Differences in what a kid is allowed to take

[Anonymous]

My 9th grader will be in H. Precalc. He's already taken Physics through CTY. As an elective, he wanted to take AP Physics 1 this year. The HS he attends will not allow it as they said that in order to take any physics class, he must have completed Bio and Chem first. But yet, when I look at what Blair allows, a student in H.Precalc is placed in AP Physics 1. Their philosophy is that math drives science.

If we are one school district, why the differences? Any suggestions for getting around this?

[Anonymous]

Order doesn't matter at all. School admin make up their own rules.

[Anonymous]

You need to insist. DD is taking high school science in this order: Honors Chem, AP Chem, AP Physics C and AP Bio. Most kids start with Bio.

[Anonymous]

Admin don't like putting a kid in a class for a different grade level. It messes up the scheduling of other classes. Schools like Blair can do things that others can't because they have a class full of kids in the same grade taking the same class.

[Anonymous]

Most AP science classes assume a base level of knowledge about the subject that is usually obtain by taking a lower level of the same subject. Depending on the science class there is also a correlation with the level of math a student should know (or be concurrently taking). I wouldn’t necessarily say math drives science as much as math is used to provide proof, definition, and prediction of observed and theorized science.

AP Physics1 is algebra based so in theory can be taken earlier. However, practical results have should that students need a greater math knowledge and problem solving ability and a great teacher in order to be able to tackle the content and problems of the AP exam.

In your case if your student is already taking H. PreCal, I don’t see why they would be denied the option of taking AP Physics 1, especially as an elective. I suggest speaking with the Science Lead and Counselor to get a concrete answer as to why your student is being denied.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to insist. DD is taking high school science in this order: Honors Chem, AP Chem, AP Physics C and AP Bio. Most kids start with Bio.

Me again. She's at BCC, and is taking Honors Precalc as a rising 9th grader.

[Anonymous]

OMG you sound horrible. Why does it matter and why do you feel so entitled to an exception? This will make no difference to your child's happiness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG you sound horrible. Why does it matter and why do you feel so entitled to an exception? This will make no difference to your child's happiness.

I'm asking why there isn't consistency across the schools since we all receive the same curriculum and are one school district.

[Anonymous]

Every school is given some leeway in curriculum because each school has a different mix of kids who have different interests and talents. This is why some schools offer Arabic while others do not.
It sounds like your child did not get into a magnet program and you are trying to make up for that. You sound pathetic honestly.

[Anonymous]

Some schools also offer NSL to freshman while others only allow U.S. History. There are so many variations. Our school does not offer ASL which is a big bummer for our child.

[Anonymous]

WJ allows this. It may be that they don’t have enough spots for the upper class man and give them preference for the APs. My sophomore was declined from an AP he wanted to take as a sophomore as an elective and I assume it’s because it was filled with juniors and seniors. That seems fair to me. Otherwise I don’t understand the arbitrary gatekeepojg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every school is given some leeway in curriculum because each school has a different mix of kids who have different interests and talents. This is why some schools offer Arabic while others do not.
It sounds like your child did not get into a magnet program and you are trying to make up for that. You sound pathetic honestly.

Nasty. Even if this is true, so what? Should the child just give up on advanced courses forever because they didn't get into a magnet (which doesn't even have a clear entrance exam) at age 13?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG you sound horrible. Why does it matter and why do you feel so entitled to an exception? This will make no difference to your child's happiness.

People some parents care about education? It's the only way we can make MCPS better. What is wrong with you?

[Anonymous]

There are specific graduation requirmenets which include bio and chem. They want you to have caculus before physics as its very math based. The magnet programs may be a different class and not as math based.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some schools also offer NSL to freshman while others only allow U.S. History. There are so many variations. Our school does not offer ASL which is a big bummer for our child.

In this situation kids have to take both so the order doesn't really matter.