10+ AP classes

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Look…did your kid just want to be valedictorian? Colleges don’t care if you take AP Physics 1 or 2 if you take Physics C.

They don’t really care about Art History or Human Geography or other non-core AP classes either.

I guess if that’s the route you want to take…and have no idea what else the school offers…but it’s overkill.

Or maybe you shouldn’t comment without asking better context?
Some of these were required- if you wanted to take C:E&M you had to take Phys 1 and 2. His school has one of the highest Ap Art history course enrollments in the world- got an award for it a few years ago, students take it for fun, usually sophomore year and the teacher is awesome. Human geo was a requirement. Some of those “non core ap”s are out of interest, others are requirements.

The school requires 11 aps to graduate, so that’s how life goes.

Is this Basis or some other school that believes you just take AP classes and that’s HS?

No but it is USNEWS top 10. There’s definitely a lot of AP classes, but students take other things. I see it as no different than heavy IB schools.

That’s because USNEWS generally ranks on how many AP classes kids take (and how many offered).

You will get a high USNEWS ranking if you make kids take lots of AP classes.

It’s been ranked #1 by many different sources. The school is just good lol. Half the teachers have the qualification to teach college. I know people here hate public schools, but the top 10 are great schools that are at the top of the game.

Many parents here are pay to play, and can’t believe that public education is worth its salt. The top magnet programs blow private schools out of the water. The difference is that they aren’t filled with faculty children and legacies at Dartmouth and Uchicago to get easy admissions. The kids have to work for it.

The best magnet schools are the best because of the breadth and depth of post-AP classes…not because they require you take 11…and many actually don’t offer many of the non-core, random APs.

Tell that to Stuyvesant, IMSA, Bronx Sci, Brooklyn Tech, Downtown Magnet, TESLA, TAG, Masterman, and Academic Magnet.

You’re really only speaking on TJ. Many magnets are filled to the brim with AP classes.

Fine…but is their model to require lots of random non-core APs? Don’t they have robust post-AP offerings?

Depends on the school…? Some schools will just have loads of APs, not really a bad model and those schools tend to have teachers doing post-AP content in the AP courses. Others like IMSA, offer robust post Math APs, but really most magnet schools don’t have much content beyond Linear Algebra/MVC.

How is it that TJ and I think Blair are such exceptional Magnet schools?

Even some of our local comprehensive public’s offer Linear Algebra and MVC.

Students at most magnets have to work harder in a wider map of courses typically? They also dominate competitions and other competitive activities, because the students are just better.

It’s cool that 5 kids at the local school can take dual credit linear algebra, but to have a high volume of those students and get them to all excel is impressive.

It’s not Dual Credit…it’s taught at the school to classes of 20+ kids.

However, you didn’t answer why TJ is I guess so much more comprehensive than other magnet schools.

I guess we are spoiled in this area.

DC doesn’t have that competitive of a scene. New York, LA, and the Texas cities (specifically Dallas and Houston) are much more competitive with better schools. In each of those places, magnet schools are the top schools next to privates. It’s to do with the amount of highly intelligent students concentrated in one place.

I don’t even know what that means…but TJ does offer robust post-AP classes in Math and STEM.

You still aren’t answering why they don’t offer the breadth and depth of a TJ.

TJ is only one magnet school. You’re asking why every stem college isn’t exactly like MIT. I don’t know that’s their decision. If you’re interested look at IMSA, SEM, Debakey Science, and Whitney Young’s webpages. They can answer more than me

Following one of your suggestions, they clearly offer post-AP math:
https://www.dallasisd.org/Page/89866

Looks like just one post-AP math class.

Hey, this is DCUM…again I guess we should be really thankful for Blair and TJ…I thought it was the same experience at all these top Magnets. It’s not I guess.

I think TJ is one of the only places that does that many post AP math courses. Most high schools expect more breadth

Blair does

How far apart are these schools? You know there’s other schools in the US?

