asking because my kids aren't yet at high school age and we are zoned for BCC. I would think that if my kids are motivated and capable, they can take the IB or AP classes offered and achieve the same thing. If I'm wrong about that, I'd like to learn what I'm missing. Is it a peer group difference? Course offerings that aren't available at other high schools?

In the case of RMIB - the IB curriculum might be similar to what your kids would get at BCC in the diploma program but the peer group is different. RMIB admits 120 kids out of the 1000 students who apply from 24 area high schools. Blair SMAC is equally selective so the cohort is made up of equally high achieving students. In addition the curriculum is unique. Students get through the high school Math and Science curriculum (roughly through the AP level) by the end of 10th grade and spend 11th and 12th grade taking electives in the Math/Science subjects they are interested in. So 11th and 12th grade the Math and Science curriculum is beyond anything you see at any high school in MCPS. Both RMIB and Blair SMAC are very demanding programs and IMHO only worth considering for students who are either passionate about one or more of the subject areas or students who need the stimulation of a being with students like them or who would be bored in a less rigorous program. It is not everybody's cup of tea which is why you see so many parents on here trying to learn more about these programs. It is a big commitment of time and energy and your child needs to be sure.

Thanks! That's helpful. I looked at the math department offerings of BCC and Blair (just to see) and it seems like you can definitely do AP Calc B/C in 11th at BCC, and then maybe take AP Statistics after that, but I don't see Linear Algebra as an offering, which Blair does have. I wonder if you were at BCC and wanted to do it, if they'd let you do it elsewhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What makes you certain that they couldn't do it without MCPS magnet programs? You don't think they could have achieved the scholarships at UMD if they went to a non-magnet high school? I'm not being snarky -- it's a great thing they've accomplished. I just don't understand why they needed a magnet program to do it.

I don't understand why they needed any school at all to do it! It's not like there's no such thing as homeschooling and self-study.

But maybe they benefited from the magnet...?

Not sure why you're upset by this question and feel the need to be sarcastic. But I'll try asking it a different way: what do you think the magnet gave them that enabled them to accomplish this that they would not have found at another MCPS high school? I'm not doubting that the magnet is great, nor do I have any anti-magnet agenda. I'm asking because my kids aren't yet at high school age and we are zoned for BCC. I would think that if my kids are motivated and capable, they can take the IB or AP classes offered and achieve the same thing. If I'm wrong about that, I'd like to learn what I'm missing. Is it a peer group difference? Course offerings that aren't available at other high schools?

In the case of RMIB - the IB curriculum might be similar to what your kids would get at BCC in the diploma program but the peer group is different. RMIB admits 120 kids out of the 1000 students who apply from 24 area high schools. Blair SMAC is equally selective so the cohort is made up of equally high achieving students. In addition the curriculum is unique. Students get through the high school Math and Science curriculum (roughly through the AP level) by the end of 10th grade and spend 11th and 12th grade taking electives in the Math/Science subjects they are interested in. So 11th and 12th grade the Math and Science curriculum is beyond anything you see at any high school in MCPS. Both RMIB and Blair SMAC are very demanding programs and IMHO only worth considering for students who are either passionate about one or more of the subject areas or students who need the stimulation of a being with students like them or who would be bored in a less rigorous program. It is not everybody's cup of tea which is why you see so many parents on here trying to learn more about these programs. It is a big commitment of time and energy and your child needs to be sure.

The way I read MCPS's report, they are looking to increase applications from qualified minorities. Not sure what all the white "reverse racism" comments are about.

While not necessarily addressed in the report in length, I am definitely in favor of expanding the acceptance criteria to make it more inclusive for minorities of color. I find the argument that doing so would be "dumbing down" the program to be offensive. POC live a different reality than whites (or even ethnic whites, like me). I didn't believe this before I started teaching. Now I am fierce supporter of such ideas.

