Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure how much things have changed in 2 years, but my DD who is Asian got into both global ecology and humanities (only 2 she applied for) with a MAP-M score of 260 and MAP-R score of 254... the whole thread here suggests if you get any less than 270 you are doomed! ... May be you all are talking about only SMACs program! My younger one is going to go through the process next year and her MAP scores are comparable to her sister's and she is also looking for global ecology and humanities programs... reading this thread seems to indicate she has no chance!
Another point for the selection committee when my eldest went through the process, was that if the kid was already in a magnet (she was in Clemente math sci) meant the kids already had an edge since they got into the program with a test and everything. And dont tell me the selection committee doesn't know the schools.... only magnet kids have computer science in their transcript and GT stamped on the Math and Sci courses they take... so they know...
However with my second one, they had lottery selection for middle school magnets. MY DD was in the lottery pool for both programs but her name wasn't picked and so were a bunch of her very smart friends, who all stayed back in their home middle schools... so with that I think there will be hyper focus on just the MAP scores and essays and I dont think they can use the 'Kids already in magnets are smart' argument anymore as magnets kids in this batch were really lottery picks and I know some really questionable selections who are currently struggling in their magnet schools!
Oh well...make the high schools also lottery already! its all just luck from this point on !

I'll be that jerk. Many of the people on this thread do not really think of those as real magnets. Sorry it's true. Blair SMAC is the main one that matters. My child is on the WL too with those scores for Poolesville but did not make the waitpool for any of the others.

Sorry to break your bubble. DC know boys from TPMS with 240/250 who made it to Blair SMAC. They seem to have taken the very top. Close to 300 or 300+ and for the rest it seems like a bit of a lottery.

I call BS. Not only did no kids from TPMS get in with scores that low but none of the TPMS magnet kids even have MAP-M scores in the 240s in 8th grade. My own TPMS kid reports that there were no surprises among the kids who got in. They were the strongest kids. I don’t know if your kid was bullshitting you or if you just made this up to stir shit.

Of course this is BS. But I'm guessing there are a few lottery 6th graders with scores like that. From high farm schools.

From any schools. But we’re not talking about sixth graders, these are 8th.

Yes, and for 8th graders that's utter nonsense. The only reason 6th grade lottery kids get in with those scores are because 1) it's a lottery 2) they are from a high-FARMs school The PP was just confused.

It's just another sour grapes post. Their kid wasn't selected so they make up nonsense to trash the program which they were so desperate to get their child into.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure how much things have changed in 2 years, but my DD who is Asian got into both global ecology and humanities (only 2 she applied for) with a MAP-M score of 260 and MAP-R score of 254... the whole thread here suggests if you get any less than 270 you are doomed! ... May be you all are talking about only SMACs program! My younger one is going to go through the process next year and her MAP scores are comparable to her sister's and she is also looking for global ecology and humanities programs... reading this thread seems to indicate she has no chance!
Another point for the selection committee when my eldest went through the process, was that if the kid was already in a magnet (she was in Clemente math sci) meant the kids already had an edge since they got into the program with a test and everything. And dont tell me the selection committee doesn't know the schools.... only magnet kids have computer science in their transcript and GT stamped on the Math and Sci courses they take... so they know...
However with my second one, they had lottery selection for middle school magnets. MY DD was in the lottery pool for both programs but her name wasn't picked and so were a bunch of her very smart friends, who all stayed back in their home middle schools... so with that I think there will be hyper focus on just the MAP scores and essays and I dont think they can use the 'Kids already in magnets are smart' argument anymore as magnets kids in this batch were really lottery picks and I know some really questionable selections who are currently struggling in their magnet schools!
Oh well...make the high schools also lottery already! its all just luck from this point on !

I'll be that jerk. Many of the people on this thread do not really think of those as real magnets. Sorry it's true. Blair SMAC is the main one that matters. My child is on the WL too with those scores for Poolesville but did not make the waitpool for any of the others.

Sorry to break your bubble. DC know boys from TPMS with 240/250 who made it to Blair SMAC. They seem to have taken the very top. Close to 300 or 300+ and for the rest it seems like a bit of a lottery.