Huh? I just said Blair offers several post AP math courses because PP suggested it was only TJ. Not sure what you are asking or saying here.

[Anonymous]

My ‘22 Whitman grad took 15. 1- 9th grade, 3- 10th grade, 5- 11th grade, 6- 12th grade. It was a race to nowhere as they landed at a respectable but not Ivy level college. My rising senior has taken less APs and likely will get into a higher ranked college (she isn’t a better student, but this past year admissions seems to have reset to more predictable admissions and perhaps even easier this coming year).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people are reporting that their kids are taking 10+, 15, and even 20 AP classes. How is this possible? I am looking at my rising 9th grader's schedule and I don't see how you can pack more than about 10 AP classes? They can only take 1 AP class in 9th grade and you can't take, say, AP Biology, from the getgo.

If you read this the college threads, it's clear the parents are fueling this insanity by putting such an overwhelming emphasis on college. And parents on here seem more focused on college admission, rather than anything that comes after.

College is just a 4-year stop in a hopefully very long life. I'm more focused on setting my kid up for what comes after college rather than getting into a selective one with an impressive logo. If they only can get to an impressive logo college by being on a treadmill where they are overwhelming their schedule with APs, competitive sports and extracurriculars and service jobs they will arrive in a state of anxiety. Their will learn that their life is about impressing people and striving/chasing for the next "impressive goal". They'll assume achieving their high goals equates to happiness and will wonder when they get there why they aren't happy. Why they still feel anxiety and depression and constantly compare themselves to their equally high strung peers.

If it seems crazy to you for a kid fit in 10 APs between sophamore and senior years it is because it is crazy and shouldn't happen outside of some exceptional cases where the kid is very gifted and would not be challenged by regular level classes. But instead we have an arms race of crazed parents leading their kids into a crazed cycle of anxiety and comparison. And I've already seen parents on this thread reply with the may ways their kids have fit in 10-15 APs. Sigh.

There are many schools all over the US in which 1/4-1/3 pf the students take 10+ APs , with a significant subset still finding time to do many other things such as EC/sports/job, and sleep. Yet that is not functional for many others: then don’t do it! But for the ones who want to, in a school where that is common…go for it! It should always be the kid and their teachers advising what is right. Parents should stay out of it. It is a normal common path for many gifted level students (note “gifted” is usually top 5% nationally, yet a significant proportion of the top high schools: hardly rare in that setting)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people are reporting that their kids are taking 10+, 15, and even 20 AP classes. How is this possible? I am looking at my rising 9th grader's schedule and I don't see how you can pack more than about 10 AP classes? They can only take 1 AP class in 9th grade and you can't take, say, AP Biology, from the getgo.

If you read this the college threads, it's clear the parents are fueling this insanity by putting such an overwhelming emphasis on college. And parents on here seem more focused on college admission, rather than anything that comes after.

College is just a 4-year stop in a hopefully very long life. I'm more focused on setting my kid up for what comes after college rather than getting into a selective one with an impressive logo. If they only can get to an impressive logo college by being on a treadmill where they are overwhelming their schedule with APs, competitive sports and extracurriculars and service jobs they will arrive in a state of anxiety. Their will learn that their life is about impressing people and striving/chasing for the next "impressive goal". They'll assume achieving their high goals equates to happiness and will wonder when they get there why they aren't happy. Why they still feel anxiety and depression and constantly compare themselves to their equally high strung peers.

If it seems crazy to you for a kid fit in 10 APs between sophamore and senior years it is because it is crazy and shouldn't happen outside of some exceptional cases where the kid is very gifted and would not be challenged by regular level classes. But instead we have an arms race of crazed parents leading their kids into a crazed cycle of anxiety and comparison. And I've already seen parents on this thread reply with the may ways their kids have fit in 10-15 APs. Sigh.