There are so many smart, qualified minorities who should be in gifted programs, but aren't. The reasons are plentiful, but IMO they are mostly rooted in systemic and structural societal factors that are very hard to solve in our current environment. From my personal experience, I have found that many black and brown kids, particularly those from low income families, have low self esteem as it relates to academics, and actually do not believe enough in themselves to think they can compete. I have found parents to be very engaged to the degree that can be, but they do not know how to navigate "the system" that is public education or how to best position to their kid to succeed. I have also witnessed countless times, at different levels of schooling, how certain teachers will have lower expectations for young black kids. Especially boys.

People make it seem like we are all born and start the race of life at the same starting line. We don't. And its not even just about SES. Across the board from education to the legal system, POC are treated unequal. I cannot begin to understand how this impacts communities of color, but I do know that they are clearly at a disadvantage in this country from birth. I have no problems with trying to help level the playing field.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We are probably going to end up suggesting ds take this path from magnet MS - UMD for undergrad to save money for grad school. How has it worked out for your kids and their peers?

it is working out well for our two kids - both received full ride scholarships from umd. DC1 is getting his engineering phd (fully funded) @ "top 5" engineering school and DC2 wants to go to med school so we are saving 529 money for that purpose. DC2 will be able to come out of med school without debt/loan. i am 100% sure they couldn't do it without mcps magnet programs.

so, yeah, it's fine. kids always have to deal with "you worked that hard for umd?" or "you settled with umd?" comments but other than that it's all good. coming out of umd with high gpa is much harder than people think.

What makes you certain that they couldn't do it without MCPS magnet programs? You don't think they could have achieved the scholarships at UMD if they went to a non-magnet high school? I'm not being snarky -- it's a great thing they've accomplished. I just don't understand why they needed a magnet program to do it.

I don't want to side-track this thread with my kids' story but I will answer your question. It is one family's experience - nothing more, nothing less. I believe in order to produce successful kids you need three factors - 1) kid who wants to try and do well; 2) school/program that provides challenges and support; and 3) the family that makes kid's education #1 priority. You need to have all three working together. It is a huge commitment from all involved - student/teaching staff/parents. Again, for my kids, the magnet program really pushed/encouraged them to go extra mile - day after day for 4 years. I really doubt they could have attained the same results from the home school. Maybe your kid can but not mine. Also, keep in mind, full ride at UMD is given to top ~1% of incoming applicants. Accomplishments of top 1% of applicant vs. top 2-3% is very small but, nevertheless, it's big enough for one kid getting full ride vs. second one getting significantly smaller scholarship. You will find out in a few years that the college app process is tough, getting merit money out of school is tougher, and getting significant money (full tuition or full ride) is very very very difficult. The magnet programs - whether you support it or not - provides that extra edge for certain high performing kids.

Thanks. I'm glad it worked out so well for you. I do wonder what about the home school makes you think it wouldn't have provided challenge and support. Do you think the teachers are better at the magnet? Or the magnet school just has higher expectations of the students? Do you think that's true even if the kids at the home school are in AP classes?
I'm not doubting your experience. I'm trying to get at whether your view on this is specific to *your* home school rather than all non-magnet high schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We are probably going to end up suggesting ds take this path from magnet MS - UMD for undergrad to save money for grad school. How has it worked out for your kids and their peers?

it is working out well for our two kids - both received full ride scholarships from umd. DC1 is getting his engineering phd (fully funded) @ "top 5" engineering school and DC2 wants to go to med school so we are saving 529 money for that purpose. DC2 will be able to come out of med school without debt/loan. i am 100% sure they couldn't do it without mcps magnet programs.

so, yeah, it's fine. kids always have to deal with "you worked that hard for umd?" or "you settled with umd?" comments but other than that it's all good. coming out of umd with high gpa is much harder than people think.

What makes you certain that they couldn't do it without MCPS magnet programs? You don't think they could have achieved the scholarships at UMD if they went to a non-magnet high school? I'm not being snarky -- it's a great thing they've accomplished. I just don't understand why they needed a magnet program to do it.

