My understanding was there was no teacher recommendation.

If I were to guess, MCPS had various test minimums they were looking for, but they didn't give much extra weight to an applicant based on how high in the 99th percentile a score might be. After that, they consider teacher recommendation, written response--subjective criterion--but, everyone in the pool is more than capable of attending the magnet. I'm doubting that zip was a big part of the process. But students who have been expecting admission based on an extra high test scores would find themselves in a much bigger pool. If those students really are clustered in a given zip code, well ... 40 page thread.

Anonymous wrote:The highest performing cohort on the magnet entrance exam from Cold Spring has been making the highest performing cohort in TPMA and Blair. This highest-performing cohort on one test also excels in MAP-M and MAP-R, PARCC, MSA for the past twenty and thirty years.
This cohort will be the scientists who find a cure for cancer and discover the reusable fuel to save the earth, the engineers who build new computers and smartphones. Some of the students from this cohort will your doctors, your lawyers, or your financial advisor.
They may become teachers or politicians.
Most of the students in this cohort are from middle-class families with taxpaying, working parents.
It is not fair for MCPS to deny their chance to join the MS magnets, just because of their zip code.

It doesn't sound like they need to go to a magnet to be successful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That's a little different than knowing they now have virtually no chance at admission despite being the highest-performing cohort in the county. You don't think that might take a little adjusting?

It's not like they're going to apply to the MS magnet program again next year. They knew, as did everybody, that you can apply, but you might not get in. And that's what happened. And now they're disappointed, just like every other kid who hasn't gotten in. Plenty of kids from Cold Spring apparently didn't get in last year. Did the principal give a speech to them?

That seems a wee bit overdramatic IMO.

Highest performing cohort on a test that could be prepped.

And on a test that was taken 2 years ago.

Which could be prepped.

And you know this because of the circles you run in, which are clearly score obsessed. MCPS doesn't publish data by cohort, you collect it anonymously from these boards. I had a child at a different center and this was never a topic of conversation.

Anonymous wrote:We have gotten nothing in the mail yet. My child came home all excited because her teacher congratulated her for making it into one of the magnets, but then stopped talking when it was obvious my child had no idea. Did not mention which magnet. Late today I get an email saying “reminder, meeting for accepted TPMS students is on Tuesday night,” which I almost deleted because I assumed it was a mass email to the community - and maybe it was. But still no letter in the mailbox today.

Did everyone get that email, our was it really only for invited kids?

I would have thought, based on strengths and interest, that Eastern would have been the magnet DC would be was accepted into if any, so I am very confused by all of this.

Non-HGC, W feeder if folks are curious.

Sounds like an email to the teacher could clear it up. Congratulations.

Anonymous wrote:We have gotten nothing in the mail yet. My child came home all excited because her teacher congratulated her for making it into one of the magnets, but then stopped talking when it was obvious my child had no idea. Did not mention which magnet. Late today I get an email saying “reminder, meeting for accepted TPMS students is on Tuesday night,” which I almost deleted because I assumed it was a mass email to the community - and maybe it was. But still no letter in the mailbox today.

Did everyone get that email, our was it really only for invited kids?

I would have thought, based on strengths and interest, that Eastern would have been the magnet DC would be was accepted into if any, so I am very confused by all of this.

Non-HGC, W feeder if folks are curious.

I think only accepted kids' parents got the email. Eastern's is Wed evening. I got an email for both Eastern and Takoma today. Letter also came in post today.

Anonymous wrote:We have gotten nothing in the mail yet. My child came home all excited because her teacher congratulated her for making it into one of the magnets, but then stopped talking when it was obvious my child had no idea. Did not mention which magnet. Late today I get an email saying “reminder, meeting for accepted TPMS students is on Tuesday night,” which I almost deleted because I assumed it was a mass email to the community - and maybe it was. But still no letter in the mailbox today.

Did everyone get that email, our was it really only for invited kids?

I would have thought, based on strengths and interest, that Eastern would have been the magnet DC would be was accepted into if any, so I am very confused by all of this.

Non-HGC, W feeder if folks are curious.

Accepted to Eastern, got an email and phone call about that open house on Wed. Nothing from TPMS (not accepted there).

So I'd say you can feel pretty confident your child is in, but you'll want to call on Tuesday to confirm if you don't get anything tomorrow. Our packet had paperwork to fill out and submit with the acceptance, so presumably TPMS packets did, too. You should ask whether you can get that at the open house in case your letter doesn't arrive before the deadline.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That's a little different than knowing they now have virtually no chance at admission despite being the highest-performing cohort in the county. You don't think that might take a little adjusting?

It's not like they're going to apply to the MS magnet program again next year. They knew, as did everybody, that you can apply, but you might not get in. And that's what happened. And now they're disappointed, just like every other kid who hasn't gotten in. Plenty of kids from Cold Spring apparently didn't get in last year. Did the principal give a speech to them?

That seems a wee bit overdramatic IMO.

Highest performing cohort on a test that could be prepped.

And on a test that was taken 2 years ago.

We have gotten nothing in the mail yet. My child came home all excited because her teacher congratulated her for making it into one of the magnets, but then stopped talking when it was obvious my child had no idea. Did not mention which magnet. Late today I get an email saying “reminder, meeting for accepted TPMS students is on Tuesday night,” which I almost deleted because I assumed it was a mass email to the community - and maybe it was. But still no letter in the mailbox today.

Did everyone get that email, our was it really only for invited kids?

I would have thought, based on strengths and interest, that Eastern would have been the magnet DC would be was accepted into if any, so I am very confused by all of this.

Non-HGC, W feeder if folks are curious.