I call BS. Not only did no kids from TPMS get in with scores that low but none of the TPMS magnet kids even have MAP-M scores in the 240s in 8th grade. My own TPMS kid reports that there were no surprises among the kids who got in. They were the strongest kids. I don’t know if your kid was bullshitting you or if you just made this up to stir shit.

Of course this is BS. But I'm guessing there are a few lottery 6th graders with scores like that. From high farm schools.

From any schools. But we’re not talking about sixth graders, these are 8th.

Yes, and for 8th graders that's utter nonsense. The only reason 6th grade lottery kids get in with those scores are because 1) it's a lottery 2) they are from a high-FARMs school The PP was just confused.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure how much things have changed in 2 years, but my DD who is Asian got into both global ecology and humanities (only 2 she applied for) with a MAP-M score of 260 and MAP-R score of 254... the whole thread here suggests if you get any less than 270 you are doomed! ... May be you all are talking about only SMACs program! My younger one is going to go through the process next year and her MAP scores are comparable to her sister's and she is also looking for global ecology and humanities programs... reading this thread seems to indicate she has no chance!
Another point for the selection committee when my eldest went through the process, was that if the kid was already in a magnet (she was in Clemente math sci) meant the kids already had an edge since they got into the program with a test and everything. And dont tell me the selection committee doesn't know the schools.... only magnet kids have computer science in their transcript and GT stamped on the Math and Sci courses they take... so they know...
However with my second one, they had lottery selection for middle school magnets. MY DD was in the lottery pool for both programs but her name wasn't picked and so were a bunch of her very smart friends, who all stayed back in their home middle schools... so with that I think there will be hyper focus on just the MAP scores and essays and I dont think they can use the 'Kids already in magnets are smart' argument anymore as magnets kids in this batch were really lottery picks and I know some really questionable selections who are currently struggling in their magnet schools!
Oh well...make the high schools also lottery already! its all just luck from this point on !

I'll be that jerk. Many of the people on this thread do not really think of those as real magnets. Sorry it's true. Blair SMAC is the main one that matters. My child is on the WL too with those scores for Poolesville but did not make the waitpool for any of the others.

Sorry to break your bubble. DC know boys from TPMS with 240/250 who made it to Blair SMAC. They seem to have taken the very top. Close to 300 or 300+ and for the rest it seems like a bit of a lottery.

I call BS. Not only did no kids from TPMS get in with scores that low but none of the TPMS magnet kids even have MAP-M scores in the 240s in 8th grade. My own TPMS kid reports that there were no surprises among the kids who got in. They were the strongest kids. I don’t know if your kid was bullshitting you or if you just made this up to stir shit.

Of course this is BS. But I'm guessing there are a few lottery 6th graders with scores like that. From high farm schools.

From any schools. But we’re not talking about sixth graders, these are 8th.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure how much things have changed in 2 years, but my DD who is Asian got into both global ecology and humanities (only 2 she applied for) with a MAP-M score of 260 and MAP-R score of 254... the whole thread here suggests if you get any less than 270 you are doomed! ... May be you all are talking about only SMACs program! My younger one is going to go through the process next year and her MAP scores are comparable to her sister's and she is also looking for global ecology and humanities programs... reading this thread seems to indicate she has no chance!
Another point for the selection committee when my eldest went through the process, was that if the kid was already in a magnet (she was in Clemente math sci) meant the kids already had an edge since they got into the program with a test and everything. And dont tell me the selection committee doesn't know the schools.... only magnet kids have computer science in their transcript and GT stamped on the Math and Sci courses they take... so they know...
However with my second one, they had lottery selection for middle school magnets. MY DD was in the lottery pool for both programs but her name wasn't picked and so were a bunch of her very smart friends, who all stayed back in their home middle schools... so with that I think there will be hyper focus on just the MAP scores and essays and I dont think they can use the 'Kids already in magnets are smart' argument anymore as magnets kids in this batch were really lottery picks and I know some really questionable selections who are currently struggling in their magnet schools!
Oh well...make the high schools also lottery already! its all just luck from this point on !

I'll be that jerk. Many of the people on this thread do not really think of those as real magnets. Sorry it's true. Blair SMAC is the main one that matters. My child is on the WL too with those scores for Poolesville but did not make the waitpool for any of the others.

Sorry to break your bubble. DC know boys from TPMS with 240/250 who made it to Blair SMAC. They seem to have taken the very top. Close to 300 or 300+ and for the rest it seems like a bit of a lottery.