I don't want to side-track this thread with my kids' story but I will answer your question. It is one family's experience - nothing more, nothing less. I believe in order to produce successful kids you need three factors - 1) kid who wants to try and do well; 2) school/program that provides challenges and support; and 3) the family that makes kid's education #1 priority. You need to have all three working together. It is a huge commitment from all involved - student/teaching staff/parents. Again, for my kids, the magnet program really pushed/encouraged them to go extra mile - day after day for 4 years. I really doubt they could have attained the same results from the home school. Maybe your kid can but not mine. Also, keep in mind, full ride at UMD is given to top ~1% of incoming applicants. Accomplishments of top 1% of applicant vs. top 2-3% is very small but, nevertheless, it's big enough for one kid getting full ride vs. second one getting significantly smaller scholarship. You will find out in a few years that the college app process is tough, getting merit money out of school is tougher, and getting significant money (full tuition or full ride) is very very very difficult. The magnet programs - whether you support it or not - provides that extra edge for certain high performing kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What makes you certain that they couldn't do it without MCPS magnet programs? You don't think they could have achieved the scholarships at UMD if they went to a non-magnet high school? I'm not being snarky -- it's a great thing they've accomplished. I just don't understand why they needed a magnet program to do it.

I don't understand why they needed any school at all to do it! It's not like there's no such thing as homeschooling and self-study.

But maybe they benefited from the magnet...?

Not sure why you're upset by this question and feel the need to be sarcastic. But I'll try asking it a different way: what do you think the magnet gave them that enabled them to accomplish this that they would not have found at another MCPS high school? I'm not doubting that the magnet is great, nor do I have any anti-magnet agenda. I'm asking because my kids aren't yet at high school age and we are zoned for BCC. I would think that if my kids are motivated and capable, they can take the IB or AP classes offered and achieve the same thing. If I'm wrong about that, I'd like to learn what I'm missing. Is it a peer group difference? Course offerings that aren't available at other high schools?

Anonymous wrote:The accusation that kids are prepping for the HGC test is really tiresome. I sent two kids through HGC and neither of them prepped. They both said the test wasn't that hard. But you guys can keep on thinking that my helicoptering is what got them their spot if it calms your nerves.

But kids are prepping for the HGC test, PP. Your kids didn't. My kids didn't. Other kids did.

Now, did their prep make a difference? Nobody knows.

The accusation that kids are prepping for the HGC test is really tiresome. I sent two kids through HGC and neither of them prepped. They both said the test wasn't that hard. But you guys can keep on thinking that my helicoptering is what got them their spot if it calms your nerves.

Anonymous wrote:

What makes you certain that they couldn't do it without MCPS magnet programs? You don't think they could have achieved the scholarships at UMD if they went to a non-magnet high school? I'm not being snarky -- it's a great thing they've accomplished. I just don't understand why they needed a magnet program to do it.

I don't understand why they needed any school at all to do it! It's not like there's no such thing as homeschooling and self-study.

But maybe they benefited from the magnet...?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:news flash no employer cares if you went to GT in elementary or a magnet in high school

quit helicoptering your special snowflake will be just fine

idiots on this board

To be Devil's Advocate -

but they DO care what college you went to (sometimes) and those colleges DO care whether you took the "most challenging" courseload and did well, so, in actuality, some employers DO care if the child went to a magnet in high school... just sayin'.

You don't need to here this but others do

If your kid is smart they will be fine

Also as you probably know, the real key to getting into the top 1% of jobs is mommy and daddy connections for internships

Point being all this obsession is unhealthy. Since we are in the MD forum currently, if your kid is smart they will have no problem getting into UMD a great school with tons of great employers. Now if you are trying to break into the top 1% see the point above. And gasp there are plenty of great companies that take kids from say UMBC too. And people wonder why their kids are so stressed/have issues. Parents need too relax.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We are probably going to end up suggesting ds take this path from magnet MS - UMD for undergrad to save money for grad school. How has it worked out for your kids and their peers?

it is working out well for our two kids - both received full ride scholarships from umd. DC1 is getting his engineering phd (fully funded) @ "top 5" engineering school and DC2 wants to go to med school so we are saving 529 money for that purpose. DC2 will be able to come out of med school without debt/loan. i am 100% sure they couldn't do it without mcps magnet programs.

so, yeah, it's fine. kids always have to deal with "you worked that hard for umd?" or "you settled with umd?" comments but other than that it's all good. coming out of umd with high gpa is much harder than people think.

