High school math courses for College entrance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When UVA routinely accepts only 30 students out of a graduating class of 580 seniors, who are virtually all college-bound, this is the result. The competition is insane. Much better results for students, at all levels, applying out-of-state.

While it is true that about 30 students attend UVA from my DCs' HS, it is more like 50 are accepted every year from a class just shy of 500. OOS do not have better results.

McLean HS.
Applied/Acepted/Attended
2011 110/50/37
2012 107/37/27
2013 142/47/29
2014 138/54/33
2015 134/50/31

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Serious question, because I have always wondered. I can see how some amount of Algebra and geometry is useful the real world. Basic chemistry, biOlogy & physics I get. World history and English? Okay, sure. But unless you are in very specialized engineering, math or physics wtf do you do with Calculus in real life? Because I have a graduate degree and a pretty successful professional job, and can honestly say I have not thought about any Calculus concept ever since I walked out of my second semester calculus final exam. If college admissions weren't in play, I would never encourage anyone but a hardcore STEM kid to take AP Calc over AP stats (which can be very useful in the real world) or discrete math (also useful). So why is the FCPS gold standard for a bright, college bound kid now Calc BC plus a semester of Multivariable-- with the Calculus troll saying they need more? Is there is some inherent value to Calculus for the 95% of people who don't think high level engineering or theoretical physics is their thing that I've just been missing out on my whole life? Otherwise-- why???

Totally, 100% agree.

The reality is that no colleges, outside of engineering programs and their ilk, expect calc in high school. Thousands of NoVa parents tell themselves colleges do, but every year thousands of kids are accepted to top colleges without calculus.

Okay, let's clear this up. Taking Calculus in high school isn't special. So to say that you can get into college without taking calculus is saying that there's nothing special about going to college and getting a Bachelor's Degree, which I point-blank refuse to believe.

I don't know what to tell you? As indicated in the link above, Harvard believes 40% of its freshmen are not ready to take calculus. It appears they were admitted to Harvard anyway.

How many of those 40% had calculus available at their HS? It isn't about the rest of the admitted class at Harvard. The applicant's competition is local not national.

[Anonymous]

When UVA routinely accepts only 30 students out of a graduating class of 580 seniors, who are virtually all college-bound, this is the result. The competition is insane. Much better results for students, at all levels, applying out-of-state.

Is there a NoVA high school that requires every single senior to apply to UVA? How do they manage that? At my kid's FCPS school, it's about 110-140 applicants each year and more than a third of them are accepted.

My senior took Algebra I in 8th grade and is not taking any type of calculus this year. Somehow, DC is still getting accepted to colleges (OOS flagship types). DC will probably need one semester of simplified calculus class for her major, and will likely need to take College Algebra first. I expect that DC will still make it through college somehow. Not everyone wants to be an engineer or go to UVA. (DC is not even applying in state).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

When UVA routinely accepts only 30 students out of a graduating class of 580 seniors, who are virtually all college-bound, this is the result. The competition is insane. Much better results for students, at all levels, applying out-of-state.

Is there a NoVA high school that requires every single senior to apply to UVA? How do they manage that? At my kid's FCPS school, it's about 110-140 applicants each year and more than a third of them are accepted.

My senior took Algebra I in 8th grade and is not taking any type of calculus this year. Somehow, DC is still getting accepted to colleges (OOS flagship types). DC will probably need one semester of simplified calculus class for her major, and will likely need to take College Algebra first. I expect that DC will still make it through college somehow. Not everyone wants to be an engineer or go to UVA. (DC is not even applying in state).

Thank you for sharing this...it is good to know that not all is lost for my 7th and 10th graders. Not all kids get a solid grasp of the concepts when they are fast tracked. Certainly 18 is not "too old" to learn calculus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What math courses do kids take if they take algebra I in 6th grade?

7th: Geometry Honors
8th Algebra II Honors
9th Precalc Honors
10th AP Calc BC
11th Multivacalc and Matrix Algebra
12th AP Statistics

Unless they go to TJ or NOVA for more math options in 11/12th grade.

This doesn't get you anywhere new. My DC took Algebra I Honors in 7th and took AP Stats as an elective sophomore year and will take Multi and Matrix his senrio year. So taking Algebra I in 6th doesn't buy you anything but bragging rights. He is not unusual.

It does. You can't take AP Physics C in Junior year without having done Calc in Sophomore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What math courses do kids take if they take algebra I in 6th grade?

7th: Geometry Honors
8th Algebra II Honors
9th Precalc Honors
10th AP Calc BC
11th Multivacalc and Matrix Algebra
12th AP Statistics

Unless they go to TJ or NOVA for more math options in 11/12th grade.

This doesn't get you anywhere new. My DC took Algebra I Honors in 7th and took AP Stats as an elective sophomore year and will take Multi and Matrix his senrio year. So taking Algebra I in 6th doesn't buy you anything but bragging rights. He is not unusual.

