Balancing advanced HS classes/APs with having a happy high schooler

[Anonymous]

My DS is in 9th grade at a private school, not DC area but another metro region. School is rigorous but also has a real mix of kids, and I wouldn't describe it as ultra-high pressure though there are some really smart students. DS is in all honors classes and doing well, but working hard, he is definitely being challenged. We're looking ahead to the rest of high school and trying to get a decent sense of where he might end up, curricularly, and trying to figure out what is a good fit for him, will maximize his college chances, and give him a decent school-life balance. I would say he is a bright kid (as we often say about our kids ), and he is quite strong in most subjects without wildly excelling at any. Just a good all-around student, but not a math whiz or writing prodigy or anything like that. I have no idea what he will end up studying and becoming professionally, though could see him in some social science, like economics, political science, that sort of thing. But it's really tough to tell. Currently he loves physics and history. His school offers the "big" AP classes but not the same variety as many public school districts do.

For math he's on track to end with AP Calc AB, because his school requires AB as a prerequisite to BC, and he is currently in Honors Geometry. Is maxing out at Calc AB these days considered not all that great? I really have no idea. He *really* doesn't want to take summer math, and I'm not inclined to force him and worry he just wouldn't take it in, but am genuinly confused how important it is to end with AP Calc BC. I think he will almost certainly take AP Physics and either AP Chem or AP Bio, or maybe both. Could take AP Stats. Also APUSH and AP Spanish. He has some solid extracurriculars he's passionate about and has a job, but again, not a superstar on the extracurricular front, just a nice thoughtful kid with activities he genuinely enjoys and is working to nurture.

We're not imagining tippy top schools--honestly I have no idea what schools we're imagining--but I don't want to close off options and it seems like it's smart to think about the "track" he's on and whether it should be modified in any way, just to keep options open. I welcome any advice particularly about the math question. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Keep as many tracks open as possible. But don’t push them if they are not into it with things like summer math…getting to Calc AB is more than fine. Burnout is REAL

[Anonymous]

Depends on where others end up. If many kids in BC you will have a problem. But this is merely stating the obvious.

[Anonymous]

My advice to you is to relax and let high school play out. Enjoy being with your kid while you still have him! Calculus AB is more than fine and you won’t “have a problem” as stated by the previous poster. Please don’t sacrifice your kid’s summers or passions out of fear of what some admissions office wants or to keep up with what everyone else is taking. (I’m not saying you will —I’ve just had to remind myself of this many times. It’s so easy to get caught up in this admissions nonsense). There are so many good schools — he’ll have many great choices. AB Calc is plenty rigorous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on where others end up. If many kids in BC you will have a problem. But this is merely stating the obvious.

Oh, please. Do you really think taking calculus BC over AB is the determining factor here? And if “many kids” starting squeezing in advanced college classes like abstract algebra and advanced analysis, would you push your child to try to keep up to avoid the “obvious” issue?

If your kid has a genuine passion for math and wants to go into STEM, do BC. Everyone else is fine with AB.

[Anonymous]

Both my kids ended at AB even though BC was offered and taken by others. Both at Ivies. BC only important is going into a STEM major.

[Anonymous]

*if* going into a STEM major.

They kept their study halls too. Too many parents go overboard with the mega-rigorous-crazy schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both my kids ended at AB even though BC was offered and taken by others. Both at Ivies. BC only important is going into a STEM major.

Are you URM? Athlete? Some other hook?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both my kids ended at AB even though BC was offered and taken by others. Both at Ivies. BC only important is going into a STEM major.

Are you URM? Athlete? Some other hook?

I’m sure it’s “some other hook.” Schools are looking for kids who are passionate about learning and have shown that through their legitimate interests — that’s hard to do when parents keep forcing them to take the highest rigor in areas that don’t interest them. AB vs BC is not a factor.

[Anonymous]

There are something like 2000 4-year colleges and universities. Regardless of whether he takes calc AB or BC, there will be a good fit for him.

There are two approaches to college. One is too pick the kind of school you want and then forces your son to be the kind of high school student who can get in. The second approach is to choose the high school classes and experience that are best for your son's skills and temperament and then see what colleges follow from that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep as many tracks open as possible. But don’t push them if they are not into it with things like summer math…getting to Calc AB is more than fine. Burnout is REAL

+1

Spring semester junior year (with a time-consuming EC and several AP tests on successive days) and Fall of senior year (high rigor w more AP classes + college apps + morale hit of ED rejection) were awful…. Intellectually capable of the work but still hard when pulled in so many directions and sleep-deprived. There are only so many hours in the day, and they’re still kids.

[Anonymous]

He should plan to take both AP Calc AB and AP Stat during his senior year. With the AP sciences that you mentioned, I'm sure he will be fine. Also, he needs to take a foreign language for at least 3 and preferably 4 years in HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are something like 2000 4-year colleges and universities. Regardless of whether he takes calc AB or BC, there will be a good fit for him.

There are two approaches to college. One is too pick the kind of school you want and then forces your son to be the kind of high school student who can get in. The second approach is to choose the high school classes and experience that are best for your son's skills and temperament and then see what colleges follow from that.

While this goes in the common sense category, I had never thought of the college process like this and it is very helpful. Thank you PP.

[Anonymous]

^^^False. Grades and SAT scores are far more important than maxing out Apps or taking every possible rigorous class, even for highly competitive schools. Yeah, if you’re aiming for MIT you should try for the highest level of math, but OP has said that the DC isn’t a math wiz so schools like MIT and Caltech won’t be on the table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He should plan to take both AP Calc AB and AP Stat during his senior year. With the AP sciences that you mentioned, I'm sure he will be fine. Also, he needs to take a foreign language for at least 3 and preferably 4 years in HS.

Where do you all get this nonsense? There must be admission officers who come here with popcorn, I swear. He should plan to take BOTH AP calc and stat senior year?! 😂 (I don’t disagree with you about foreign language—four is preferable).

But one math is fine — they are looking for interesting kids who have real academic interests — not kids who are frantically checking every possible AP box. Come on, have some common sense.