Thanks - this is really heartening. Congrats to your kids - they have worked really hard for their success and they sound very pragmatic.
I know the Engineering program has an excellent rep. How are the pre-med majors? Has dc2 been able to do the research or internships that would help him/her apply to med school?

DC2 is still at UMD and has maintained 4.0 GPA so far but it's still too early to count the eggs. DC2 has found a professor and currently supporting him with his research and also working as a TA. Applied for bunch of internships for coming summer but has not heard back yet (but should shortly). UMD pre-med is competitive but I can't complain. No hand-holding but as long as kids try and seek support, the help is there.

Thanks - it sounds like your child has learned to stay focused and to create opportunities for himself. I'm sure getting through SMAC was excellent prep in this regard. Getting into med school is hard even if you have done everything right (as he has) so I understand how you feel. This is dc's goal too and we have spoken about how saving money by going to UMD would be sensible but at the back of my mind I wonder what might happen if he does not get into med school- would we then regret not shelling out the big bucks for the highly rated liberal arts college/univ? You may have a diff. perspective having sent two kids to UMD - it sounds like you are very satisfied with their educational exp. which is saying a lot considering they came from a program like Blair SMAC.

Anonymous wrote:

We are probably going to end up suggesting ds take this path from magnet MS - UMD for undergrad to save money for grad school. How has it worked out for your kids and their peers?

it is working out well for our two kids - both received full ride scholarships from umd. DC1 is getting his engineering phd (fully funded) @ "top 5" engineering school and DC2 wants to go to med school so we are saving 529 money for that purpose. DC2 will be able to come out of med school without debt/loan. i am 100% sure they couldn't do it without mcps magnet programs.

so, yeah, it's fine. kids always have to deal with "you worked that hard for umd?" or "you settled with umd?" comments but other than that it's all good. coming out of umd with high gpa is much harder than people think.

What makes you certain that they couldn't do it without MCPS magnet programs? You don't think they could have achieved the scholarships at UMD if they went to a non-magnet high school? I'm not being snarky -- it's a great thing they've accomplished. I just don't understand why they needed a magnet program to do it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We are probably going to end up suggesting ds take this path from magnet MS - UMD for undergrad to save money for grad school. How has it worked out for your kids and their peers?

it is working out well for our two kids - both received full ride scholarships from umd. DC1 is getting his engineering phd (fully funded) @ "top 5" engineering school and DC2 wants to go to med school so we are saving 529 money for that purpose. DC2 will be able to come out of med school without debt/loan. i am 100% sure they couldn't do it without mcps magnet programs.

so, yeah, it's fine. kids always have to deal with "you worked that hard for umd?" or "you settled with umd?" comments but other than that it's all good. coming out of umd with high gpa is much harder than people think.

Thanks - this is really heartening. Congrats to your kids - they have worked really hard for their success and they sound very pragmatic.
I know the Engineering program has an excellent rep. How are the pre-med majors? Has dc2 been able to do the research or internships that would help him/her apply to med school?

DC2 is still at UMD and has maintained 4.0 GPA so far but it's still too early to count the eggs. DC2 has found a professor and currently supporting him with his research and also working as a TA. Applied for bunch of internships for coming summer but has not heard back yet (but should shortly). UMD pre-med is competitive but I can't complain. No hand-holding but as long as kids try and seek support, the help is there.

Anonymous wrote:news flash no employer cares if you went to GT in elementary or a magnet in high school

quit helicoptering your special snowflake will be just fine

idiots on this board

To be Devil's Advocate -

but they DO care what college you went to (sometimes) and those colleges DO care whether you took the "most challenging" courseload and did well, so, in actuality, some employers DO care if the child went to a magnet in high school... just sayin'.