I call BS. Not only did no kids from TPMS get in with scores that low but none of the TPMS magnet kids even have MAP-M scores in the 240s in 8th grade. My own TPMS kid reports that there were no surprises among the kids who got in. They were the strongest kids. I don’t know if your kid was bullshitting you or if you just made this up to stir shit.

Of course this is BS. But I'm guessing there are a few lottery 6th graders with scores like that. From high farm schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure how much things have changed in 2 years, but my DD who is Asian got into both global ecology and humanities (only 2 she applied for) with a MAP-M score of 260 and MAP-R score of 254... the whole thread here suggests if you get any less than 270 you are doomed! ... May be you all are talking about only SMACs program! My younger one is going to go through the process next year and her MAP scores are comparable to her sister's and she is also looking for global ecology and humanities programs... reading this thread seems to indicate she has no chance!
Another point for the selection committee when my eldest went through the process, was that if the kid was already in a magnet (she was in Clemente math sci) meant the kids already had an edge since they got into the program with a test and everything. And dont tell me the selection committee doesn't know the schools.... only magnet kids have computer science in their transcript and GT stamped on the Math and Sci courses they take... so they know...
However with my second one, they had lottery selection for middle school magnets. MY DD was in the lottery pool for both programs but her name wasn't picked and so were a bunch of her very smart friends, who all stayed back in their home middle schools... so with that I think there will be hyper focus on just the MAP scores and essays and I dont think they can use the 'Kids already in magnets are smart' argument anymore as magnets kids in this batch were really lottery picks and I know some really questionable selections who are currently struggling in their magnet schools!
Oh well...make the high schools also lottery already! its all just luck from this point on !

I'll be that jerk. Many of the people on this thread do not really think of those as real magnets. Sorry it's true. Blair SMAC is the main one that matters. My child is on the WL too with those scores for Poolesville but did not make the waitpool for any of the others.

Sorry to break your bubble. DC know boys from TPMS with 240/250 who made it to Blair SMAC. They seem to have taken the very top. Close to 300 or 300+ and for the rest it seems like a bit of a lottery.

I call BS. Not only did no kids from TPMS get in with scores that low but none of the TPMS magnet kids even have MAP-M scores in the 240s in 8th grade. My own TPMS kid reports that there were no surprises among the kids who got in. They were the strongest kids. I don’t know if your kid was bullshitting you or if you just made this up to stir shit.

Anonymous wrote:Your post is exactly why there’s bias in the system. That poster was only making a general case that the system isn’t completely race-neutral, which it is not, and then you just respond by an attack that has nothing to do with the actual post.

Kids who live in poverty do have real barriers to academic achievement, and I think everyone recognizes that. Unfortunately the magnet reforms that are happening across the country are focused on race. In New York City, nearly all the kids getting in to magnets are FARMS. The same kids that you claim might have to use flashlights to do their homework. But they are nearly all poor Asian kids so the changes being discussed there do nothing to help kids who are FARMS or ESOL but instead look for other changes that will result in the reduction of Asian students despite so many of them being poor. I can’t believe you used the example of violin and heritage language school. Talk about bias and stereotyping. Good one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From what I can tell there was one poster who was upset and said something she probably didn't mean and if she did mean it I think she is wrong to think that way.

However, I do think there are biases against Asians in the MCPS admissions system as there are in many aspects of American society just as there are biases against students who are Black or Latinx. Are there more against Asians than students who are Black or Latinx? Maybe not but I don't know the answer to that and neither do you. It's ignorant of you to characterize the idea of any discrimination as ludicrous and then cite fake misleading statistics.

Her claims (and I think it was more than one poster) were ludicrous. I’m not denying discrimination exists, but making such claims based on the evidence - a race blind process and the vast over representation of the one racial group that was claimed was discriminated against was both ludicrous and insulting to the kids that she/they suggested benefited from this alleged discrimination.

It is not a race blind situation. Look at the program website.

