Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A coworker told me that no one gets in without prep. Well my kid did. From his circle of Blair friends, there was one child who was prepped. While there are families who prep, I also think people use that idea to justify why their kid did not get in. In reality it is like very competitive colleges. Lots of very talented kids just don't get in.

I don't think it is appropriate to use the cohort method for HS students since in HS there are many levels of classes available. In middle school there is much less differentiation (or none).

+1 My child made Poolesville SMCS a few years back with no prep. He is just really focused, gets new concepts very quickly and has a near photographic memory. Now, he is in the top 6% of his junior class. And, we are not Asian, but Black. So much for stereotypes.

When I was at poolesville most of my friends also had gone to the prep center but they hated to admit it. Most would deny it emphatically but almost everyone prepped. It's one of those dirty little secrets. People just don't make the cut without it.

Anonymous wrote:A coworker told me that no one gets in without prep. Well my kid did. From his circle of Blair friends, there was one child who was prepped. While there are families who prep, I also think people use that idea to justify why their kid did not get in. In reality it is like very competitive colleges. Lots of very talented kids just don't get in.

I don't think it is appropriate to use the cohort method for HS students since in HS there are many levels of classes available. In middle school there is much less differentiation (or none).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no problem with MCPS paying for tutoring and prep classes for under privileged children. I grew up lower income to uneducated immigrant parents who don't speak English.

But lowering the threshold doesn't serve the program, or the kids. Provide the support, but don't lower the expectations. All that does is provide a crutch for the kid. Life doesn't provide a crutch forever.

Yeah I agree with you and PP. Because there are more 99 percentile kids than spots in programs. Don’t lower standards. Provide opportunities to meet that standard, from the earliest possible age. So many non-profits and businesses have diversity initiatives that are reasonably effective. MCPS can too, but needs to be smart about it. Enfranchise kids early rather than waiting until double digits, when it’s much tougher to do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A coworker told me that no one gets in without prep. Well my kid did. From his circle of Blair friends, there was one child who was prepped. While there are families who prep, I also think people use that idea to justify why their kid did not get in. In reality it is like very competitive colleges. Lots of very talented kids just don't get in.

I don't think it is appropriate to use the cohort method for HS students since in HS there are many levels of classes available. In middle school there is much less differentiation (or none).

+1 My child made Poolesville SMCS a few years back with no prep. He is just really focused, gets new concepts very quickly and has a near photographic memory. Now, he is in the top 6% of his junior class. And, we are not Asian, but Black. So much for stereotypes.

Anonymous wrote:My kids are both Blair magnet graduates. No prep classes or books. They spent about 5 minutes looking at sample type questions on the MCPS website.

Anonymous wrote:A coworker told me that no one gets in without prep. Well my kid did. From his circle of Blair friends, there was one child who was prepped. While there are families who prep, I also think people use that idea to justify why their kid did not get in. In reality it is like very competitive colleges. Lots of very talented kids just don't get in.

I don't think it is appropriate to use the cohort method for HS students since in HS there are many levels of classes available. In middle school there is much less differentiation (or none).

Anonymous wrote:I have no problem with MCPS paying for tutoring and prep classes for under privileged children. I grew up lower income to uneducated immigrant parents who don't speak English.

But lowering the threshold doesn't serve the program, or the kids. Provide the support, but don't lower the expectations. All that does is provide a crutch for the kid. Life doesn't provide a crutch forever.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A coworker told me that no one gets in without prep. Well my kid did. From his circle of Blair friends, there was one child who was prepped. While there are families who prep, I also think people use that idea to justify why their kid did not get in. In reality it is like very competitive colleges. Lots of very talented kids just don't get in.

I don't think it is appropriate to use the cohort method for HS students since in HS there are many levels of classes available. In middle school there is much less differentiation (or none).

Maybe 25%-30% manage without prep but the majority are in classes from early on.

Several Asian cultures (Chinese, Indian) are heavily focused on education, particularly STEM. Kids have tutors and are often working 2-3 years ahead in math. Of course that's reflected in the test scores. Not necessarily a bad thing. Those families devote lots of resources to education and sometimes music lessons from a young age, and those kids do very well as a result. Why is it their problem so many white families put their resources toward athletics instead? Support starts at home.

What about families that can’t afford prep classes? Do you just assume their kids lack ability?

