A/B Student with no AP classes until senior year

[Anonymous]

Someone getting C’s on the exams, even if they are doing better on the day-to-day homework, may not be ready for the higher level class.

Although your school definitely seems to have even stricter requirements than typical. Most privates gatekeep APs or honors classes to some extent, but yours seems really hard@SS about it.

Have you considered switching to a different private rather than throwing in the towel altogether and going to public?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP and his grades aren’t bad…at all. They are a point or 2 shy of an A in each of the classes where it matters. Other classses he does have As. And sadly he would be much better off in a higher level class at a public according to accounts here. I truly wish that wasn’t the case. But it is what it is.

PP here. If there is any way that they can pull out an A in those classes where they are a point or 2 shy of an A, push it. I looked to make sure all assignments were tuned in, even if it was reduced credit for late assignments. I also tried to heavily encourage preparing for the finals, not last minute - understanding what concepts they didn’t learn earlier, encouraging working with the study guide (if provided) or creating their own. They would also sometimes create quizllets or use ones their friends created. I know there was at least one year where they were on the cusp of the needed grade and registered for the honors class and was able to get the needed grade.

Unfortunately not. Or maybe mathematically possible but not realistically. Quarter grades are good but kid didn’t do great on mid terms (C/C+ for these) so it really has an impact. I was hoping that a 2nd semester A, which is attainable, would be enough for one of the classes to allow honors next year but it is not.

Your kid is getting Cs on tests. He shouldn't be moving up into any higher course. I think you know that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP and his grades aren’t bad…at all. They are a point or 2 shy of an A in each of the classes where it matters. Other classses he does have As. And sadly he would be much better off in a higher level class at a public according to accounts here. I truly wish that wasn’t the case. But it is what it is.

PP here. If there is any way that they can pull out an A in those classes where they are a point or 2 shy of an A, push it. I looked to make sure all assignments were tuned in, even if it was reduced credit for late assignments. I also tried to heavily encourage preparing for the finals, not last minute - understanding what concepts they didn’t learn earlier, encouraging working with the study guide (if provided) or creating their own. They would also sometimes create quizllets or use ones their friends created. I know there was at least one year where they were on the cusp of the needed grade and registered for the honors class and was able to get the needed grade.

Unfortunately not. Or maybe mathematically possible but not realistically. Quarter grades are good but kid didn’t do great on mid terms (C/C+ for these) so it really has an impact. I was hoping that a 2nd semester A, which is attainable, would be enough for one of the classes to allow honors next year but it is not.

Your kid is getting Cs on tests. He shouldn't be moving up into any higher course. I think you know that.

Respectfully disagree. First set of exams. It's a lot and does not define him as a student. If the rest of his tests and work were C's that would be a different story. Clearly if grades were perfect he would have the A's he needs but he is darn close and my question/concern is what happens with non-honors/AP though all or most of high school. This is a kid who has previously always been on an honors track and he can definitely handle the work. A B+ should be enough at most schools. Here it's not, so I am wondering if it's best to go. Per previous posters who have been in similar situations it seems like it is. Anyway probably not a lot left to discuss at this point but I do appreciate all of the feedback.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you just want the easy As so head on back to public school because you're barking up the wrong tree.

My kid took a few honors classes in areas he was good in- English and history. He didn't get into those classes until 11th grade and no APs until senior year when he took two. He got into all of the schools he applied to because he chose wisely.

Oh and just an FYI. Many private schools limit college applications to 10 or 12. If you don't like it, it's best you go back to public school now. They won't budge on that either.

[Anonymous]

I would leave my child in private unless they were really bored and unchallenged. But it sounds like he is adequately challenged if he is getting B+s. I understand the frustration of wanting honors for sophomore year so he can take AP junior year but really I would try not to focus on that. The colleges will compare him to his peers and will know what % of students are taking honors and AP. We are in a very strong MCPS public where honors and AP are the norm so there it matters more but that’s not the norm in many private schools. We know lots of kids at good colleges who didn’t take any APs because their private school didn’t even offer them or they were very limited.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you just want the easy As so head on back to public school because you're barking up the wrong tree.