Here is the thing... For some kids those classes are not hard at all. I've been a parent for a while now and many times I have met parents complaining how hard some class is while other parents say their kids are barely studying and getting 100%... Some parents complain that everything is watered down and too easy and others complain that kids are studying more than ever and need a tutor for every class. These are kids taking classes together.

Some middle schoolers could take 2-3 AP exams each summer. Now you will say - summer is for fun, they are not supposed to... but some of them want to, and can do it without some insane level of effort.

+1

Find the level right for your kid. For some, it is all the difficult classes then ivies and it still is not risking their mental well being—in fact they thrive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people are reporting that their kids are taking 10+, 15, and even 20 AP classes. How is this possible? I am looking at my rising 9th grader's schedule and I don't see how you can pack more than about 10 AP classes? They can only take 1 AP class in 9th grade and you can't take, say, AP Biology, from the getgo.

If you read this the college threads, it's clear the parents are fueling this insanity by putting such an overwhelming emphasis on college. And parents on here seem more focused on college admission, rather than anything that comes after.

College is just a 4-year stop in a hopefully very long life. I'm more focused on setting my kid up for what comes after college rather than getting into a selective one with an impressive logo. If they only can get to an impressive logo college by being on a treadmill where they are overwhelming their schedule with APs, competitive sports and extracurriculars and service jobs they will arrive in a state of anxiety. Their will learn that their life is about impressing people and striving/chasing for the next "impressive goal". They'll assume achieving their high goals equates to happiness and will wonder when they get there why they aren't happy. Why they still feel anxiety and depression and constantly compare themselves to their equally high strung peers.

If it seems crazy to you for a kid fit in 10 APs between sophamore and senior years it is because it is crazy and shouldn't happen outside of some exceptional cases where the kid is very gifted and would not be challenged by regular level classes. But instead we have an arms race of crazed parents leading their kids into a crazed cycle of anxiety and comparison. And I've already seen parents on this thread reply with the may ways their kids have fit in 10-15 APs. Sigh.

Here is the thing... For some kids those classes are not hard at all. I've been a parent for a while now and many times I have met parents complaining how hard some class is while other parents say their kids are barely studying and getting 100%... Some parents complain that everything is watered down and too easy and others complain that kids are studying more than ever and need a tutor for every class. These are kids taking classes together.

Some middle schoolers could take 2-3 AP exams each summer. Now you will say - summer is for fun, they are not supposed to... but some of them want to, and can do it without some insane level of effort.

+1

Find the level right for your kid. For some, it is all the difficult classes then ivies and it still is not risking their mental well being—in fact they thrive

I don't know about the intense ramp up as kid driven. The kids we know who were doing extra APs etc were all driven by parents (magnet school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, some AP courses are one semester. Also, different schools have different rules for when and whether you can take APs. So all that matters to you is what your kid is able to take at their school. That's all the college looks at too.

Which ones? I only know of Micro/Macro.

Ap US gov and AP comparative gov are semesters at some HS, as are AP
Psych and AP art history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people are reporting that their kids are taking 10+, 15, and even 20 AP classes. How is this possible? I am looking at my rising 9th grader's schedule and I don't see how you can pack more than about 10 AP classes? They can only take 1 AP class in 9th grade and you can't take, say, AP Biology, from the getgo.

If you read this the college threads, it's clear the parents are fueling this insanity by putting such an overwhelming emphasis on college. And parents on here seem more focused on college admission, rather than anything that comes after.

College is just a 4-year stop in a hopefully very long life. I'm more focused on setting my kid up for what comes after college rather than getting into a selective one with an impressive logo. If they only can get to an impressive logo college by being on a treadmill where they are overwhelming their schedule with APs, competitive sports and extracurriculars and service jobs they will arrive in a state of anxiety. Their will learn that their life is about impressing people and striving/chasing for the next "impressive goal". They'll assume achieving their high goals equates to happiness and will wonder when they get there why they aren't happy. Why they still feel anxiety and depression and constantly compare themselves to their equally high strung peers.