It does. You can't take AP Physics C in Junior year without having done Calc in Sophomore.

Not true. AP Physics C needs AP Calc concurrently. Plus, you need Physics Honors or AP Physics I as a prerequisite and that is not available until junior year. (Not talking about TJ) So, in reality you can only take AP Physics C senior year and can take BC Calc senior year- concurrently. You don't have to take Algebra I Honrs in 7th grade to be able to take AP Physics C in HS. Oldest did it last year.

[Anonymous]

Dang. It looks like only smart people go on the internet. Seems like almost everyone here is going/went to college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dang. It looks like only smart people go on the internet. Seems like almost everyone here is going/went to college.

It's true, the DCUM community may not be an accurate reflection of a cross-section if the American public-- it's whiter, wealthier, more educated, DC urban moms and dads heavy, snarkier...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What math courses do kids take if they take algebra I in 6th grade?

7th: Geometry Honors
8th Algebra II Honors
9th Precalc Honors
10th AP Calc BC
11th Multivacalc and Matrix Algebra
12th AP Statistics

Unless they go to TJ or NOVA for more math options in 11/12th grade.

This doesn't get you anywhere new. My DC took Algebra I Honors in 7th and took AP Stats as an elective sophomore year and will take Multi and Matrix his senrio year. So taking Algebra I in 6th doesn't buy you anything but bragging rights. He is not unusual.

It does. You can't take AP Physics C in Junior year without having done Calc in Sophomore.

Not true. AP Physics C needs AP Calc concurrently. Plus, you need Physics Honors or AP Physics I as a prerequisite and that is not available until junior year. (Not talking about TJ) So, in reality you can only take AP Physics C senior year and can take BC Calc senior year- concurrently. You don't have to take Algebra I Honrs in 7th grade to be able to take AP Physics C in HS. Oldest did it last year.

You need two laboratory science courses as the prerequisite. It is strongly recommended you already have Calculus to take AP Physics C. Only a very small number of students take AP Physics C in Junior year. Chances are most of them finish Algebra II in middle school. Your kid is not in this small pool of students, who are aiming for the likes of MIT and CalTech.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What math courses do kids take if they take algebra I in 6th grade?

7th: Geometry Honors
8th Algebra II Honors
9th Precalc Honors
10th AP Calc BC
11th Multivacalc and Matrix Algebra
12th AP Statistics

Unless they go to TJ or NOVA for more math options in 11/12th grade.

This doesn't get you anywhere new. My DC took Algebra I Honors in 7th and took AP Stats as an elective sophomore year and will take Multi and Matrix his senrio year. So taking Algebra I in 6th doesn't buy you anything but bragging rights. He is not unusual.

It does. You can't take AP Physics C in Junior year without having done Calc in Sophomore.

Not true. AP Physics C needs AP Calc concurrently. Plus, you need Physics Honors or AP Physics I as a prerequisite and that is not available until junior year. (Not talking about TJ) So, in reality you can only take AP Physics C senior year and can take BC Calc senior year- concurrently. You don't have to take Algebra I Honrs in 7th grade to be able to take AP Physics C in HS. Oldest did it last year.

You need two laboratory science courses as the prerequisite. It is strongly recommended you already have Calculus to take AP Physics C. Only a very small number of students take AP Physics C in Junior year. Chances are most of them finish Algebra II in middle school. Your kid is not in this small pool of students, who are aiming for the likes of MIT and CalTech.

You said it yourself: the pool of students who are aiming for MIT and Caltech is very small. Even among the most elite of students, the pool of those aiming for MIT and Caltech is small. The notion that all students are competing with this small pool is perfectly ridiculous.

If you think your 7th grader could be headed for MIT (and I'd submit that by this age, you know if you have a truly gifted math student), it might make sense to worry about when he/she will take calculus so that he/she can take AP Physics C. If not, relax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What math courses do kids take if they take algebra I in 6th grade?

7th: Geometry Honors
8th Algebra II Honors
9th Precalc Honors
10th AP Calc BC
11th Multivacalc and Matrix Algebra
12th AP Statistics

Unless they go to TJ or NOVA for more math options in 11/12th grade.

This doesn't get you anywhere new. My DC took Algebra I Honors in 7th and took AP Stats as an elective sophomore year and will take Multi and Matrix his senrio year. So taking Algebra I in 6th doesn't buy you anything but bragging rights. He is not unusual.

It does. You can't take AP Physics C in Junior year without having done Calc in Sophomore.

Not true. AP Physics C needs AP Calc concurrently. Plus, you need Physics Honors or AP Physics I as a prerequisite and that is not available until junior year. (Not talking about TJ) So, in reality you can only take AP Physics C senior year and can take BC Calc senior year- concurrently. You don't have to take Algebra I Honrs in 7th grade to be able to take AP Physics C in HS. Oldest did it last year.

