Anonymous wrote:someone here said SMCS magnet is reported as a separate group, almost like a separate high school. Does anyone have an idea what Poolesville does, since they house 3 magnet programs? Are they all reported as separate groups for colleges?

Anonymous wrote:Maybe because I’m not a Maryland native, but I just can’t wrap my mind around people fighting to get into UMD.

Anonymous wrote:It's a lottery at big schools. No. Your kid didn't not get into UMD because they did robotics or played the cello. UMD does not care that deeply about your child. They do not care if their ECs were cliches or exciting and different.

It's also not helpful or particularly kind to chime in with stories about how all the enrichment art classes you paid for is what helped your kid get in.

It's a lottery.

What I sincerely advise is that every one of you should get your mind off of big schools--sure, send your kid to a big school if you want, that's fine--but stop thinking the "rank" of a school with 30,000 students matters one iota. It rarely does. Every big research U in the country has opportunities. So do many smaller universities and many smaller schools.

Here's what Blair SMCS can get you for sure: money. Get as much merit aid as you can from wherever you can and launch your brilliant kid in a space where they aren't just a number in a lottery, one out of 250 in a class taught by TAs.

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Anonymous wrote:Still, your middle of the road at a magnet program kid probably is also not getting into an ivy as a top grad from Rockville HS…

Nowadays only kids with extraordinary extracurricular awards get into Ivy. Simply being the top of the school isn’t enough.

My kid was towards top of magnet class. Placed nationally in several academic competitions but still overshadowed by several classmates. Feel free to not believe me but odds would likely have been better at home HS. Luckily we are not hung up on Ivy and did not attend for this reason. But I met many families who were and were disappointed.

The reason to do the magnets is because they have classes other schools don't have. But, outside that, there is nothing special but bragging rights.

My dc’s favorite part of being in a magnet is being with other students who take school seriously, grasp concepts quickly, and are generally not disruptive. The teachers mention how special it is to have whole classes of students like that. The cohort is a huge benefit.

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Anonymous wrote:Still, your middle of the road at a magnet program kid probably is also not getting into an ivy as a top grad from Rockville HS…

Nowadays only kids with extraordinary extracurricular awards get into Ivy. Simply being the top of the school isn’t enough.

My kid was towards top of magnet class. Placed nationally in several academic competitions but still overshadowed by several classmates. Feel free to not believe me but odds would likely have been better at home HS. Luckily we are not hung up on Ivy and did not attend for this reason. But I met many families who were and were disappointed.

The reason to do the magnets is because they have classes other schools don't have. But, outside that, there is nothing special but bragging rights.

Anonymous wrote:OP, this is a well known fact. Colleges have certain quotas and will take very small number of students from each school. I know of a family that are in one of the worst schools in Frederick and their DDs have got into top schools with very mediocre grades. Why? Because most of the kids in that school are barely passing.

My kid went to SMCS program in PHS. Most of the students are performing at very high levels. However, only very few students are selected for top colleges because of the quota system. Most get into UMD with $$$ merit aid. Once in UMD, these students are able to do well in hard subjects like CS, premed, engineering and very few drop out of these programs. So, getting into a good college is not the end all. The aim of HS should be to get into a good major and also be able to do very well in college and be well prepared to get into a well paying job after that.

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Anonymous wrote:OP, this is a well known fact. Colleges have certain quotas and will take very small number of students from each school. I know of a family that are in one of the worst schools in Frederick and their DDs have got into top schools with very mediocre grades. Why? Because most of the kids in that school are barely passing.

My kid went to SMCS program in PHS. Most of the students are performing at very high levels. However, only very few students are selected for top colleges because of the quota system. Most get into UMD with $$$ merit aid. Once in UMD, these students are able to do well in hard subjects like CS, premed, engineering and very few drop out of these programs. So, getting into a good college is not the end all. The aim of HS should be to get into a good major and also be able to do very well in college and be well prepared to get into a well paying job after that.

1) there are not quotas. This is incorrect. 2) some excellent kids from SMCS are being turned away by UMD.

Correct, no quota if you have a hook. Quota to keep you out if you are a male over-represented minority.

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Anonymous wrote:My kid’s home school IS Blair. Are you saying he’d do better outside of the magnet?!

No all Blair kids compete with the magnet kids. They would do better at a school without a magnet.

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Anonymous wrote:Kids (and families) should not make a decision on whether to attend a magnet solely on whether they think it will get them into an ivy or any other selective school. You should choose magnet if you want your kid to learn the material, be with a like-minded cohort, and if you want them to have a magnet high school experience. Attending a magnet is not a free ticket to college.

OP here. I completely agree but just wanted to make people aware of this. I see many magnet parents surprised with this come senior year.

I find this surprising for Blair SMCS since Ostrander says this repeatedly, beginning with the 8th grade info session before they even apply. I guess people just don’t believe him?

Tell that to the parent of the kid over on the College forum whose kid just got rejected from UMD with a 1540 SAT and 4.7 WGPA

From Blair SMCS? When did UMD become that competitive?

I just question that post. DS is at Blair, not magnet, and was accepted at UMD.

What major? How much merit??

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Anonymous wrote:OP, this is a well known fact. Colleges have certain quotas and will take very small number of students from each school. I know of a family that are in one of the worst schools in Frederick and their DDs have got into top schools with very mediocre grades. Why? Because most of the kids in that school are barely passing.

My kid went to SMCS program in PHS. Most of the students are performing at very high levels. However, only very few students are selected for top colleges because of the quota system. Most get into UMD with $$$ merit aid. Once in UMD, these students are able to do well in hard subjects like CS, premed, engineering and very few drop out of these programs. So, getting into a good college is not the end all. The aim of HS should be to get into a good major and also be able to do very well in college and be well prepared to get into a well paying job after that.

1) there are not quotas. This is incorrect. 2) some excellent kids from SMCS are being turned away by UMD.