If it seems crazy to you for a kid fit in 10 APs between sophamore and senior years it is because it is crazy and shouldn't happen outside of some exceptional cases where the kid is very gifted and would not be challenged by regular level classes. But instead we have an arms race of crazed parents leading their kids into a crazed cycle of anxiety and comparison. And I've already seen parents on this thread reply with the may ways their kids have fit in 10-15 APs. Sigh.

Here is the thing... For some kids those classes are not hard at all. I've been a parent for a while now and many times I have met parents complaining how hard some class is while other parents say their kids are barely studying and getting 100%... Some parents complain that everything is watered down and too easy and others complain that kids are studying more than ever and need a tutor for every class. These are kids taking classes together.

Some middle schoolers could take 2-3 AP exams each summer. Now you will say - summer is for fun, they are not supposed to... but some of them want to, and can do it without some insane level of effort.

+1

Find the level right for your kid. For some, it is all the difficult classes then ivies and it still is not risking their mental well being—in fact they thrive

I don't know about the intense ramp up as kid driven. The kids we know who were doing extra APs etc were all driven by parents (magnet school).

Then you’ve just met uninspired kids. Any competitive kid will be into ramping up APs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people are reporting that their kids are taking 10+, 15, and even 20 AP classes. How is this possible? I am looking at my rising 9th grader's schedule and I don't see how you can pack more than about 10 AP classes? They can only take 1 AP class in 9th grade and you can't take, say, AP Biology, from the getgo.

If you read this the college threads, it's clear the parents are fueling this insanity by putting such an overwhelming emphasis on college. And parents on here seem more focused on college admission, rather than anything that comes after.

College is just a 4-year stop in a hopefully very long life. I'm more focused on setting my kid up for what comes after college rather than getting into a selective one with an impressive logo. If they only can get to an impressive logo college by being on a treadmill where they are overwhelming their schedule with APs, competitive sports and extracurriculars and service jobs they will arrive in a state of anxiety. Their will learn that their life is about impressing people and striving/chasing for the next "impressive goal". They'll assume achieving their high goals equates to happiness and will wonder when they get there why they aren't happy. Why they still feel anxiety and depression and constantly compare themselves to their equally high strung peers.

If it seems crazy to you for a kid fit in 10 APs between sophamore and senior years it is because it is crazy and shouldn't happen outside of some exceptional cases where the kid is very gifted and would not be challenged by regular level classes. But instead we have an arms race of crazed parents leading their kids into a crazed cycle of anxiety and comparison. And I've already seen parents on this thread reply with the may ways their kids have fit in 10-15 APs. Sigh.

Here is the thing... For some kids those classes are not hard at all. I've been a parent for a while now and many times I have met parents complaining how hard some class is while other parents say their kids are barely studying and getting 100%... Some parents complain that everything is watered down and too easy and others complain that kids are studying more than ever and need a tutor for every class. These are kids taking classes together.

Some middle schoolers could take 2-3 AP exams each summer. Now you will say - summer is for fun, they are not supposed to... but some of them want to, and can do it without some insane level of effort.

+1

Find the level right for your kid. For some, it is all the difficult classes then ivies and it still is not risking their mental well being—in fact they thrive

I don't know about the intense ramp up as kid driven. The kids we know who were doing extra APs etc were all driven by parents (magnet school).

In the private schools near us, AP entrance is mostly by teachers who do the approval. But when 1/3 graduate with 10+ that can be considered “normal “. Not parent driven for most, just the normal top tracks for the top cohorts, with the topmost finishing BC calc in 11th and AP physC or Chem(for a few, both) by the end of 11th. No parent pushing, just part of the accepted top path.
What has been fascinating is to learn this path is not common outside of top US high schools yet is very very common for international students from India and china. The US curriculum for tippy-top US students is very common abroad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people are reporting that their kids are taking 10+, 15, and even 20 AP classes. How is this possible? I am looking at my rising 9th grader's schedule and I don't see how you can pack more than about 10 AP classes? They can only take 1 AP class in 9th grade and you can't take, say, AP Biology, from the getgo.

