Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think private kids will get into better colleges due to deep pocket, legacy connections..etc. But from academic standpoint, I don't think private kids can compete with magnet public kids.

I have no doubt that you sincerely think that and that you are not alone, but you are wrong and woefully misinformed. I doubt there is anything that can change your mind because you are evidently blinded by envy.

Wow... Is this what private parents think of public parents? Blinded by envy? I don't know what to say... Wow.

Julia Louie Dreyfus went there and Larry David Went to UMD. So smart knows smart.

Anonymous wrote:I think private kids will get into better colleges due to deep pocket, legacy connections..etc. But from academic standpoint, I don't think private kids can compete with magnet public kids.

I have no doubt that you sincerely think that and that you are not alone, but you are wrong and woefully misinformed. I doubt there is anything that can change your mind because you are evidently blinded by envy.

Pretty sure that any kid who takes a slate of 4-5 APs or is in an IB program is going to face more rigor than at HA. My kid is in a magnet and we know several kids at HA. One of the HA kids had to do a summer "bridge" program at DC's Ivy. The PP at 15:38 who allowed that "maybe" the magnets are "on par" with Holton cracks me up.

OK, the statement in 16:17 is over the top. The logical extension of that is that you don't believe any kids from private schools who attend top universities are there on academic merit, but only on ECs, legacy connections, etc. (or only because there weren't enough magnet school kids to fill the slots?) That is certainly not true at all.

That said, I think your statement is more plausible when it comes to STEM programs since in public magnets the kids can focus more narrowly for four years. Even there, it is not so clear. I recently learned from a friend with a child at TJ that a big part of the way those kids get in so many science APs is that many of them go to summer school to take "regular" courses freeing up the school year for more AP level classes earlier in high school. For social sciences and humanities, however, I think the privates on average have a comparably wide advantage over most public magnets.

I think private kids will get into better colleges due to deep pocket, legacy connections..etc. But from academic standpoint, I don't think private kids can compete with magnet public kids.

My DD goes to Holton. I think it is rigorous but also looks for and accepts kids with potential and pushes them to be smarter, stronger, confident girls. That is the main reason I sent her there and will not be applying for Blair or RM. I am sure those schools are on par or maybe even better. But I love the girl power, community feel of Holton. I like the small class sizes, I LOVE the teachers and the heads of school. I have heard from too many people that the public IB's are full of kids who have no life. Nothing outside of school and homework. I think it has to do with the fact that they enroll a small group from all over and put them in a school with kids that all know each other. I just don't want that kind of life for my daughter. I am sure most kids are fine but my daughter is very sociable and I think those programs would crush her soul. She also is athletic and it is much easier to do both at a school that WANTS you to do both.

We have friends at St Andrews and Stone Ridge that seem very happy there too.

yes OP it is but I think you already knew that

DD is at RM/IB - only thing I can tell you is she is crazy busy but at the same time couldn't be happier.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD goes to Holton and there is no way it could be the most rigorous in MD.

Heard the same thing from another Holton parent. Said her DD is hardly challenged.

Why do I think this is the same person complaining about the high percentage of "Asians and Indians" at Holton?

Anonymous wrote:I've been a Harvard interviewer on this area for as while. In STEM, Holton is not in the same league as the kids at Montgomery Blair magnet. The latter are turning out publishable research and snapping up slots at Intel and Siemens.

I'm in the STEM field and Harvard grads are far from the best in STEM, but I'd be shocked if any school other than TJ could stack up to Blair in STEM.

I've been a Harvard interviewer on this area for as while. In STEM, Holton is not in the same league as the kids at Montgomery Blair magnet. The latter are turning out publishable research and snapping up slots at Intel and Siemens.

Anonymous wrote:DD goes to Holton and there is no way it could be the most rigorous in MD.

Heard the same thing from another Holton parent. Said her DD is hardly challenged.

Holton should pride itself in the high percentage (nearly 50%) of students of color even if the anonymous racists out there see some problem with a student body that is too diverse for their liking.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we are being very parochial - can we just have the stats on the Asians/Indians in Holton-Arms?

let's not bite the bait

Spoilsport!
-