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That depends upon the nature of the magnet. They each have a different "pull" -or magnet- to draw in a population that would not normally attend school there. Could be a specialized art program, or a STEM emphasis, etc.
My daughter applied to two different magnet schools for high school. One offered an IB program/diploma that wasn't available at our regular high school, and the other was specifically for academically gifted kids. One of them also had transportation available.
I went to a Health Professions Magnet for High School in Houston in the 1980s. It was competitive to get in then, as it was one of the only stand alone magnets in the school district at the time, and I know it's even more competitive now.
Yes, we had additional classes and homework and a longer school day than other HS. We did have bus transpiration, however, which I suppose was pretty unusual considering that students attended from across the Houston area and the school is located in the Texas Medical Center. Once I was driving age, however, I carpooled with other friends who lived "nearby" (i.e. within 15-20 minutes of my house). It took us an hour to get to school in rush hour traffic.
For me, pros of my experience were:
1. Small student body that was very racially and socioeconomically diverse (total of about 800 students in the entire HS).
2. Being surrounded by other bright and motivated kids, virtually 100% of whom were college bound.
3. Very few visible disciplinary problems, drug problems, violence etc (likely due to #2)
4. The school gave me an exposure to something I was interested in and steered me in a direction different than I thought I wanted to go career wise. By that, I mean I was certain I wanted to be a doctor, but after spending time working in hospitals as a 17 year old assisting with patient care activities, I quickly dropped that idea and focused my attention elsewhere in the industry. Some of the things I learned in HS, I applied directly to my advanced degree and career, and I still remember them to this day (medical terminology, Anatomy, Public Health).
I went to a Health Professions Magnet for High School in Houston in the 1980s. It was competitive to get in then, as it was one of the only stand alone magnets in the school district at the time, and I know it's even more competitive now.
Yes, we had additional classes and homework and a longer school day than other HS. We did have bus transpiration, however, which I suppose was pretty unusual considering that students attended from across the Houston area and the school is located in the Texas Medical Center. Once I was driving age, however, I carpooled with other friends who lived "nearby" (i.e. within 15-20 minutes of my house). It took us an hour to get to school in rush hour traffic.
For me, pros of my experience were:
1. Small student body that was very racially and socioeconomically diverse (total of about 800 students in the entire HS).
2. Being surrounded by other bright and motivated kids, virtually 100% of whom were college bound.
3. Very few visible disciplinary problems, drug problems, violence etc (likely due to #2)
4. The school gave me an exposure to something I was interested in and steered me in a direction different than I thought I wanted to go career wise. By that, I mean I was certain I wanted to be a doctor, but after spending time working in hospitals as a 17 year old assisting with patient care activities, I quickly dropped that idea and focused my attention elsewhere in the industry. Some of the things I learned in HS, I applied directly to my advanced degree and career, and I still remember them to this day (medical terminology, Anatomy, Public Health).
The difference was that we was already part of a program called
The Eagle students would go to the Eagle building, and Javits building, stars the stars. Nickname to higher
performing students. I wished I had the ability to stay. Originally I was to be in private school.
Basically the difference for me was
::Regular school::
Students in Detention almost everyday.
It was a bigger building with far more students.
It was closer
Many of my ex-classmates who did not go that school went there.
There diversity was more darker in skin tone ( my opinion from passing by )
::Magnet School::
Our school had a swimming pool ( but it was closed )
Our school had a shop class ( but it was closed )
We had to take the bus ( which was new and expensive at the time in my mind )
We never had any big fights
For the public school route it was a way to separate those was showing ability to make
The difference was that we was already part of a program called
The Eagle students would go to the Eagle building, and Javits building, stars the stars. Nickname to higher
performing students. I wished I had the ability to stay. Originally I was to be in private school.
Basically the difference for me was
::Regular school::
Students in Detention almost everyday.
It was a bigger building with far more students.
It was closer
Many of my ex-classmates who did not go that school went there.
There diversity was more darker in skin tone ( my opinion from passing by )
::Magnet School::
Our school had a swimming pool ( but it was closed )
Our school had a shop class ( but it was closed )
We had to take the bus ( which was new and expensive at the time in my mind )
We never had any big fights
For the public school route it was a way to separate those was showing ability to make
My initial thoughts of perks of a Magnet School is it gets bigger budgets than other public schools that it compares to a private school in terms of teachers (I believe so) but also facilities and exposure trips locally and internationally.
Maybe I'm wrong to expect this from a Magnet school.
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