It would be illegal for it not to be in the United States. They cannot consider the race of the applicant,

Everyone knows ESOL and FARMS status are a proxy for race in MCPS. There's a huge correlation and as PPs have pointed out before you can tip your hand to your race in your essays. There's no race box in the information the committee receives but to pretend it's totally race blind is just a lie. I don't agree with the poster who claims that there is a magic way MCPS is comparing Asians to only Asians but I think subtle issues exist. Subtle issues exist for other races too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure how much things have changed in 2 years, but my DD who is Asian got into both global ecology and humanities (only 2 she applied for) with a MAP-M score of 260 and MAP-R score of 254... the whole thread here suggests if you get any less than 270 you are doomed! ... May be you all are talking about only SMACs program! My younger one is going to go through the process next year and her MAP scores are comparable to her sister's and she is also looking for global ecology and humanities programs... reading this thread seems to indicate she has no chance!
Another point for the selection committee when my eldest went through the process, was that if the kid was already in a magnet (she was in Clemente math sci) meant the kids already had an edge since they got into the program with a test and everything. And dont tell me the selection committee doesn't know the schools.... only magnet kids have computer science in their transcript and GT stamped on the Math and Sci courses they take... so they know...
However with my second one, they had lottery selection for middle school magnets. MY DD was in the lottery pool for both programs but her name wasn't picked and so were a bunch of her very smart friends, who all stayed back in their home middle schools... so with that I think there will be hyper focus on just the MAP scores and essays and I dont think they can use the 'Kids already in magnets are smart' argument anymore as magnets kids in this batch were really lottery picks and I know some really questionable selections who are currently struggling in their magnet schools!
Oh well...make the high schools also lottery already! its all just luck from this point on !

I'll be that jerk. Many of the people on this thread do not really think of those as real magnets. Sorry it's true. Blair SMAC is the main one that matters. My child is on the WL too with those scores for Poolesville but did not make the waitpool for any of the others.

Sorry to break your bubble. DC know boys from TPMS with 240/250 who made it to Blair SMAC. They seem to have taken the very top. Close to 300 or 300+ and for the rest it seems like a bit of a lottery.

I call BS. Not only did no kids from TPMS get in with scores that low but none of the TPMS magnet kids even have MAP-M scores in the 240s in 8th grade. My own TPMS kid reports that there were no surprises among the kids who got in. They were the strongest kids. I don’t know if your kid was bullshitting you or if you just made this up to stir shit.

Yes. TPMS kids have scores in 240/250 range. Yes, thankfully they have selected the strongest kids. Read my post again. And improve your vocabulary -
seems rather shitty.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure how much things have changed in 2 years, but my DD who is Asian got into both global ecology and humanities (only 2 she applied for) with a MAP-M score of 260 and MAP-R score of 254... the whole thread here suggests if you get any less than 270 you are doomed! ... May be you all are talking about only SMACs program! My younger one is going to go through the process next year and her MAP scores are comparable to her sister's and she is also looking for global ecology and humanities programs... reading this thread seems to indicate she has no chance!
Another point for the selection committee when my eldest went through the process, was that if the kid was already in a magnet (she was in Clemente math sci) meant the kids already had an edge since they got into the program with a test and everything. And dont tell me the selection committee doesn't know the schools.... only magnet kids have computer science in their transcript and GT stamped on the Math and Sci courses they take... so they know...
However with my second one, they had lottery selection for middle school magnets. MY DD was in the lottery pool for both programs but her name wasn't picked and so were a bunch of her very smart friends, who all stayed back in their home middle schools... so with that I think there will be hyper focus on just the MAP scores and essays and I dont think they can use the 'Kids already in magnets are smart' argument anymore as magnets kids in this batch were really lottery picks and I know some really questionable selections who are currently struggling in their magnet schools!
Oh well...make the high schools also lottery already! its all just luck from this point on !

I'll be that jerk. Many of the people on this thread do not really think of those as real magnets. Sorry it's true. Blair SMAC is the main one that matters. My child is on the WL too with those scores for Poolesville but did not make the waitpool for any of the others.

Sorry to break your bubble. DC know boys from TPMS with 240/250 who made it to Blair SMAC. They seem to have taken the very top. Close to 300 or 300+ and for the rest it seems like a bit of a lottery.