My kid took a few honors classes in areas he was good in- English and history. He didn't get into those classes until 11th grade and no APs until senior year when he took two. He got into all of the schools he applied to because he chose wisely.

Oh and just an FYI. Many private schools limit college applications to 10 or 12. If you don't like it, it's best you go back to public school now. They won't budge on that either.

Not at all true but I do want my kid to be someplace that will allow an advanced class without the exact needed grade, which varies. If I had a crystal ball and knew he would be ok for a few honors and/or AP jr year that would be ok too but I don't, and without wiggle room it's a huge risk to take. If a non honors mostly A student is looking at Towson or Delaware St as their best options I will pass on paying 25k a year for that. I imagine my son will largely apply to public universities so with the common app I fail to see how the school can limit these things. But if they can, it's a good question to ask and possibly another reason to go.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think most privates limit the number of college applications but I’ve heard some do. They absolutely can, though, by not sending transcripts.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you’re number one goal and concern is college placement, private school may not be the right place for your family. College outcomes are all something of a crapshoot these days. You have to want something intrinsic to the private school experience—smaller classes, better teachers, greater rigor (even in “regular” classes), athletic opportunity, etc. If you are only there for college placement and your kid isn’t in the top 10% of his grade, you’ll be happier in public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you just want the easy As so head on back to public school because you're barking up the wrong tree.

My kid took a few honors classes in areas he was good in- English and history. He didn't get into those classes until 11th grade and no APs until senior year when he took two. He got into all of the schools he applied to because he chose wisely.

Oh and just an FYI. Many private schools limit college applications to 10 or 12. If you don't like it, it's best you go back to public school now. They won't budge on that either.

Not at all true but I do want my kid to be someplace that will allow an advanced class without the exact needed grade, which varies. If I had a crystal ball and knew he would be ok for a few honors and/or AP jr year that would be ok too but I don't, and without wiggle room it's a huge risk to take. If a non honors mostly A student is looking at Towson or Delaware St as their best options I will pass on paying 25k a year for that. I imagine my son will largely apply to public universities so with the common app I fail to see how the school can limit these things. But if they can, it's a good question to ask and possibly another reason to go.

You want something for nothing. Head back to public school. Most people want th we or kids to get a better education so they send them to private school. MUCH higher expectations there, as you can see. But if you just want the As, whether they are deserved or not, go on back and live in fantasy land.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you’re number one goal and concern is college placement, private school may not be the right place for your family. College outcomes are all something of a crapshoot these days. You have to want something intrinsic to the private school experience—smaller classes, better teachers, greater rigor (even in “regular” classes), athletic opportunity, etc. If you are only there for college placement and your kid isn’t in the top 10% of his grade, you’ll be happier in public.

This is the OP and college placement is/was definitely not my priority with choosing private over public. In fact I knew going in that it would probably hurt his acceptance options to a small degree but I felt like the private would be the best academic and athletic fit for him and the place where he would have the best overall school experience. The issue is that he has been placed on a non honors track and if he can’t get back on, even looking at top 150 colleges sounds like it won’t be possible and that’s where I have an issue. If I was looking for easy we would have never moved to private in the first place and now moving out of it would not be easy either. I appreciate all of the helpful posts. Signing off now as it’s not feeling so productive anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Use the extra time from being on the easier track to have the kid self-study and take the AP exam on his own.

Can you do that outside of school? If so that’s not a bad idea. Would this still go on a transcript somehow if the exam was passed?

Yes you can definitely take an AP exam without taking the AP course. He should be able to do that at his own school. He would have to study extra obviously. You can have the test scores sent to the colleges (don’t do this until you see the scores).

