| With FCPS having an accelerated math track for some (Algebra in 6th, Calc in 10th) does this matter for college applications? |
| Yes. |
No, it doesn't matter. |
Don't set her up like that. |
|
No. Not at all.
I live in NYC and most kids at Stuyvesant do calc as seniors. Last time I looked, Stuyvesant is pretty highly regarded for its math grads. Chill the F out with super accelerating your kids. |
| Agree doest matter unless stem major. |
Which is probably going to be most kids with the ability and motivation to pursue an ultra accelerated math track |
| In our experience, other things matter much more |
| The vast majority of applicants with calculus will be taking it in 12th. It’s fine. |
Not most ppl on here tho |
|
12th is fine.
My DC was accepted to 2 Ivy engineering schools this year with a max of Calc AB. Completely unhooked girl. |
|
All of these magnet school self-proclaimed brainiacs need to remove themselves from their little bubble. They are not impressing anyone with their allegedly brilliant snowflakes. I almost feel like their schools are doing the kids a dis-service by accelerating them so much.
And please don't say "my kid is so smart and they were bored!" Good. Have them play sports, watch mindless TV, play video games, learn plumbing, or flirt with girls/boys. It will serve them much better in life. |
|
Cal AB highest math.
Admitted to 2 Ivy and 2 other T20. Humanities girl. |
1. You're heartless. Some kids actually do suffer from extreme boredom and school refusal when they have to sit through hours of school and never be challenged in any way. One of my kids is like this, and my other kids are not, so it's not me being a wishful thinking Tiger Parent. For us, it's not about college admissions. It's about avoiding depression for this one gifted kid. All the activities you mention don't actually happen in the classroom, do they? 2. If you do care about college admissions, it's all about quotas and cohorts. College admissions want to see whether the student has stood out among his peers. Thus magnet schools and high-performing publics and privates are curses for all but the most gifted kids. All the rest need hooks or luck to get into the most selective colleges, because it's only the tippy top ones who will get in. |
Assuming the question is for a stem major, yes, the accelerated math does matter. Not necessarily on its own but also what you do with that acceleration. Top stem school like Caltech and MIT are clear they want to see Calculus, Physics, Chemistry and to a lesser degree Biology. To take the highest level like both AP Physics C, the more math the better, taking Multivariable is not required but extremely useful for both Mechanics and Electromagnetism. AP Chemistry is fine with only Calculus BC. Same with linear algebra for computer science. Not to say that you’re screwed if you don’t have the advanced math, just that it makes life easier for many topics in other math adjacent subjects that competitive colleges want to see taken at the most rigorous level. |