Anonymous wrote:#1 downside is going to a super large school with a large low achieving cohort. Sure the kids who get selected are high achieving but many of them are in shock to some of the types of kids and their attitudes that they have never had to deal with before. Even TP middle was better compared to the sheer quaintly of kids my daughter encountered who had noooo interest in academics and simply attend to socialize. Many of them resent better off magnet kids too. We sent our less focused, younger son to private as we heard BCC and (to a lesser degree) Westland aren't much better.

Completely disagree. My kid enjoyed the nonmagnet kids in other classes fir the most part. Of course, there are always a few, but that's the case anywhere. In fact, it was often a few magnet kids who were a pain in non mag classes. I really hate this attitude by some magnet parents that non mag kids are somehow "less than." Many kids have interest in academics and like to socialize. It's not an either/or. My kid met a lot of great non mag kids in her sport and in AP classes, and one of them just got accepted to an Ivy.

In terms of college, that extra class puts those kids ahead of most when applying to college

The longer day due to a required extra class is a down side. Even with a relatively short bus ride it is a long day and it's a tough adjustment for a 9th grader. 7:00 to 4:00 is the standard day for us and it can be a lot longer for people who live further away.

The social aspect has been fine, partly because my kid went to TPMS magnet and knows lots of Blair students who went to TPMS and who are not part of the magnet program.

My kids really really liked Blair. i won’t pretend they ‘loved’ the commute, but it wasn’t terrible. Blair was the place they finally found their people and the classes that they belonged in and actually challenged them. The clubs were good, the staff is amazing, and ultimately we had no real complaints. Yes, its a huge school, but its diverse and political and a microcosm of the world instead of the ‘bubble’ of a W school.

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is raving about their experiences which is a valid perspective but can you also weigh in on the bad parts? What are the sacrifices your children have had to make? What annoys you or your child most about the experience? What do you think they are missing as compared to the home school?

I don't have anything. It's really weird. It's an awesome program and my kid has thrived in it. If the commute won't kill you, it's worth it. So so much better than MCPS business as usual.

Blair SMACs can just feel overwhelming. It depends on the kid what the "thing" is that creates the overwhelmed feeling. Lots of high achieving students who can do the work, but .... are exhausted from commute, are anxious to be in such a large environment, don't make friends, are not able to cope with the huge non-achieving environment ... whatever it is. Many kids have that thing and aren't truly happy.

#1 downside is going to a super large school with a large low achieving cohort. Sure the kids who get selected are high achieving but many of them are in shock to some of the types of kids and their attitudes that they have never had to deal with before. Even TP middle was better compared to the sheer quaintly of kids my daughter encountered who had noooo interest in academics and simply attend to socialize. Many of them resent better off magnet kids too. We sent our less focused, younger son to private as we heard BCC and (to a lesser degree) Westland aren't much better.

Blair SMAC is the Science, Math & Comp Sci Magnet. CAP is the Communication Arts Program. Both are 9 periods (as opposed to the rest of Blairs 8 periods). One STEM based, one Humanities based. But come 11/12, the kids can overlap electives. Most of the kids running the newspaper, debate team, and a variety of other clubs are from CAP and SMAC. Lots of athletes in both groups, etc…

Anonymous wrote:Excuse my ignorance but what's the difference between Blair SMAC and Blair CAP?

Two separate programs with smac focused on STEM and cap more on journalism. Also smac is open to broader areas while cap is DCC only? MCPS web should have all the details.

Anonymous wrote:This is part of my fear especially after reading about the TPMS. This makes me sad as a parent! We want our kids to have a fulfilling high school experience with friendship and not to feel isolated. I am wondering if I should discourage her from accepting the Blair SMAC. Mine is not even coming from an MCPS middle school.

My DC is at TPMS magnet right now, and plans to accept the offer from Blair SMACS. Although probably 1/3-1/2 of his classmates will land with the same program, it's not like the 40 kids are close friends. Typically every child will have 1-10 close friends to play together. In my DC's case, his closest friends are from the two EC teams he actively involves with, and he just barely recognizes other classmates but never talks with them.

