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In accordance with Rule 6130, INSTRUCTION: Magnet Schools and Programs, the Magnet Programs Wait List for the 2007-2008 school year is no longer valid.
 Current Wait List Status for 2008-2009 School Year 
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Magnet Wait List
 What does it mean to be on a wait list?
Magnet programs have a limited number of seats. When more applicants qualify for a magnet program than there are seats to accommodate them, a random lottery selection process is used to fill the available seats and create a wait list for the program. Placement on the wait list means that the applicant qualified for the program and, as a result of the lottery process, was not select for initial placement. The wait lists are maintained until the end of the first semester (January 2009) of the school year for which admission was sought.
What does the wait list number mean?
The wait list number indicates your child’s position on the wait list. You will need this number when checking on your child’s wait list status. Your child’s wait list number will not change even though the number of students on the wait list may decrease as placements are offered.
How can I check the status of the wait list?
The wait list status for all programs will be posted on the Office of Magnet Programs’ Web site (www.bcps.org/offices/omp) beginning in April. The posted wait list will indentify the next wait list number to be contacted if a program seat becomes available as well as the next scheduled update. It is recommended that parents/guardians frequently check the wait list for movement.
What are my child’s chances of getting into a program from the wait list?
If an applicant is offered placement in a magnet program and declines the seat, the Office of Magnet Programs will contact the next applicant on the wait list by telephone. This process continues until the end of the first semester in January 2009. It is impossible to predict how many, if any, applicants may decline a placement offer. If all of the seats in a program are filled, no additional applicants will be offered placement from the wait list.
How will I be contacted with a placement offer?
The Office of Magnet Programs will contact parents/guardians of wait list applicants by phone using the number provided on the application. If no one is available to take the call, the office staff must be able to leave a message. It is the parents’/guardians’ responsibility to inform the Office of Magnet Programs if the phone number changes. The parent/guardian will have 5 business days in which to respond to the placement offer. After 5 business days, the offer will be rescinded and the next wait list applicant will be offered the placement.
If I accept a seat in one program, will my child be removed from the wait list(s) for other programs?
No. Your child will remain on the other wait list(s) until you are offered a program seat or until you inform the Office of Magnet Programs that you want your child to be removed from the list. If you decline a placement offer for a program, your child will be removed from only that program’s list.
If I accept a magnet placement offer from the wait list, what do I need to do next?
You will need to contact the school within 10 business days of accepting the placement to schedule a registration appointment. Failure to contact the school to schedule registration within the 10 day time limit may result in forfeiture of the program seat.
If I have two or more children on a wait list for the same magnet program or school and one is offered a seat, will the sibling(s) be offered placement at the same time?
No. Sibling applicants receive no priority placement from the wait lists. Applicants can only be offered placement in the order in which they appear on the wait list.
Could my child be offered a seat after the school year starts?
Yes. Placement offers may be made until the end of the first semester (January 2009) of the upcoming school year. If you accept a magnet school placement after the start of the school-year your child would be permitted to transfer schools at that time. The schools will assist parents/guardians in the transfer and registration process.
If my child is still on a wait list in the fall of 2008, do I need to reapply for the 2009-2010 school year?
To be considered for a magnet program for the 2009-2010 school-year, you MUST reapply before the next application deadline. Some schools permit application after the entry grade and others do not. Review the magnet brochure for specific school information.
If I apply for a magnet program for 2009-2010, what will happen to my child’s status on the current wait list?
Your child will remain on the 2008-2009 wait list regardless of whether or not you submit an application for the 2009-2010 school year.
Do students on the current year’s wait list receive preference in the next magnet application cycle?
No. All new applications are given equal consideration. All applicants must qualify for a given program and, if there are fewer seats than qualified applicants, program seats will be filled through a random lottery process.
What if I have other questions?
Please contact the Office of Magnet Programs at (410) 887-4127.
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