Yet another math question - algebra 1 in 8th?
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Anonymous
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7th grade DS is in amp (or is it aim?) 7th plus. He is not a math whiz and struggles but manages to get A/Bs. There was a parent meeting last night about the pathways for math in 8th grade through high school. Not a lot of detail and feeling confused.
Is there a most common math pathway? Are most kids taking algebra 1 in 8th grade? I see a bunch of options for math in high school. Again is there a most common math track? What do colleges want to see for what I’d guess would be a non-stem major (but who knows)? DS is at JW. Thanks! |
Anonymous
| Under curriculum 2.0, Algebra in 8th grade was considered on-level. I don't know if that has changed. Algebra in 8th gives everyone a path to calculus by senior year. Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Cal, Calc. |
Anonymous
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After 7+, the normal bath way is:
8th grade: Algebra 1 9th - Geometry 10th - Algebra 2 11th - pre calc 12th - calc or stats |
Anonymous
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Yes, the regular pathway puts kids in alg in 8th, geometry in 9th. This is the most common in MCPS. This still puts your child taking Calculus in 12th. Any Ivy or other competitive school will be happy with that course selection.
The accelerated pathway is alg 7th, geometry 8th which brings kids to Calculus in 11th. |
Anonymous
on-level is agenda in 9th in Common Core. Algebra in 8th was always accelerated, but Jack Smith said he wanted to push as many kids as possible to take it in 8th for equity reasons (so they could get through calc in high school). |
Anonymous
| Not sure if most common at JW, but this is a common path throughout. Should be fine, especially if kid is interested in humanities. |
Anonymous
Got it. Thank you. If a kid is struggling in high school, are there options besides Calc that they can take that colleges find acceptable? |
Anonymous
| 8th is perfect. Only reason it wouldn't be is if math scheduling, at your school, determines other scheduling. If they track and it keeps your kid out of the top student group. It's helpful to know that going in so you know what you are deciding about. Even so, that track may be what's best for your student and produce the best result for your student. |
Anonymous
Curriculum 2.0 was implemented well before Jack Smith. He had nothing to do with it. |
Anonymous
But now they have a substantial number of kids taking alegbra in 7th grade. I have one kid who took alegbra in 8th and one who took it in 7th. the one who took it later is much better off, in my view. |
Anonymous
AP Statistics |
Anonymous
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A bit of struggle can be a good thing, developing an understanding of the need to study/apply themself and with the greater attention brought by the chllenge resulting in a deeper understanding, along the lines of the old adage, "We learn more from our mistakes." A mix of As & Bs shouldn't be seen as a failure, as long as there is the guided review of missed items that engenders that better understanding; though the conundrum of GPA impact would have us all want to see just enough of a tilt towards As to preserve that, the reality is that that isn't going to happen for everyone.
The various PPs have provided good info about paths, and AP Stats is a very valuable course. I'm not sure if college admissions offices see it quite on par with AP Calc BC, as it might not represent as much rigor, but it should be seen that way for most outside of the hard sciences/math/engineering as stats applications apply across a much broader spectrum of majors/careers. Without the college admissions community broadly publicizing information to that effect, perhaps an applicant's using space on application essays to describe that which they've found interesting in stats, and how that might influence their future studies, would be received well. |
Anonymous
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Colleges want to see your kid doing his utmost. I am not kidding, OP, when I tell you that with A/Bs in a non-advanced math track, your kid might not get into UMD, his state university. One of my kids just went through college admissions this year and this is the lay of the land nowadays. The issue then becomes where else your kid can go if you don't have the means to pay for an 85K/yr private college. UMBC?
So please consider tutoring him and hoisting him to a more rigorous level in math, and other subjects. Also remember that without Algebra 1, he will not meet prerequisites for certain science classes in high school. |
Anonymous
What does that mean? UMBC is a great option for lots of kids, as is Towson, or St. Mary's, etc. |
Anonymous
Please do NOT believe the bolded. For Ivies: A. They are a lottery these days. B. Straight As, dozens of AP courses, perfect test scores are simply to avoid going into the bin during the first pass at an Ivy. To get in, you need a special "pointy" accomplishment. International or national win in a competition (STEM, music, sports), or creating a profitable business or whatever it is, but it has be objectively rare and admirable. C. In that context, not going at least to AP Calc (BC, not AB, for the STEM oriented) does not bode well for the rest of the application. How many APs will your kid be realistically able to achieve if they can't even be on the advanced track in math is MCPS? If no APs, same deal for the IB diploma track - top scores everywhere are de rigueur, particularly as the high level IB math doesn't go as far as AP Calc BC. Now extrapolate from this to the next tier down: they still want straight As, dozens of APs/IB, and really high test scores (don't fall for the test optional unless you are Black or Hispanic). But they'll forgo the Sony record and Carnegie Hall solos. And now descend to third tier of universities: OK, your kid may have a shot. Those will be his reaches. Now go own further for matches and safeties, and you have your college list. I know this conversation did not start out with college admissions in mind. But sadly this is what parents have come to because entry to university has become so competitive. One major reason for your kid to do well in school is not for his own enjoyment, not for his own brain development... but just to eek out a decent college acceptance. |