You are desperate to justify the 30-50K you're paying annually to send your kids to private school and not seeing the reality that this doesn't work for some kids. You don't want to spend that kind of money and have your kid excluded from challenging coursework--just because they're on the cusp of an A rather than an A. Not having APs on your transcript is a big deal. |
This is not something advertised/discussed as part of the admissions process. I only realized it at our school when reading the school handbook, which isn't available until you accept your offer of admission. Our school is not so rigid about this, but there is gatekeeping. I agree with OP that the jump from MS to HS can be abrupt for some kids and a B+ average isn't completely indicative of ability to succeed in a honors class especially if there is improvement shown throughout the year, as OP indicated her child had shown. We are in a similar situation, but are fortunate our school isn't so rigid about this. |
We've been considering private schools, and didn't know this. This would make me opt for public school instead. Our kids are smart, but I can't ensure they'll get As in all the classes I would want them to take APs for. I went to public school and took APs. I'm not going to spend 10s of thousands of dollars per year on tuition for my kids to not be able to do AP exams that colleges value. |
Y’all need to take geometry before you show up for 9th grade. Do it as summer school. |
This is OP and yes I keep asking myself how I wasn’t aware of how gatekept these classes were. My son assumed he would be approved for honors classes right away, given his middle school transcript but when he wasn’t the academic dean (not sure of exact position title of who I spoke with) said that as long as he “did well” moving into honors for 10th grade would be easy. I was also told that placement was not absolute and there was room to discuss. I was told after mid terms that he could advance with department approval even. Well fast forward and no one has any desire to discuss the options that we need, no wiggle room and likely no justification for me to keep my kid there academically. He is happy. We turned down other opportunities to be there and it really just sucks. I haven’t given up and am looking for a way but at the end of the day I am pretty positive they aren’t going to be helpful. It’s a big school. My kid can stay or go. They aren’t too concerned. Makes all of us very sad but here we are. |
You can continue to blame the school, but the reality is that your kid is being passed over because he's not a top student. Life is a competition, OP. In your mind he's a bright boy, and I'm sure that's true. But if the school can fill the advanced classes with kids who are more high-achieving than he is... why wouldn't they? Private schools look out for their interests first. Surely you can understand that sometimes this does not overlap with a student's individual interest. Public schools are forced by law to accept all residents of their catchment area. They usually cannot gatekeep AP courses very well (they try). This is why the AP US History exam, for example, has a dismal score average. Something like 2 out of 5. Because tons of public school students take the exam who shouldn't. You will see this play conflict of interest play out again if/when the school gatekeeps applications to selective colleges. Bottom line, OP: he might not achieve in public either. The right to take a class doesn't equal doing well in it! What he needs is motivation and tutoring if you want him to do better. |
I am very definitely not blaming anyone, simply stating why I was not aware of how stringent their policies are. Clearly if my kid got high enough grades this would not be an issue. |
I think a lot of the placement into honors (at least at Gonzaga) is based on your HSPT scores combined with your placement test results (if math or language). Did he do well on the HSPT? I think they like to see 90%+ scores. The middle school transcript is not as reliable since every school has a different grading scale, etc. The school wants your kid to do well and it actually sounds like his placement was correct if he is earning B+s in non-honors classes. |
I know homeschooled kids who have taken and passed AP tests so, yes, anyone can take them. It doesn't have to be through the school. |
I don’t spend anywhere near that amount. My kid showed he was ready for the next level course by demonstrating mastery in the previous level. Most private schools require students to take AP exams if they take the course. They want good outcomes on the exams, not kids winging it because they have open enrollment in AP courses. |
It’s private school, you choose to send your kid there. If it doesn’t work for them, send them somewhere else. |
I think what you're missing, OP, is that the school, who knows both your son academically and the curriculum of the 10th grade classes, don't feel he's ready for the honors classes. There IS wiggle room at virtually all privates, and as you heard there was an opportunity for him to move up both after midterms and between school years **for the students for which they think that is appropriate** For whatever reason, your son's don't think the higher levels are appropriate for him. And given what you've written here, it sounds like he's in the perfect level currently. In general, they are moving up the kids with high As who are clearly skating through their current classes. A kid not even at a low A isn't served by being in an inappropriately challenging class. |
|