Regular vs honors in 9th grade (+)

[Anonymous]

I know this is probably school and district specific but let me ask if anyone has any insight.
The high school my son will go to next year is pretty segregated in terms of socioeconomics of the students. It is in a wealthy town with many kids bussed in from a neighboring town, with some kids who are middle class but also these two extremes.
There are essentially three types of classes in 9th grade: a regular class like say biology, then biology H, and then something like Environmental science.
It is pretty obvious that Env science is basically for those who need some extra supports/aren’t into science (i watched some zoom recordings of 8th grade orientation and that’s what they seem to be hinting at).
They are also claiming that the only difference between Biology and Bioloy H is the amount of hw. If this is true, I don’t think honors classes make sense. I think there is a potential GPA boost too but my son isn’t the most industrious student so that is not a big consideration.
But could it be that honors classes have the best teachers and also the smart nerdy kids are exclusively there and not in regular classes?
Unfortunately I don’t know any families at that school so I can’t really ask.
What’s it usually like? Does it make sense to take honors as a freshman?

[Anonymous]

In my kids school, honors science classes have to participate in the science fair. That’s the biggest difference. There aren’t necessarily better teachers in one or the other and you can have any type of student in either. Ask about the science fair. It was the same way for me in a different state back when I was in HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my kids school, honors science classes have to participate in the science fair. That’s the biggest difference. There aren’t necessarily better teachers in one or the other and you can have any type of student in either. Ask about the science fair. It was the same way for me in a different state back when I was in HS.

Thank you! An extra chore for a non science loving kid.

[Anonymous]

Don't do honors courses in a subject you don't want to study in the first place. I'm surprised this needs saying.

[Anonymous]

What is the "(+)" in the title for?

[Anonymous]

It matters a lot for college admissions, OP.
Universities want to see that students have pushed themselves to take the hardest classes available to them in their high school. Of course, that also comes with the caveat that universities ALSO want to see the highest GPA possible. For my son, this meant AP everything in the Humanities, and Honors everything for STEM, because he didn't think he could handle AP versions.

It's always a game of "what is the hardest class in which your kid can get an A"? This is why most high schools have add/drop periods in the fall. Students try a hard class, get a bad grade, and drop down a level if they think they won't be able to hoist themselves to straight As.

In some schools, Honors is the new Regular, and Regular is the new Remedial.

Finally, you're correct about the fact that usually, the hardest classes have the best teachers and the most studious and least "troublesome" peer group.

[Anonymous]

Okay, I may be in a similar school district and the regular classes are a mess with a certain percentage of kids who have no ability to focus on the class let alone do their work.

Our middle school doesn't have honors class now so, my kids are very familiar with these children having had to endure the disruptions in middle school.

It was a relief for them to get to high school where there was honors and see a somewhat better cohort. Is every class perfect? Of course not, but it's significantly better.

OP, I'm not sure if this mirrors your district, but it's something worth considering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It matters a lot for college admissions, OP.
Universities want to see that students have pushed themselves to take the hardest classes available to them in their high school. Of course, that also comes with the caveat that universities ALSO want to see the highest GPA possible. For my son, this meant AP everything in the Humanities, and Honors everything for STEM, because he didn't think he could handle AP versions.

It's always a game of "what is the hardest class in which your kid can get an A"? This is why most high schools have add/drop periods in the fall. Students try a hard class, get a bad grade, and drop down a level if they think they won't be able to hoist themselves to straight As.

In some schools, Honors is the new Regular, and Regular is the new Remedial.

Finally, you're correct about the fact that usually, the hardest classes have the best teachers and the most studious and least "troublesome" peer group.

This is a terrible myth. The colleges want to see (and this what they ask the guidance counselor in the infamous form) that the students challenged **themselves**, not the school catalog.

[Anonymous]

OP's kid isn't trying to take 17 APs and do a lab internship and write a book and go to Stanford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It matters a lot for college admissions, OP.
Universities want to see that students have pushed themselves to take the hardest classes available to them in their high school. Of course, that also comes with the caveat that universities ALSO want to see the highest GPA possible. For my son, this meant AP everything in the Humanities, and Honors everything for STEM, because he didn't think he could handle AP versions.

It's always a game of "what is the hardest class in which your kid can get an A"? This is why most high schools have add/drop periods in the fall. Students try a hard class, get a bad grade, and drop down a level if they think they won't be able to hoist themselves to straight As.

In some schools, Honors is the new Regular, and Regular is the new Remedial.

Finally, you're correct about the fact that usually, the hardest classes have the best teachers and the most studious and least "troublesome" peer group.

This is a terrible myth. The colleges want to see (and this what they ask the guidance counselor in the infamous form) that the students challenged **themselves**, not the school catalog.

Do you see how you're saying the same thing I said? The child needs to take the hardest class they can get a good grade in. If that's not the highest level of class, just be aware that there are a great many colleges that in your day could have been in play, that today will not be for these kids. And that's FINE, but you need to know this. For example, nowadays you need a high GPA to be accepted at UVA or UMD. In the past this was not the case so much.

Lordy.

[Anonymous]

My kids go to a similar style school. Taking all honors somewhat helps get them away from all the kids who don’t GAF, skip, vape, curse, do no schoolwork, etc. They still have to deal with them in the hallways, bathrooms, PE, and mandatory non-core classes. But I would never put them in a non-honors class. I sub there so I’ve seen it first hand. It’s sad and frustrating and I wish we could move but here we are. My older neighbors told me it was “fine” but I think a lot has changed about rules, expectations, and dress codes in the last decade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't do honors courses in a subject you don't want to study in the first place. I'm surprised this needs saying.

What do they know about what they want to study in college when they are freshmen in HS?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the "(+)" in the title for?

That there is more pertinent info in the OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It matters a lot for college admissions, OP.
Universities want to see that students have pushed themselves to take the hardest classes available to them in their high school. Of course, that also comes with the caveat that universities ALSO want to see the highest GPA possible. For my son, this meant AP everything in the Humanities, and Honors everything for STEM, because he didn't think he could handle AP versions.

It's always a game of "what is the hardest class in which your kid can get an A"? This is why most high schools have add/drop periods in the fall. Students try a hard class, get a bad grade, and drop down a level if they think they won't be able to hoist themselves to straight As.

In some schools, Honors is the new Regular, and Regular is the new Remedial.

Finally, you're correct about the fact that usually, the hardest classes have the best teachers and the most studious and least "troublesome" peer group.

It’s hard for me to gauge if Regular is the new Remedial in our school.
My kid will be in Algebra 2 which I think is high enough as it is to not have misbehaving kids. And in science there is Environmental Science which I think will have less sciency kids than Biology, but then Biology might somehow get a kid or two who didn’t want to take Environmental. So I guess Biology H is a good option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay, I may be in a similar school district and the regular classes are a mess with a certain percentage of kids who have no ability to focus on the class let alone do their work.

Our middle school doesn't have honors class now so, my kids are very familiar with these children having had to endure the disruptions in middle school.

It was a relief for them to get to high school where there was honors and see a somewhat better cohort. Is every class perfect? Of course not, but it's significantly better.

OP, I'm not sure if this mirrors your district, but it's something worth considering.

Yes this is exactly what I am trying to understand.
Our MS actually informally tracks kids it seems (and there is formal tracking in math), so my kid doesn’t seem to have that problem. I am not sure if the high school has a consistent remedial track or if remedial kids are in Gen Ed classes.
My son is slated to take Algebra 2 in 9th so hopefully it will be ok even without the H. But then, I guess biology H is a good idea?