If you read this the college threads, it's clear the parents are fueling this insanity by putting such an overwhelming emphasis on college. And parents on here seem more focused on college admission, rather than anything that comes after.

College is just a 4-year stop in a hopefully very long life. I'm more focused on setting my kid up for what comes after college rather than getting into a selective one with an impressive logo. If they only can get to an impressive logo college by being on a treadmill where they are overwhelming their schedule with APs, competitive sports and extracurriculars and service jobs they will arrive in a state of anxiety. Their will learn that their life is about impressing people and striving/chasing for the next "impressive goal". They'll assume achieving their high goals equates to happiness and will wonder when they get there why they aren't happy. Why they still feel anxiety and depression and constantly compare themselves to their equally high strung peers.

If it seems crazy to you for a kid fit in 10 APs between sophamore and senior years it is because it is crazy and shouldn't happen outside of some exceptional cases where the kid is very gifted and would not be challenged by regular level classes. But instead we have an arms race of crazed parents leading their kids into a crazed cycle of anxiety and comparison. And I've already seen parents on this thread reply with the may ways their kids have fit in 10-15 APs. Sigh.

Here is the thing... For some kids those classes are not hard at all. I've been a parent for a while now and many times I have met parents complaining how hard some class is while other parents say their kids are barely studying and getting 100%... Some parents complain that everything is watered down and too easy and others complain that kids are studying more than ever and need a tutor for every class. These are kids taking classes together.

Some middle schoolers could take 2-3 AP exams each summer. Now you will say - summer is for fun, they are not supposed to... but some of them want to, and can do it without some insane level of effort.

+1

Find the level right for your kid. For some, it is all the difficult classes then ivies and it still is not risking their mental well being—in fact they thrive

I don't know about the intense ramp up as kid driven. The kids we know who were doing extra APs etc were all driven by parents (magnet school).

I very much doubt you know who is driving what with any level of certainty. I have a 7th grader who learned about APs and told me they "wanted to take very possible AP".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis DC student; one each in 8th and 9th (and could have taken 2 in 9th); 6 in 10th (two econ, which are 1 semester courses), and 5 or 6 in 11th. And unusually, calc is split into 2 years (AB then BC).

More schools should split them. The rush to get students to do math as quickly as possible is getting out of hand. DS's college friends came into college with enough math for half a math major.

AB and BC are very similar. No reason to split.

Many high schools even super top ones mandate splitting. There is no path allowing precalc to BC. Which means the super math adept kids are bored but they can load up on other classes to fill their eager brains

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people are reporting that their kids are taking 10+, 15, and even 20 AP classes. How is this possible? I am looking at my rising 9th grader's schedule and I don't see how you can pack more than about 10 AP classes? They can only take 1 AP class in 9th grade and you can't take, say, AP Biology, from the getgo.

If you read this the college threads, it's clear the parents are fueling this insanity by putting such an overwhelming emphasis on college. And parents on here seem more focused on college admission, rather than anything that comes after.

College is just a 4-year stop in a hopefully very long life. I'm more focused on setting my kid up for what comes after college rather than getting into a selective one with an impressive logo. If they only can get to an impressive logo college by being on a treadmill where they are overwhelming their schedule with APs, competitive sports and extracurriculars and service jobs they will arrive in a state of anxiety. Their will learn that their life is about impressing people and striving/chasing for the next "impressive goal". They'll assume achieving their high goals equates to happiness and will wonder when they get there why they aren't happy. Why they still feel anxiety and depression and constantly compare themselves to their equally high strung peers.

If it seems crazy to you for a kid fit in 10 APs between sophamore and senior years it is because it is crazy and shouldn't happen outside of some exceptional cases where the kid is very gifted and would not be challenged by regular level classes. But instead we have an arms race of crazed parents leading their kids into a crazed cycle of anxiety and comparison. And I've already seen parents on this thread reply with the may ways their kids have fit in 10-15 APs. Sigh.