For your kid, if he/she is extravort, it's generally easier. Or otherwise, I'd suggest to involve in some popular clubs or sports teams at Blair to get familiarized with other kids. At their age, I don't observe exclusiveness but rather gathering with friends with common interests.

Excuse my ignorance but what's the difference between Blair SMAC and Blair CAP?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DC has a friend at Blair and said the social scene there is not great, and wishes they went to RMIB but purely for the social scene. I guess there are more fun people at RMIB according to them.

RMIB does have a pretty high number of extroverts right now.

I think this is true every year. There are a lot of IB kids who do Black Maskers, One Note and debate. All require public speaking. Several of the SMOBs were RMIB students.

I think being IB lends itself to being extroverted.

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Anonymous wrote:I don't know if it's true but someone was saying over 40 admitted from TPMS and most likely to go. We'll see at the open house.

That would make sense - definitely could see the need for 15 more scions of Moco liberal elite to find solace at Blair Magnet - esp as taxes head north to fix MCPS under the Blueprint for Maryland. No one is tracking on the serious increase in taxes that’s headed Moco’s way but it’s coming Bethesda and Potomac property owners, it’s coming.

As the now deceased senate president Mike Miller - likely one of the best purveyors of legally corrupt tactics in the history of state government said of Moco: their riches are the golden goose egg in Maryland politics.

Oh, FFS, you sure didn't attend any magnet programs yourself, did ya?

Moco 'liberal elite' doesn't send their 'scions' to Blair magnet, their children are all in elite privates. Kids attending Blair magnet are mostly scions of Asan immigrants with advanced degrees.

Ha! Truth. The liberal elite avoid public school. Hypocrites all of them.

I have a kid at Blair, none of her friends are kids of liberal politicians.

The biggest downside to Blair is all the crazy Blair envy posters on dcum.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know if it's true but someone was saying over 40 admitted from TPMS and most likely to go. We'll see at the open house.

That would make sense - definitely could see the need for 15 more scions of Moco liberal elite to find solace at Blair Magnet - esp as taxes head north to fix MCPS under the Blueprint for Maryland. No one is tracking on the serious increase in taxes that’s headed Moco’s way but it’s coming Bethesda and Potomac property owners, it’s coming.

As the now deceased senate president Mike Miller - likely one of the best purveyors of legally corrupt tactics in the history of state government said of Moco: their riches are the golden goose egg in Maryland politics.

Oh, FFS, you sure didn't attend any magnet programs yourself, did ya?

Moco 'liberal elite' doesn't send their 'scions' to Blair magnet, their children are all in elite privates. Kids attending Blair magnet are mostly scions of Asan immigrants with advanced degrees.

Ha! Truth. The liberal elite avoid public school. Hypocrites all of them.

I have a kid at Blair, none of her friends are kids of liberal politicians.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know if it's true but someone was saying over 40 admitted from TPMS and most likely to go. We'll see at the open house.

That would make sense - definitely could see the need for 15 more scions of Moco liberal elite to find solace at Blair Magnet - esp as taxes head north to fix MCPS under the Blueprint for Maryland. No one is tracking on the serious increase in taxes that’s headed Moco’s way but it’s coming Bethesda and Potomac property owners, it’s coming.

As the now deceased senate president Mike Miller - likely one of the best purveyors of legally corrupt tactics in the history of state government said of Moco: their riches are the golden goose egg in Maryland politics.

Oh, FFS, you sure didn't attend any magnet programs yourself, did ya?

Moco 'liberal elite' doesn't send their 'scions' to Blair magnet, their children are all in elite privates. Kids attending Blair magnet are mostly scions of Asan immigrants with advanced degrees.

Your response was like throwing cold water on that crazed fever dream of a post that made me laugh because it's so true