Marc Lemery/RM&IB/2028
For many years, it has been my goal to get accepted as an incoming 9th grader into the I.B. magnet program at Richard Montgomery High School. I admired the older kids I knew who attended this program. I.B. kids seemed smart and spoke well. They could communicate their ideas in thoughtful, respectful ways. They were interested in and open-minded toward learning new things. I wanted to get an excellent education and be like them.
To make myself a good candidate, I earned top grades through middle school, volunteered more than the number of hours required by the Montgomery County Education System, and tried to make an impact with my extracurricular involvement. I felt confident in these aspects of my application. But I wasn’t sure about one of the largest parts of my candidacy: my MAP scores.
At the beginning of my eighth-grade year, I had only one more shot at the MAP tests before the application deadline in early November. I needed help.
Many of my dad’s colleagues have trusted Dr. Li with their children’s scholastic enrichment. These children have enjoyed their time in his courses and have seen their hard work under his tutelage pay off. With these endorsements, I enrolled in his Fall 2023 Super MAP prep course.
For several hours every Saturday morning, I worked with Dr. Li and his team on test prep. Dr. Li explained difficult math concepts in an easy-to-follow way. He was upbeat, funny, and supportive. He seems to have boundless energy and enthusiasm for math. Later on Saturday mornings, Mr. Li helped me with English language concepts. He is wise, calm, and supportive. I learned a lot from both of them. Together, we crammed. That fall, my MAP-R score increased 3 points, putting me in the 94th percentile, and my MAP-M score jumped 16 points, putting me in the 99th percentile.
Dr. Li and his team did exactly what I wanted them to do: give me greater confidence in my application. I felt good submitting it, and it achieved the desired results. I will begin Richard Montgomery’s I.B. magnet program next fall. Thanks so much, Dr. Li.