This is a thread about MCPS magnet high school wait pool. Take the UMD discussions to the college forum.

Incoming Freshman Class Profile
Information about the class of 2028 is as follows:

Total Enrollment

913

Average GPA

4.54

ACT Scores

Composite, 50th percentile: 34
Math Scores, 50th percentile: 34
SAT Scores

Combined Math/Critical Reading SAT Scores, 50th percentile: 1470
SAT Math Scores, 50th percentile: 760
Honors College and College Park Scholars

254 (27.8%) first-year enrolled ENGR students are in the Honors College
166 (18.1%) first-year enrolled ENGR students are in College Park Scholars

I’m the poster with the GE senior. FWIW- My kid was accepted to UMD Engineering Friday. In 2024, 20 kids that were accepted to Engineering from Poolesville chose UMD Engineering. In 2024, Poolesville High was the number 1 school that UMD Engineering pulled from. Will attach the link shortly…

Anonymous wrote:Here:

“The review process uses a multiple measures approach that includes both district-level and external measures. The data included: the student applicant responses, Grade 7 final and Grade 8 MP1 report cards, student services^, and MAP-M (math/science programs) and MAP-R (humanities based programs). The process for the review is race-neutral, name and school blind.”

From the FAQ

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19Rz3ZWgflmaOpt17__VNeivAq_N7GNTOZRZYaAicAHE/preview

^ services such as receiving special education services, ELD- English Language Development, 504 accommodations plan and Free and Reduced Meals


So having these services would have a better chance for magnet school selection?

Here:

“The review process uses a multiple measures approach that includes both district-level and external measures. The data included: the student applicant responses, Grade 7 final and Grade 8 MP1 report cards, student services^, and MAP-M (math/science programs) and MAP-R (humanities based programs). The process for the review is race-neutral, name and school blind.”

From the FAQ

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19Rz3ZWgflmaOpt17__VNeivAq_N7GNTOZRZYaAicAHE/preview

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to offend any one academic accomplishment. Like one of the PP said, the score is just a number and getting into either SMCS or GE or even RM is certainly not a proof of prodigy ! My DD with reasonable intelligence and excellent work ethics secured MAP-M score was 284 in 8th fall She really worked hard to get that score. She got invited to both PHS SMCS and GE. (RMIB Not selected and Humanities waitlisted) She is going to accept GE and decline SMCS. If she is able to get into SMCS, I don't there is nothing to feel proud about getting to SMCS. I know a lot of kids with scores 270s will be in this program thus making it an average program (going by your standards )

but they are also reject kids in the 290s. at least in blair's case. ECs?

I feel they have high cutoff scores for low Farms middle school and low cutoff scores for high farms middle school. So that’s why lots of 280 and 290 kids get surprised

makes sense - but they are not supposed to know MS?

Is there any source for school blind admission?

The open houses for the programs. I believe it’s also specified in the available written descriptions online but would have to search. Of course if the essay mentioned something unique to a particular school they will know

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to offend any one academic accomplishment. Like one of the PP said, the score is just a number and getting into either SMCS or GE or even RM is certainly not a proof of prodigy ! My DD with reasonable intelligence and excellent work ethics secured MAP-M score was 284 in 8th fall She really worked hard to get that score. She got invited to both PHS SMCS and GE. (RMIB Not selected and Humanities waitlisted) She is going to accept GE and decline SMCS. If she is able to get into SMCS, I don't there is nothing to feel proud about getting to SMCS. I know a lot of kids with scores 270s will be in this program thus making it an average program (going by your standards )

but they are also reject kids in the 290s. at least in blair's case. ECs?

I feel they have high cutoff scores for low Farms middle school and low cutoff scores for high farms middle school. So that’s why lots of 280 and 290 kids get surprised

makes sense - but they are not supposed to know MS?

Is there any source for school blind admission?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to offend any one academic accomplishment. Like one of the PP said, the score is just a number and getting into either SMCS or GE or even RM is certainly not a proof of prodigy ! My DD with reasonable intelligence and excellent work ethics secured MAP-M score was 284 in 8th fall She really worked hard to get that score. She got invited to both PHS SMCS and GE. (RMIB Not selected and Humanities waitlisted) She is going to accept GE and decline SMCS. If she is able to get into SMCS, I don't there is nothing to feel proud about getting to SMCS. I know a lot of kids with scores 270s will be in this program thus making it an average program (going by your standards )

but they are also reject kids in the 290s. at least in blair's case. ECs?