Here is the thing... For some kids those classes are not hard at all. I've been a parent for a while now and many times I have met parents complaining how hard some class is while other parents say their kids are barely studying and getting 100%... Some parents complain that everything is watered down and too easy and others complain that kids are studying more than ever and need a tutor for every class. These are kids taking classes together.

Some middle schoolers could take 2-3 AP exams each summer. Now you will say - summer is for fun, they are not supposed to... but some of them want to, and can do it without some insane level of effort.

+1

Find the level right for your kid. For some, it is all the difficult classes then ivies and it still is not risking their mental well being—in fact they thrive

I don't know about the intense ramp up as kid driven. The kids we know who were doing extra APs etc were all driven by parents (magnet school).

In the private schools near us, AP entrance is mostly by teachers who do the approval. But when 1/3 graduate with 10+ that can be considered “normal “. Not parent driven for most, just the normal top tracks for the top cohorts, with the topmost finishing BC calc in 11th and AP physC or Chem(for a few, both) by the end of 11th. No parent pushing, just part of the accepted top path.
What has been fascinating is to learn this path is not common outside of top US high schools yet is very very common for international students from India and china. The US curriculum for tippy-top US students is very common abroad

+1
I had 4 years of chemistry (including 3 years of organic chemistry) in HS. In my country, you needed this if you wanted to study medicine, which is a 6 year long BS degree. And people here act like AP chemistry is some kind phd level qualifying exam.

Kids here can do high level sports and run clubs and volunteer and have job and all that on top of all academics precisely because academics are not that demanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for your replies. My questions are:

1) Are your kids not taking MV calculus - not an AP class?
2) What about double period AP classes - like chemistry and bio, in our kid's HS? Do they not eat up into other classes (e.g. you can only take 6 subjects rather than seven)
3) My kid wants to take AP drawing but it takes a long time to get there (4 years). Any advice?

At DC's school, there were 8 courses every semester, so that definitely helps. You couldn't ever take less than 8. Classes were pretty well designed, so they wouldn't run into one another. No One is taking MV calc, it's not offered-the school says when they did offer it, admissions departments gave them the eye brow and suggested slowing students down. Instead there's an occasional number theory class for seniors. Don't hasten the APs if it isn't necessary!

The high school is not up to date or not telling the truth. A large percentage of freshman at T10s and lower have taken MVC in high school. In Boston area, 2 private day schools and many boarding schools have a normal math track such that 1/4 of students take multivariable and another post AP math in senior year. It is a standard path the kids get tracked into in 6th grade. It is not rare at all, and these high schools get an impressive amount into T20s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for your replies. My questions are:

1) Are your kids not taking MV calculus - not an AP class?
2) What about double period AP classes - like chemistry and bio, in our kid's HS? Do they not eat up into other classes (e.g. you can only take 6 subjects rather than seven)
3) My kid wants to take AP drawing but it takes a long time to get there (4 years). Any advice?

At DC's school, there were 8 courses every semester, so that definitely helps. You couldn't ever take less than 8. Classes were pretty well designed, so they wouldn't run into one another. No One is taking MV calc, it's not offered-the school says when they did offer it, admissions departments gave them the eye brow and suggested slowing students down. Instead there's an occasional number theory class for seniors. Don't hasten the APs if it isn't necessary!

The high school is not up to date or not telling the truth. A large percentage of freshman at T10s and lower have taken MVC in high school. In Boston area, 2 private day schools and many boarding schools have a normal math track such that 1/4 of students take multivariable and another post AP math in senior year. It is a standard path the kids get tracked into in 6th grade. It is not rare at all, and these high schools get an impressive amount into T20s.

