2023-24 Course catalog

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AP Precalc is a new money grab by the college board. It'll likely be very similar to the previous option, with the addition that you can pay to have your kid take a test to see whether or not the his grades were inflated.

AP PreCalc is an absolutely ridiculous concept. Remember the old days when AP classes were intended to be college level courses - not a class that basically every high school in the country routinely offers to most students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP Precalc is a new money grab by the college board. It'll likely be very similar to the previous option, with the addition that you can pay to have your kid take a test to see whether or not the his grades were inflated.

AP PreCalc is an absolutely ridiculous concept. Remember the old days when AP classes were intended to be college level courses - not a class that basically every high school in the country routinely offers to most students?

Some (most?) colleges probably do have a precal/trig class, but it's a remedial class. What would a college do with a 5 on an AP Precal test? Place out of remedial math?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP Precalc is a new money grab by the college board. It'll likely be very similar to the previous option, with the addition that you can pay to have your kid take a test to see whether or not the his grades were inflated.

AP PreCalc is an absolutely ridiculous concept. Remember the old days when AP classes were intended to be college level courses - not a class that basically every high school in the country routinely offers to most students?

Some (most?) colleges probably do have a precal/trig class, but it's a remedial class. What would a college do with a 5 on an AP Precal test? Place out of remedial math?

It's meant to sweep kids who wouldn't take calc into being successful on the math track. The new AP class can be taught with or without the extra unit...so there is some flexibility. And for some degrees, (not comsci or engineering), the AP credit could satisfy a quantitative gen ed requirement. But, as a country, we should want to bring more people into math/engineering/science degrees...and we might need to help some kids get over the mental barrier that they aren't "math types." So there's not really a downside to this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP Precalc is a new money grab by the college board. It'll likely be very similar to the previous option, with the addition that you can pay to have your kid take a test to see whether or not the his grades were inflated.

AP PreCalc is an absolutely ridiculous concept. Remember the old days when AP classes were intended to be college level courses - not a class that basically every high school in the country routinely offers to most students?

Some (most?) colleges probably do have a precal/trig class, but it's a remedial class. What would a college do with a 5 on an AP Precal test? Place out of remedial math?

It's meant to sweep kids who wouldn't take calc into being successful on the math track. The new AP class can be taught with or without the extra unit...so there is some flexibility. And for some degrees, (not comsci or engineering), the AP credit could satisfy a quantitative gen ed requirement. But, as a country, we should want to bring more people into math/engineering/science degrees...and we might need to help some kids get over the mental barrier that they aren't "math types." So there's not really a downside to this.

You explained the downside in your post - the new AP class can be taught with or without the "extra unit".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP Precalc is a new money grab by the college board. It'll likely be very similar to the previous option, with the addition that you can pay to have your kid take a test to see whether or not the his grades were inflated.

AP PreCalc is an absolutely ridiculous concept. Remember the old days when AP classes were intended to be college level courses - not a class that basically every high school in the country routinely offers to most students?

Some (most?) colleges probably do have a precal/trig class, but it's a remedial class. What would a college do with a 5 on an AP Precal test? Place out of remedial math?

It's meant to sweep kids who wouldn't take calc into being successful on the math track. The new AP class can be taught with or without the extra unit...so there is some flexibility. And for some degrees, (not comsci or engineering), the AP credit could satisfy a quantitative gen ed requirement. But, as a country, we should want to bring more people into math/engineering/science degrees...and we might need to help some kids get over the mental barrier that they aren't "math types." So there's not really a downside to this.

You explained the downside in your post - the new AP class can be taught with or without the "extra unit".

That IS an upside -- I'm guessing that when FCPS teaches the extra unit, it'll be considered similar to the trig/precalc HONORS vs. And for those sections where it doesn't teach the extra unit, it'll be like the regular trig/precalc. Or they will simply always teach AP Precalc WITH the extra unit.... and leave the regular trig/precalc class as is.

[Anonymous]

Precalc Trig Honors was a hard class. I wonder if this will be easier or not.

[Anonymous]

Our IB HS is getting rid of AP Calculus and is telling all our current Juniors that are in Trig/Pre Calc honors they have to go to NOVA to take it or take it through virtual VA. Any guidance on how to prevent this or at least postpone so 9th graders can know to pick a different track? My 11th grader is SOL-only option for non IB math senior year is AP Stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our IB HS is getting rid of AP Calculus and is telling all our current Juniors that are in Trig/Pre Calc honors they have to go to NOVA to take it or take it through virtual VA. Any guidance on how to prevent this or at least postpone so 9th graders can know to pick a different track? My 11th grader is SOL-only option for non IB math senior year is AP Stats.

Robinson?

Just keep complaining to admin and know that the teachers are fighting to get it back too. It sucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Precalc Trig Honors was a hard class. I wonder if this will be easier or not.

I still see PreCalc Trig Honors listed.

https://insys.fcps.edu/CourseCatOnline/reportPanel/520/10/0/0/0/1;title=reportPanelSideNav

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Precalc Trig Honors was a hard class. I wonder if this will be easier or not.