I will share that for college apps, students are compared to others at their own school. Improved rigor year over year will be good, but it all depends on his rigor vs his classmates applying to the same schools. Maybe meet with college counseling now and ask about rigor kids generally have when applying to your target schools. You could consider switching to public and putting tuition money toward a tutor for tests, but in my experience, public schools have so many more AP offerings, some kids take AP everything which still might leave your student at a disadvantage if that is just going to be really difficult for them. Privates don’t have as many AP offerings so the race for quantity of APs isn’t as crazy. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP, don’t panic. Private school kids with As/Bs mix of regular classes/honors definitely still have a shot at top 40-100 colleges (above that might be tricky but not unheard of). Advantage of private is school can really help you develop a solid list of colleges tailored for your kid. Some kids (boys especially) are really able to improve their academics with maturity. Private school college counselors/teachers can include this in the recommendations as they will know your child. Make sure your kid has some decent extracurriculars that they can write about on apps and eventually study for the SAT/ACT. B+s freshman year are not the end of the world. Plenty of time for improvement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son started a at a private high school this year after being in public. It has been a good fit school in many ways for him, but the testing and grade structure has been an adjustment. Grades are fine...mostly B+'s which I am ok with freshman year, but his school will not let him take honors classes his sophomore year without A's for the year. He will have to excel in 10th grade for honors to be an option in 11th and then AP most likely will have to wait until 12th.

I feel like this is very likely going to really hurt his changes for a competitive college (NOT looking at ivies but more like the good state schools.Va Tech, Penn State, etc). I am really considering pulling him and sending him to JR where he can be challenged and take the courses he wants and needs. At this point moving up to take Calculus his senior year isn't even an option at the private which really concerns me. He wants to stay but will likely be really mad in 2 years if I let him. Not to mention I am paying all of this money for them to hold him back. Not sure what to do. And no we are not IB for JR so would have to rent there which is a whole different stress.

This is a big problem. You need to challenge it politely and ask for an exception.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Assume JR is Jackson Reed.
What private is this that gatekeeps APs like this?

I know in my son's private school years ago and now at my daughter's school, students must be approved to take honors and AP classes. It is not that unusual. And yes, usually they require an A in the class to be approved. One class almost disqualified my daughter because she had an A minus, but she talked her teacher into supporting her, and she did get into the class.

This is common at privates, especially smaller privates, where there may only be one or two sections of an AP class taught each semester.

OP- Can you discuss this with his advisor and the head of the Upper School? You are raising some good points. This may be a situation where you and your son need to tag-team to do some advocacy. I would also consider what his class participation is like. Does he frequently do the reading and contribute to discussions? If a student is really passionate about a subject and that is reflected in their work then it may be more likely that a teacher would advocate for them to move to the honors or AP class. I find the kids who lose out in this type of situation are the kids who do the work as a box checking exercise but don't show passion for the subject and don't contribute much to discussions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son started a at a private high school this year after being in public. It has been a good fit school in many ways for him, but the testing and grade structure has been an adjustment. Grades are fine...mostly B+'s which I am ok with freshman year, but his school will not let him take honors classes his sophomore year without A's for the year. He will have to excel in 10th grade for honors to be an option in 11th and then AP most likely will have to wait until 12th.

I feel like this is very likely going to really hurt his changes for a competitive college (NOT looking at ivies but more like the good state schools.Va Tech, Penn State, etc). I am really considering pulling him and sending him to JR where he can be challenged and take the courses he wants and needs. At this point moving up to take Calculus his senior year isn't even an option at the private which really concerns me. He wants to stay but will likely be really mad in 2 years if I let him. Not to mention I am paying all of this money for them to hold him back. Not sure what to do. And no we are not IB for JR so would have to rent there which is a whole different stress.

This is a big problem. You need to challenge it politely and ask for an exception.

It is the norm at many (most?) private schools. How did OP not realize that AP and honors are heavily gatekept at privates? OP, you can still usually get into an AP humanities class (not math or science) if you are not in honors the year prior as long as your kid has a high A, advocates with their current teacher, and does really well on the AP class essay entrance test. Good luck.