I call BS. Not only did no kids from TPMS get in with scores that low but none of the TPMS magnet kids even have MAP-M scores in the 240s in 8th grade. My own TPMS kid reports that there were no surprises among the kids who got in. They were the strongest kids. I don’t know if your kid was bullshitting you or if you just made this up to stir shit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure how much things have changed in 2 years, but my DD who is Asian got into both global ecology and humanities (only 2 she applied for) with a MAP-M score of 260 and MAP-R score of 254... the whole thread here suggests if you get any less than 270 you are doomed! ... May be you all are talking about only SMACs program! My younger one is going to go through the process next year and her MAP scores are comparable to her sister's and she is also looking for global ecology and humanities programs... reading this thread seems to indicate she has no chance!
Another point for the selection committee when my eldest went through the process, was that if the kid was already in a magnet (she was in Clemente math sci) meant the kids already had an edge since they got into the program with a test and everything. And dont tell me the selection committee doesn't know the schools.... only magnet kids have computer science in their transcript and GT stamped on the Math and Sci courses they take... so they know...
However with my second one, they had lottery selection for middle school magnets. MY DD was in the lottery pool for both programs but her name wasn't picked and so were a bunch of her very smart friends, who all stayed back in their home middle schools... so with that I think there will be hyper focus on just the MAP scores and essays and I dont think they can use the 'Kids already in magnets are smart' argument anymore as magnets kids in this batch were really lottery picks and I know some really questionable selections who are currently struggling in their magnet schools!
Oh well...make the high schools also lottery already! its all just luck from this point on !

1. Kids in magnets are actually at a disadvantage as there seems to be a school limit. so the bar is higher.
2. I have had other kids go through the magnets before. It was a much more structure and holistic process. Longer essay, MAP+Grades+Cogat + recommendation. So they won't have missed the really good kids. now it is just MAP (gameable), short essay (can't differentiate) and grades (again can't differentiate). More of a lottery.

don't take all this too seriously.

Short essay can absolutely differentiate.

And CogAt is also gameable

There hasn't been Cogat in several years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure how much things have changed in 2 years, but my DD who is Asian got into both global ecology and humanities (only 2 she applied for) with a MAP-M score of 260 and MAP-R score of 254... the whole thread here suggests if you get any less than 270 you are doomed! ... May be you all are talking about only SMACs program! My younger one is going to go through the process next year and her MAP scores are comparable to her sister's and she is also looking for global ecology and humanities programs... reading this thread seems to indicate she has no chance!
Another point for the selection committee when my eldest went through the process, was that if the kid was already in a magnet (she was in Clemente math sci) meant the kids already had an edge since they got into the program with a test and everything. And dont tell me the selection committee doesn't know the schools.... only magnet kids have computer science in their transcript and GT stamped on the Math and Sci courses they take... so they know...
However with my second one, they had lottery selection for middle school magnets. MY DD was in the lottery pool for both programs but her name wasn't picked and so were a bunch of her very smart friends, who all stayed back in their home middle schools... so with that I think there will be hyper focus on just the MAP scores and essays and I dont think they can use the 'Kids already in magnets are smart' argument anymore as magnets kids in this batch were really lottery picks and I know some really questionable selections who are currently struggling in their magnet schools!
Oh well...make the high schools also lottery already! its all just luck from this point on !

1. Kids in magnets are actually at a disadvantage as there seems to be a school limit. so the bar is higher.
2. I have had other kids go through the magnets before. It was a much more structure and holistic process. Longer essay, MAP+Grades+Cogat + recommendation. So they won't have missed the really good kids. now it is just MAP (gameable), short essay (can't differentiate) and grades (again can't differentiate). More of a lottery.

don't take all this too seriously.

Short essay can absolutely differentiate.

And CogAt is also gameable

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure how much things have changed in 2 years, but my DD who is Asian got into both global ecology and humanities (only 2 she applied for) with a MAP-M score of 260 and MAP-R score of 254... the whole thread here suggests if you get any less than 270 you are doomed! ... May be you all are talking about only SMACs program! My younger one is going to go through the process next year and her MAP scores are comparable to her sister's and she is also looking for global ecology and humanities programs... reading this thread seems to indicate she has no chance!
Another point for the selection committee when my eldest went through the process, was that if the kid was already in a magnet (she was in Clemente math sci) meant the kids already had an edge since they got into the program with a test and everything. And dont tell me the selection committee doesn't know the schools.... only magnet kids have computer science in their transcript and GT stamped on the Math and Sci courses they take... so they know...
However with my second one, they had lottery selection for middle school magnets. MY DD was in the lottery pool for both programs but her name wasn't picked and so were a bunch of her very smart friends, who all stayed back in their home middle schools... so with that I think there will be hyper focus on just the MAP scores and essays and I dont think they can use the 'Kids already in magnets are smart' argument anymore as magnets kids in this batch were really lottery picks and I know some really questionable selections who are currently struggling in their magnet schools!
Oh well...make the high schools also lottery already! its all just luck from this point on !

