What Math track to take?

[Anonymous]

**Not in the DMV area**

DS is in 4th grade in a magnet program where is a grade level above in math. Next year he will be in middle school and can either go to 6th grade math OR 6th grade honors math - which is the equivalent of skipping "regular" 6th grade math.

Per the district math flow chart 6th grade math puts him in 6th grade honors in actual 6th grade, to keep it simple he's then honors tracked through 12th with Algebra in 8th up to AP Calculus in 12th.

6th grade honors puts him in Algebra in 7th, Honors Geometry in 8th, requiring his first period to be at the high school and then ends up in 12th with duel college enrollment because he takes AP Calculus as a junior.

As crazy as it sounds we have to make the decision this week on his math placement (he could always try testing out again, but it seems better to get on this track younger). He is an excellent math student, 100s across the board, 99th percentile, blah, blah. Of course 2458430956 different things could happen. But from veteran parents - is it worth going for 6th grade honors next year based on the end result or is he fine with Calculus in 12th grade?

[Anonymous]

Your child is skipping a grade?

[Anonymous]

The kids will probably be different. So I would consider that as much as the work.

[Anonymous]

6th honors is a pretty standard track for the higher achieving kids.

[Anonymous]

My kid with dyscalculia (specific learning disability in math) ended up on a track that took him to AP Calc BC in 12th. It was his only class, of all his school career, where he struggled. It taught him how to handle a challenging (for him) subject matter.

My kid without dyscalculia is taking Honors Geo in 7th, will get bused to the high school in 8th for Honors Algebra 2, and take whatever is available in math in high school, since our state requires math classes all four years of high school. She is considering a STEM major and has a math-y sort of brain.

I would think that your kid can handle the fastest track, OP. When in doubt, take it, and re-assess later. I've learned from this year's college admission process to push for the most advanced courses, and when they don't get you in your reach colleges, at least you get significant merit aid for the target or safeties. Which, considering some colleges are 85k+ a year today, is nothing to sneeze at.

[Anonymous]

In my experience, the advanced kids who are STEM-oriented are likely to take Algebra H in 7th grade, whereas the advanced kids who have broader interests in humanities/social sciences may opt to take it in 7th or 8th grade. It has less to do with what they are capable of right now, but more about the HS trajectory--7th grade algebra puts on track to take Calculus jr year. If you also want to do AP/IB level courses in history, literature, foreign language it can be a bit much. Plus you need to come up with another math class (often AP stats which is a good fit for these kids) sr year. So really either way is advanced enough for selective college admissions, more about where your kid wants to put their energy. I know for our schools, high school math classes go on HS GPA too--so you end up having courses you took in 7th and 8th grade affecting your HS GPA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your child is skipping a grade?

No, it’s just for math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The kids will probably be different. So I would consider that as much as the work.

What do you mean? As in older?

[Anonymous]

OP, have him take the highest track. He can always level down if bad comes to worse. But it’s hard to level up.
I sort of squeezed my kid into the highest track, he somewhat struggled the first year, had to help him a lot, but still got a B in all three trimesters. He is doing much much better in 7th, they just started Algebra 1 this trimester.
If your kid is fairly intelligent and can get extra help/tutoring if needed, most likely the US school math will not be rocket science to him.
FYI mine isn’t a straight A student and can be lazy and distracted! He still does ok

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:**Not in the DMV area**

DS is in 4th grade in a magnet program where is a grade level above in math. Next year he will be in middle school and can either go to 6th grade math OR 6th grade honors math - which is the equivalent of skipping "regular" 6th grade math.

Per the district math flow chart 6th grade math puts him in 6th grade honors in actual 6th grade, to keep it simple he's then honors tracked through 12th with Algebra in 8th up to AP Calculus in 12th.

6th grade honors puts him in Algebra in 7th, Honors Geometry in 8th, requiring his first period to be at the high school and then ends up in 12th with duel college enrollment because he takes AP Calculus as a junior.

As crazy as it sounds we have to make the decision this week on his math placement (he could always try testing out again, but it seems better to get on this track younger). He is an excellent math student, 100s across the board, 99th percentile, blah, blah. Of course 2458430956 different things could happen. But from veteran parents - is it worth going for 6th grade honors next year based on the end result or is he fine with Calculus in 12th grade?

Is he goes on the higher track, how easy or difficult would it to switch to the slower one? And if he goes on the normal track, how easy or difficult would it be to switch to the faster one?

I would do the higher track - the reason it's an option is precisely because of kids like your son.

[Anonymous]

Tracking in mathematics is a concept which is both racist and sexist.

What school system in 2023 still does this??!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tracking in mathematics is a concept which is both racist and sexist.

What school system in 2023 still does this??!?

Ignore this poster.

[Anonymous]

Here in the DMV...Honors Geo on 8th is not unusual. It is offered at all middle schools. The very top kids took algebra in 6th and are bussed to the HS for Algebra II in 8th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:**Not in the DMV area**

DS is in 4th grade in a magnet program where is a grade level above in math. Next year he will be in middle school and can either go to 6th grade math OR 6th grade honors math - which is the equivalent of skipping "regular" 6th grade math.

Per the district math flow chart 6th grade math puts him in 6th grade honors in actual 6th grade, to keep it simple he's then honors tracked through 12th with Algebra in 8th up to AP Calculus in 12th.

6th grade honors puts him in Algebra in 7th, Honors Geometry in 8th, requiring his first period to be at the high school and then ends up in 12th with duel college enrollment because he takes AP Calculus as a junior.

As crazy as it sounds we have to make the decision this week on his math placement (he could always try testing out again, but it seems better to get on this track younger). He is an excellent math student, 100s across the board, 99th percentile, blah, blah. Of course 2458430956 different things could happen. But from veteran parents - is it worth going for 6th grade honors next year based on the end result or is he fine with Calculus in 12th grade?

Is he goes on the higher track, how easy or difficult would it to switch to the slower one? And if he goes on the normal track, how easy or difficult would it be to switch to the faster one?

I would do the higher track - the reason it's an option is precisely because of kids like your son.

He would have to take a placement test to move up, but at some point you can’t just skip geometry, so I feel like now is the time to do it. He could easily go backwards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here in the DMV...Honors Geo on 8th is not unusual. It is offered at all middle schools. The very top kids took algebra in 6th and are bussed to the HS for Algebra II in 8th.

OP - Kind of what I thought! I grew up in the DMV and did Algebra in 7th and Geometry in 8th and it wasn’t even honors!