Most of the families I know who pay for tutoring are middle class not affluent, but are willing to make sacrifices of time and money for their kids' education. How do we help kids from lower socioeconomic strata? Early interventions, the only way. Identify bright FARMS kids *early* and give provide extra academic support for them. If you're modifying the system to admit kids who may not be able to keep up with those who are, practically speaking, privileged with a years-long head start, it's not really helping them in a meaningful way. The only reasonable path is to level the playing field very early and commit to ongoing support for those bright kids who lack material advantages.

The ones I know are filthy rich and laugh that you can't keep up with their spending.

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Anonymous wrote:My RMIB kid did not prep either. He's always been a 99 percentile test taker.

Mine did! They started in 3rd grade 2 hours a day 5 days a week, but no way they would've been admitted without it.

And that's fine too. I don't see why people try to make prep-families feel guilty about helping their kids get in. We did and, looking at how it helped our kids in HS, college, and after college, we would do it again! Yes, they are older.

Prep is perfectly fine but shouldn't be required to access enriched opportunities from publicly funded programs. When the majority of those being accepted were enrolled in outside prep, it's time to rethink our admission process so that all students have a shot at these opportunities, not just those families that can spend the $$$ to purchase a seat.

Game seems always unfair when you can't win. What a cynical view.

And some people will say anything to maintain their privilege that gives them a big leg up on everyone else.

Yes, some of us worked hard to make sure we can provide for our kids. What's wrong with that? Isn't that your job as a parent? Your inability to provide is no one's fault except you.

You are absolutely blind to both the systemic barriers and person tragedies many people face. My parents had to deal with segregated education and then my mom almost died from cancer. They weren’t lazy or stupid or uncaring, but they could not provide better for me than they did. I graduated college with a huge debt which has affected housing choices I had to make my family. And here, housing affects what schools you can access.

Listen, I am not even sure why you are picking a fight with me. You do what you have to do to best support your kids. I came to this county when I was 15 with $125 in my pocket. I was looked down at, cursed at, spited at... So don't tell me about the systematic barriers... I've experienced it, seen it, and had to live thru it. But, at the end of the day, you still got to keep pushing forward. Looking back won't help you. Anyway, I am not even sure why we are talking about this. Good day.

Exactly why you of all people should understand why it's important to ensure these opportunities are available to all children not just those can afford expensive prep classes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My RMIB kid did not prep either. He's always been a 99 percentile test taker.

Mine did! They started in 3rd grade 2 hours a day 5 days a week, but no way they would've been admitted without it.

And that's fine too. I don't see why people try to make prep-families feel guilty about helping their kids get in. We did and, looking at how it helped our kids in HS, college, and after college, we would do it again! Yes, they are older.

Prep is perfectly fine but shouldn't be required to access enriched opportunities from publicly funded programs. When the majority of those being accepted were enrolled in outside prep, it's time to rethink our admission process so that all students have a shot at these opportunities, not just those families that can spend the $$$ to purchase a seat.

Game seems always unfair when you can't win. What a cynical view.

And some people will say anything to maintain their privilege that gives them a big leg up on everyone else.

Yes, some of us worked hard to make sure we can provide for our kids. What's wrong with that? Isn't that your job as a parent? Your inability to provide is no one's fault except you.

You are absolutely blind to both the systemic barriers and person tragedies many people face. My parents had to deal with segregated education and then my mom almost died from cancer. They weren’t lazy or stupid or uncaring, but they could not provide better for me than they did. I graduated college with a huge debt which has affected housing choices I had to make my family. And here, housing affects what schools you can access.

Listen, I am not even sure why you are picking a fight with me. You do what you have to do to best support your kids. I came to this county when I was 15 with $125 in my pocket. I was looked down at, cursed at, spited at... So don't tell me about the systematic barriers... I've experienced it, seen it, and had to live thru it. But, at the end of the day, you still got to keep pushing forward. Looking back won't help you. Anyway, I am not even sure why we are talking about this. Good day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, some of us worked hard to make sure we can provide for our kids. What's wrong with that? Isn't that your job as a parent? Your inability to provide is no one's fault except you.

Well, the problem is that a seat at a publicly funded magnet program is not a reward for good parenting, nor for your hard work. It is meant to provide opportunities for kids who would not have those opportunities at their home school (hence the 'magnet' part).

If you are a good parent, a good earner, good for you! But that's not what this is about.

How about the high reading and math groups? It is really not any different.