I'll be that jerk. Many of the people on this thread do not really think of those as real magnets. Sorry it's true. Blair SMAC is the main one that matters. My child is on the WL too with those scores for Poolesville but did not make the waitpool for any of the others.

Sorry to break your bubble. DC know boys from TPMS with 240/250 who made it to Blair SMAC. They seem to have taken the very top. Close to 300 or 300+ and for the rest it seems like a bit of a lottery.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure how much things have changed in 2 years, but my DD who is Asian got into both global ecology and humanities (only 2 she applied for) with a MAP-M score of 260 and MAP-R score of 254... the whole thread here suggests if you get any less than 270 you are doomed! ... May be you all are talking about only SMACs program! My younger one is going to go through the process next year and her MAP scores are comparable to her sister's and she is also looking for global ecology and humanities programs... reading this thread seems to indicate she has no chance!
Another point for the selection committee when my eldest went through the process, was that if the kid was already in a magnet (she was in Clemente math sci) meant the kids already had an edge since they got into the program with a test and everything. And dont tell me the selection committee doesn't know the schools.... only magnet kids have computer science in their transcript and GT stamped on the Math and Sci courses they take... so they know...
However with my second one, they had lottery selection for middle school magnets. MY DD was in the lottery pool for both programs but her name wasn't picked and so were a bunch of her very smart friends, who all stayed back in their home middle schools... so with that I think there will be hyper focus on just the MAP scores and essays and I dont think they can use the 'Kids already in magnets are smart' argument anymore as magnets kids in this batch were really lottery picks and I know some really questionable selections who are currently struggling in their magnet schools!
Oh well...make the high schools also lottery already! its all just luck from this point on !

1. Kids in magnets are actually at a disadvantage as there seems to be a school limit. so the bar is higher.
2. I have had other kids go through the magnets before. It was a much more structure and holistic process. Longer essay, MAP+Grades+Cogat + recommendation. So they won't have missed the really good kids. now it is just MAP (gameable), short essay (can't differentiate) and grades (again can't differentiate). More of a lottery.

don't take all this too seriously.

Short essay can absolutely differentiate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure how much things have changed in 2 years, but my DD who is Asian got into both global ecology and humanities (only 2 she applied for) with a MAP-M score of 260 and MAP-R score of 254... the whole thread here suggests if you get any less than 270 you are doomed! ... May be you all are talking about only SMACs program! My younger one is going to go through the process next year and her MAP scores are comparable to her sister's and she is also looking for global ecology and humanities programs... reading this thread seems to indicate she has no chance!
Another point for the selection committee when my eldest went through the process, was that if the kid was already in a magnet (she was in Clemente math sci) meant the kids already had an edge since they got into the program with a test and everything. And dont tell me the selection committee doesn't know the schools.... only magnet kids have computer science in their transcript and GT stamped on the Math and Sci courses they take... so they know...
However with my second one, they had lottery selection for middle school magnets. MY DD was in the lottery pool for both programs but her name wasn't picked and so were a bunch of her very smart friends, who all stayed back in their home middle schools... so with that I think there will be hyper focus on just the MAP scores and essays and I dont think they can use the 'Kids already in magnets are smart' argument anymore as magnets kids in this batch were really lottery picks and I know some really questionable selections who are currently struggling in their magnet schools!
Oh well...make the high schools also lottery already! its all just luck from this point on !

I'll be that jerk. Many of the people on this thread do not really think of those as real magnets. Sorry it's true. Blair SMAC is the main one that matters. My child is on the WL too with those scores for Poolesville but did not make the waitpool for any of the others.

Sorry to break your bubble. DC know boys from TPMS with 240/250 who made it to Blair SMAC. They seem to have taken the very top. Close to 300 or 300+ and for the rest it seems like a bit of a lottery.