Anonymous wrote:The highest performing cohort on the magnet entrance exam from Cold Spring has been making the highest performing cohort in TPMA and Blair. This highest-performing cohort on one test also excels in MAP-M and MAP-R, PARCC, MSA for the past twenty and thirty years.
This cohort will be the scientists who find a cure for cancer and discover the reusable fuel to save the earth, the engineers who build new computers and smartphones. Some of the students from this cohort will your doctors, your lawyers, or your financial advisor.
They may become teachers or politicians.
Most of the students in this cohort are from middle-class families with taxpaying, working parents.
It is not fair for MCPS to deny their chance to join the MS magnets, just because of their zip code.

I am genuinely sorry that these 11 and 12 year old children suffered what may have been there first ever disappointment. However, their brilliant careers as researchers and medical doctors are not going to be derailed by the fact that they were not admitted to one program one time when they were a preteen. You also have no evidence that zip code was the issue here. I know it is easy to blame poor children and working class children for something that seems inexplicable but it is both untrue and unkind.

Anonymous wrote:The highest performing cohort on the magnet entrance exam from Cold Spring has been making the highest performing cohort in TPMA and Blair. This highest-performing cohort on one test also excels in MAP-M and MAP-R, PARCC, MSA for the past twenty and thirty years.
This cohort will be the scientists who find a cure for cancer and discover the reusable fuel to save the earth, the engineers who build new computers and smartphones. Some of the students from this cohort will your doctors, your lawyers, or your financial advisor.
They may become teachers or politicians.
Most of the students in this cohort are from middle-class families with taxpaying, working parents.
It is not fair for MCPS to deny their chance to join the MS magnets, just because of their zip code.

Cry me a river

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Unfortunately, fact is that MCPS is suffering from billions of budget cut so expanding accelerated/enriched instructions in local schools is technically day-dreaming. Then rich and high-educated people start to think of moving out of the county, house price declines and less property tax, and more deficit of education budget. So on and so forth.

I haven't noticed any house price declines in the areas where rich people live. Or anywhere else in the county.

I also find it preposterous to assume that people would just up and move from Bethesda to Howard County because Larlo didn't get into Eastern. Please.

It's not crazy. we are zoned for a GS5 middle school and after driving it out in a GS6 elementary school, we would prefer our kid to be in a different peer group. Her friends are nice kids but completely unmotivated and this has rubbed off on her. they have other habits as a result of their upbringing and I don't want my kid to start thinking it is normal. As it is. she does not fit in with her classmates. we can get a nice house zoned for a good school in Howard county and we decided that if she doesn't get in the magnet program, which she didn't. we will move. So we are moving.

Don't let the door hits you on your way out.

I won't. ?

The highest performing cohort on the magnet entrance exam from Cold Spring has been making the highest performing cohort in TPMA and Blair. This highest-performing cohort on one test also excels in MAP-M and MAP-R, PARCC, MSA for the past twenty and thirty years.
This cohort will be the scientists who find a cure for cancer and discover the reusable fuel to save the earth, the engineers who build new computers and smartphones. Some of the students from this cohort will your doctors, your lawyers, or your financial advisor.
They may become teachers or politicians.
Most of the students in this cohort are from middle-class families with taxpaying, working parents.
It is not fair for MCPS to deny their chance to join the MS magnets, just because of their zip code.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That's a little different than knowing they now have virtually no chance at admission despite being the highest-performing cohort in the county. You don't think that might take a little adjusting?

It's not like they're going to apply to the MS magnet program again next year. They knew, as did everybody, that you can apply, but you might not get in. And that's what happened. And now they're disappointed, just like every other kid who hasn't gotten in. Plenty of kids from Cold Spring apparently didn't get in last year. Did the principal give a speech to them?

No, since it wasn't 97% of them.

It was only 50% of them, right? (If ~25 kid got in, ~25 kids didn't.) The principal doesn't address disappointment until it's over 75%? Or something?

I think people are upset because it is likely that many of the children who were rejected might have been discriminated against by a new selection process that seems to place undue emphasis on geography.

I fully expected the admission rates from the CES to decline as MCPS opened up the application pool. That was a great move by MCPS - make sure more families are aware of the programs and make it easier for more kids to apply.
The super low admission rate from Cold Spring implies something else is at play - that students from the ES with the highest test scores were only able to secure 2 spots indicates that MCPS was using other criteria for selecting candidates. If they are discriminating against students in W schools that is really unfair.
Also I don't know if it is one person or more than one person who keeps bringing up prepping. It is really annoying and unfair to the students. I am sure some did prep but it is not accurate to imply that Cold Spring results are high only or even mostly because students prepped.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Unfortunately, fact is that MCPS is suffering from billions of budget cut so expanding accelerated/enriched instructions in local schools is technically day-dreaming. Then rich and high-educated people start to think of moving out of the county, house price declines and less property tax, and more deficit of education budget. So on and so forth.

I haven't noticed any house price declines in the areas where rich people live. Or anywhere else in the county.

I also find it preposterous to assume that people would just up and move from Bethesda to Howard County because Larlo didn't get into Eastern. Please.

It's not crazy. we are zoned for a GS5 middle school and after driving it out in a GS6 elementary school, we would prefer our kid to be in a different peer group. Her friends are nice kids but completely unmotivated and this has rubbed off on her. they have other habits as a result of their upbringing and I don't want my kid to start thinking it is normal. As it is. she does not fit in with her classmates. we can get a nice house zoned for a good school in Howard county and we decided that if she doesn't get in the magnet program, which she didn't. we will move. So we are moving.

Don't let the door hits you on your way out.