I still see PreCalc Trig Honors listed.

https://insys.fcps.edu/CourseCatOnline/reportPanel/520/10/0/0/0/1;title=reportPanelSideNav

So lucky! Our HS is only offering it online but now they have added in person AP Pre Calc AND in person Pre Calc Trig DE. I’m thinking Pre Calc Trig DE is a better option for my kid. You get the credit ( if going to a VA star school?) the 1.0 bump and don’t pay for or take AP test. Do I have that correct? I’m hoping our HS suddenly adds back Pre Calc Trig HN! It is ridiculous to take it away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Precalc Trig Honors was a hard class. I wonder if this will be easier or not.

I still see PreCalc Trig Honors listed.

https://insys.fcps.edu/CourseCatOnline/reportPanel/520/10/0/0/0/1;title=reportPanelSideNav

So lucky! Our HS is only offering it online but now they have added in person AP Pre Calc AND in person Pre Calc Trig DE. I’m thinking Pre Calc Trig DE is a better option for my kid. You get the credit ( if going to a VA star school?) the 1.0 bump and don’t pay for or take AP test. Do I have that correct? I’m hoping our HS suddenly adds back Pre Calc Trig HN! It is ridiculous to take it away.

You don't have to take the AP exam or pay for it if you don't want to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Precalc Trig Honors was a hard class. I wonder if this will be easier or not.

I still see PreCalc Trig Honors listed.

https://insys.fcps.edu/CourseCatOnline/reportPanel/520/10/0/0/0/1;title=reportPanelSideNav

I am the PP who posted the link. Actually, I see the PreCalc Trig H course listed, but don't see any school listed as offering it.

Yet, my daughter's Algebra 2H teacher just yesterday recommended she take PreCalc Honors next year (She also recommended a higher achieving classmate/aquaintance take AP PreCalc.) Did the teacher error in recommending a class that isn't being offered next year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Precalc Trig Honors was a hard class. I wonder if this will be easier or not.

I still see PreCalc Trig Honors listed.

https://insys.fcps.edu/CourseCatOnline/reportPanel/520/10/0/0/0/1;title=reportPanelSideNav

I am the PP who posted the link. Actually, I see the PreCalc Trig H course listed, but don't see any school listed as offering it.

Yet, my daughter's Algebra 2H teacher just yesterday recommended she take PreCalc Honors next year (She also recommended a higher achieving classmate/aquaintance take AP PreCalc.) Did the teacher error in recommending a class that isn't being offered next year?

Scratch that. I refreshed my browser, and looks like it is now offerered at our school, in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Precalc Trig Honors was a hard class. I wonder if this will be easier or not.

AP Precalculus is no where near as rigorous as Precalculus Trig Honors. AP Precalculus was designed for kids who take Algebra 1 in 9th grade who won't get to calculus in high school; this gives them a credit that they could use at two-year colleges and some four-year colleges to meet their math requirements. It is not designed as a rigorous preparation for calculus.

The AP Precalculus exam does not cover parametric equations, conic sections, vectors, or matrices. FCPS lists these topics as included in their AP Precalculus course, but likely they will be crammed into the short period between the AP exam and end of year which makes you wonder how thoroughly they will be covered. Particularly since the target audience for AP Precalculus (kids who may never take another math class again) don't need these concepts.

Precalc Trig Honors is designed to prepare kids for AP Calculus BC. It also covers limits and introduction to derivatives, topics which are crucial to cover in Precalculus if you want to prepare well for BC. AP Precalculus is not good preparation for BC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Precalc Trig Honors was a hard class. I wonder if this will be easier or not.

AP Precalculus is no where near as rigorous as Precalculus Trig Honors. AP Precalculus was designed for kids who take Algebra 1 in 9th grade who won't get to calculus in high school; this gives them a credit that they could use at two-year colleges and some four-year colleges to meet their math requirements. It is not designed as a rigorous preparation for calculus.

The AP Precalculus exam does not cover parametric equations, conic sections, vectors, or matrices. FCPS lists these topics as included in their AP Precalculus course, but likely they will be crammed into the short period between the AP exam and end of year which makes you wonder how thoroughly they will be covered. Particularly since the target audience for AP Precalculus (kids who may never take another math class again) don't need these concepts.

Precalc Trig Honors is designed to prepare kids for AP Calculus BC. It also covers limits and introduction to derivatives, topics which are crucial to cover in Precalculus if you want to prepare well for BC. AP Precalculus is not good preparation for BC.

Why in the world has FCPS removed the Pre Calc/Trig Honors class then? According to this thread some schools it’s removed and some are reporting it is now back on the list. Our school only lists it as an online course for next year. The in person options are: AP Pre Calc( first time offered is 23-24). Pre Calc Trig DE and Regular Pre Calc Trig. Most of the staff( math) seemed to be unaware of the change and now kids are scrambling to figure out which to choose. Staff seem to have limited answers(since they also were unaware).