I feel they have high cutoff scores for low Farms middle school and low cutoff scores for high farms middle school. So that’s why lots of 280 and 290 kids get surprised

makes sense - but they are not supposed to know MS?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to offend any one academic accomplishment. Like one of the PP said, the score is just a number and getting into either SMCS or GE or even RM is certainly not a proof of prodigy ! My DD with reasonable intelligence and excellent work ethics secured MAP-M score was 284 in 8th fall She really worked hard to get that score. She got invited to both PHS SMCS and GE. (RMIB Not selected and Humanities waitlisted) She is going to accept GE and decline SMCS. If she is able to get into SMCS, I don't there is nothing to feel proud about getting to SMCS. I know a lot of kids with scores 270s will be in this program thus making it an average program (going by your standards )

but they are also reject kids in the 290s. at least in blair's case. ECs?

I feel they have high cutoff scores for low Farms middle school and low cutoff scores for high farms middle school. So that’s why lots of 280 and 290 kids get surprised

Anonymous wrote:Not to offend any one academic accomplishment. Like one of the PP said, the score is just a number and getting into either SMCS or GE or even RM is certainly not a proof of prodigy ! My DD with reasonable intelligence and excellent work ethics secured MAP-M score was 284 in 8th fall She really worked hard to get that score. She got invited to both PHS SMCS and GE. (RMIB Not selected and Humanities waitlisted) She is going to accept GE and decline SMCS. If she is able to get into SMCS, I don't there is nothing to feel proud about getting to SMCS. I know a lot of kids with scores 270s will be in this program thus making it an average program (going by your standards )

but they are also reject kids in the 290s. at least in blair's case. ECs?

It really says something about our society that folks are spending time arguing about this. The goal is to ensure that ALL students receive a rigorous education that prepares them to be contributory citizens and for the next level of career and college readiness. Additionally to allow them to pursue their own unique paths.

Not to offend any one academic accomplishment. Like one of the PP said, the score is just a number and getting into either SMCS or GE or even RM is certainly not a proof of prodigy ! My DD with reasonable intelligence and excellent work ethics secured MAP-M score was 284 in 8th fall She really worked hard to get that score. She got invited to both PHS SMCS and GE. (RMIB Not selected and Humanities waitlisted) She is going to accept GE and decline SMCS. If she is able to get into SMCS, I don't there is nothing to feel proud about getting to SMCS. I know a lot of kids with scores 270s will be in this program thus making it an average program (going by your standards )

Shrug. This is true IME. It does not mean kids are unhappy once they start the program. At the beginning of 9th a lot of kids did talk about not getting in somewhere else.

Anonymous wrote:PHS and Global more narrowly have an inferiority complex. I think PHS Poolesville SMCS is highly regarded by many of the kids go to Global as their last choice and have a chip on their shoulders for not getting in to other programs. There will be kids who really enjoy the subject and are into insects or animals or conservation but the vast majority will be there wishing they had gotten into RMIB or Blair or PHS SMCS

Do you think writing like this makes you superior? Back in the day, getting into Blair SMACS required rigorous testing, teacher recommendations, and even the CoGAT, but that's no longer the case. So, there's no need to feel a sense of superiority just because someone got into Blair.

The only truly standardized assessment for fair comparison is the MAP test, and the median MAP score for Blair admits is in the mid-270s. Many students with scores in the 280–290 range were not invited, while plenty of students with scores below mid-270s were accepted. Parents of students who got into Blair with scores around 270 likely won’t share their child's scores, which can create the illusion that all Blair students are math prodigies.

RM only considers MAP-R (although they used to consider MAP-M, it was never a major factor. e.g. map-m 250s-260s were accepted). GE looks at both MAP-R and MAP-M. Of course, if a student gets into both SMACS and GE, they may prefer SMACS. However, that doesn't mean SMACS students are inherently superior to GE students. SMACS is a regional program, while GE is countywide. Given the unclear admission criteria, a student rejected from Blair SMACS might have been accepted if they had applied under Upcounty criteria for Poolesville SMACS. Since students are not simply ranked and admitted in order of test scores, a wide variety of cases occur.

Additionally, many students choose home schools over magnet programs, particularly those from W schools. You're aware that W schools also send plenty of students to top schools like Ivy League universities, right? Nowadays, magnet programs primarily serve as a way to filter out lower-performing students and group together those who are at least somewhat high-achieving.

Anonymous wrote:PHS and Global more narrowly have an inferiority complex. I think PHS Poolesville SMCS is highly regarded by many of the kids go to Global as their last choice and have a chip on their shoulders for not getting in to other programs. There will be kids who really enjoy the subject and are into insects or animals or conservation but the vast majority will be there wishing they had gotten into RMIB or Blair or PHS SMCS

Wow that’s an awful thing to say and I think from what you wrote that you don’t have a kid in Global. While I do agree that SMCs is generally chosen by students over GE, the GE students are the happiest and in my experience kids of having two go through the program they don’t have a chip on their shoulder. The year my older one was accepted, GE had great college admissions results including MIT Brown and Harvard. Younger one still in HS.