Yes, this is the Algebra 1 in 7th grade track. A lot of kids in MCPS are on this track, and there are kids going a year faster than that (Algerba 2 in 8th).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some people are reporting that their kids are taking 10+, 15, and even 20 AP classes. How is this possible? I am looking at my rising 9th grader's schedule and I don't see how you can pack more than about 10 AP classes? They can only take 1 AP class in 9th grade and you can't take, say, AP Biology, from the getgo.

If you read this the college threads, it's clear the parents are fueling this insanity by putting such an overwhelming emphasis on college. And parents on here seem more focused on college admission, rather than anything that comes after.

College is just a 4-year stop in a hopefully very long life. I'm more focused on setting my kid up for what comes after college rather than getting into a selective one with an impressive logo. If they only can get to an impressive logo college by being on a treadmill where they are overwhelming their schedule with APs, competitive sports and extracurriculars and service jobs they will arrive in a state of anxiety. Their will learn that their life is about impressing people and striving/chasing for the next "impressive goal". They'll assume achieving their high goals equates to happiness and will wonder when they get there why they aren't happy. Why they still feel anxiety and depression and constantly compare themselves to their equally high strung peers.

If it seems crazy to you for a kid fit in 10 APs between sophamore and senior years it is because it is crazy and shouldn't happen outside of some exceptional cases where the kid is very gifted and would not be challenged by regular level classes. But instead we have an arms race of crazed parents leading their kids into a crazed cycle of anxiety and comparison. And I've already seen parents on this thread reply with the may ways their kids have fit in 10-15 APs. Sigh.

Here is the thing... For some kids those classes are not hard at all. I've been a parent for a while now and many times I have met parents complaining how hard some class is while other parents say their kids are barely studying and getting 100%... Some parents complain that everything is watered down and too easy and others complain that kids are studying more than ever and need a tutor for every class. These are kids taking classes together.

Some middle schoolers could take 2-3 AP exams each summer. Now you will say - summer is for fun, they are not supposed to... but some of them want to, and can do it without some insane level of effort.

+1

Find the level right for your kid. For some, it is all the difficult classes then ivies and it still is not risking their mental well being—in fact they thrive

I don't know about the intense ramp up as kid driven. The kids we know who were doing extra APs etc were all driven by parents (magnet school).

I very much doubt you know who is driving what with any level of certainty. I have a 7th grader who learned about APs and told me they "wanted to take very possible AP".

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for your replies. My questions are:

1) Are your kids not taking MV calculus - not an AP class?
2) What about double period AP classes - like chemistry and bio, in our kid's HS? Do they not eat up into other classes (e.g. you can only take 6 subjects rather than seven)
3) My kid wants to take AP drawing but it takes a long time to get there (4 years). Any advice?

At DC's school, there were 8 courses every semester, so that definitely helps. You couldn't ever take less than 8. Classes were pretty well designed, so they wouldn't run into one another. No One is taking MV calc, it's not offered-the school says when they did offer it, admissions departments gave them the eye brow and suggested slowing students down. Instead there's an occasional number theory class for seniors. Don't hasten the APs if it isn't necessary!

The high school is not up to date or not telling the truth. A large percentage of freshman at T10s and lower have taken MVC in high school. In Boston area, 2 private day schools and many boarding schools have a normal math track such that 1/4 of students take multivariable and another post AP math in senior year. It is a standard path the kids get tracked into in 6th grade. It is not rare at all, and these high schools get an impressive amount into T20s.

Yes, this is the Algebra 1 in 7th grade track. A lot of kids in MCPS are on this track, and there are kids going a year faster than that (Algerba 2 in 8th).

In our area it is Algebra in 6th grade as the most advanced, yet the school still insists on mandatory separation of calc AB and BC . 25-30 students per year do Alg 1 in 6th which leads to BC in 11th and a combo course of multivariable and ordinary differential Eq in 12th. The next group of 35-40 does Alg 1 in 7th leading to BC in 12th. Those two tracks are over 50% of each grade level. Coincidentally 40-50% go to T30s