You need two laboratory science courses as the prerequisite. It is strongly recommended you already have Calculus to take AP Physics C. Only a very small number of students take AP Physics C in Junior year. Chances are most of them finish Algebra II in middle school. Your kid is not in this small pool of students, who are aiming for the likes of MIT and CalTech.

You said it yourself: the pool of students who are aiming for MIT and Caltech is very small. Even among the most elite of students, the pool of those aiming for MIT and Caltech is small. The notion that all students are competing with this small pool is perfectly ridiculous.

If you think your 7th grader could be headed for MIT (and I'd submit that by this age, you know if you have a truly gifted math student), it might make sense to worry about when he/she will take calculus so that he/she can take AP Physics C. If not, relax.

The pool of students at any college is small these days. Seriously, most people who were overachievers in school still usually end up working in McDonald's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What math courses do kids take if they take algebra I in 6th grade?

7th: Geometry Honors
8th Algebra II Honors
9th Precalc Honors
10th AP Calc BC
11th Multivacalc and Matrix Algebra
12th AP Statistics

Unless they go to TJ or NOVA for more math options in 11/12th grade.

This doesn't get you anywhere new. My DC took Algebra I Honors in 7th and took AP Stats as an elective sophomore year and will take Multi and Matrix his senrio year. So taking Algebra I in 6th doesn't buy you anything but bragging rights. He is not unusual.

It does. You can't take AP Physics C in Junior year without having done Calc in Sophomore.

Not true. AP Physics C needs AP Calc concurrently. Plus, you need Physics Honors or AP Physics I as a prerequisite and that is not available until junior year. (Not talking about TJ) So, in reality you can only take AP Physics C senior year and can take BC Calc senior year- concurrently. You don't have to take Algebra I Honrs in 7th grade to be able to take AP Physics C in HS. Oldest did it last year.

You need two laboratory science courses as the prerequisite. It is strongly recommended you already have Calculus to take AP Physics C. Only a very small number of students take AP Physics C in Junior year. Chances are most of them finish Algebra II in middle school. Your kid is not in this small pool of students, who are aiming for the likes of MIT and CalTech.

You said it yourself: the pool of students who are aiming for MIT and Caltech is very small. Even among the most elite of students, the pool of those aiming for MIT and Caltech is small. The notion that all students are competing with this small pool is perfectly ridiculous.

If you think your 7th grader could be headed for MIT (and I'd submit that by this age, you know if you have a truly gifted math student), it might make sense to worry about when he/she will take calculus so that he/she can take AP Physics C. If not, relax.

The pool of students at any college is small these days. Seriously, most people who were overachievers in school still usually end up working in McDonald's.

Seriously, you are full of shit.

[Anonymous]

For what it's worth, my kid just got into Georgia Tech EA. I was astounded by the stats. 96% of the accepted EA kids had taken AP Calculus. And on average, 10 or more "college-level AP courses".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For what it's worth, my kid just got into Georgia Tech EA. I was astounded by the stats. 96% of the accepted EA kids had taken AP Calculus. And on average, 10 or more "college-level AP courses".

But that's Georgia TECH. That's not HYP or any of the thousands of other American colleges and universities that are not STEM focused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What math courses do kids take if they take algebra I in 6th grade?

7th: Geometry Honors
8th Algebra II Honors
9th Precalc Honors
10th AP Calc BC
11th Multivacalc and Matrix Algebra
12th AP Statistics

Unless they go to TJ or NOVA for more math options in 11/12th grade.

This doesn't get you anywhere new. My DC took Algebra I Honors in 7th and took AP Stats as an elective sophomore year and will take Multi and Matrix his senrio year. So taking Algebra I in 6th doesn't buy you anything but bragging rights. He is not unusual.

It does. You can't take AP Physics C in Junior year without having done Calc in Sophomore.

Not true. AP Physics C needs AP Calc concurrently. Plus, you need Physics Honors or AP Physics I as a prerequisite and that is not available until junior year. (Not talking about TJ) So, in reality you can only take AP Physics C senior year and can take BC Calc senior year- concurrently. You don't have to take Algebra I Honrs in 7th grade to be able to take AP Physics C in HS. Oldest did it last year.

You need two laboratory science courses as the prerequisite. It is strongly recommended you already have Calculus to take AP Physics C. Only a very small number of students take AP Physics C in Junior year. Chances are most of them finish Algebra II in middle school. Your kid is not in this small pool of students, who are aiming for the likes of MIT and CalTech.

You said it yourself: the pool of students who are aiming for MIT and Caltech is very small. Even among the most elite of students, the pool of those aiming for MIT and Caltech is small. The notion that all students are competing with this small pool is perfectly ridiculous.

If you think your 7th grader could be headed for MIT (and I'd submit that by this age, you know if you have a truly gifted math student), it might make sense to worry about when he/she will take calculus so that he/she can take AP Physics C. If not, relax.

The pool of students at any college is small these days. Seriously, most people who were overachievers in school still usually end up working in McDonald's.

Seriously, you are full of shit.

How so?