Arlington school: Difference between algebra 1 and algebra 1 intensified

[Anonymous]

My DS will go into 8th grade next year and is doing pre algebra. Hes doing well and wanted to understand the difference between the two and any implications for high school pathways.

[Anonymous]

Speed. But it’s also conflicting about if it means anything. Unlike APs, it adds nothing to GPA. So if the kid is going to get a better grade in a less intense class, why do it? GPA will suffer. My kids have done numerous intensified classes, but I’m not sure why.

[Anonymous]

Intensified move faster and cover more material. It’s important because in high school colleges want to see your child challenge themselves so taking the more advanced classes when possible does that.

[Anonymous]

Factoring is covered much more extensively in Alg 1 Intensified, and it makes up the entire first quarter of Alg2/Trig, which moves very fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Intensified move faster and cover more material. It’s important because in high school colleges want to see your child challenge themselves so taking the more advanced classes when possible does that.

Thanks.
If my child is borderline should he do algebra 1 intensified and drop it if he cant keep up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Intensified move faster and cover more material. It’s important because in high school colleges want to see your child challenge themselves so taking the more advanced classes when possible does that.

Thanks.
If my child is borderline should he do algebra 1 intensified and drop it if he cant keep up?

NP. I would say, if your child is borderline, he should not do intensified. The math curriculum has changed so much in APS over the last few years that I'm not sure the statement above is meaningful. I have a college-aged DC; he took Algebra 1 in 7th grade. For a child in his cohort, taking Algebra 1, intensified or not, in 9th grade would not look good to a college who is comparing your DC to students in their same school.

[Anonymous]

This is 8th grade? I’d take regular Algebra 1 and if he does we’ll move up to intensified in 9th grade for Geometry. The issue with planning to drop a class is that it creates a mess for your kid- there likely isn’t the class you are looking to add at the same time and so then you have to change multiple classes.

[Anonymous]

Intensified algebra counts for high school credit. Not sure if regular algebra does. My 7th grader is doing well in it and getting A's but she has always been good at math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Intensified algebra counts for high school credit. Not sure if regular algebra does. My 7th grader is doing well in it and getting A's but she has always been good at math.

Algebra is a high school course. All levels of algebra count as high school credit - if passed.