279 Early College graduates honored in 2023

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For students who continue to 4-yr university degreee programs, how do students choose between Early College (on campus at UMUC) vs AP/IB at high school?

Is it based on AP/IB availability at home school (so UMUC acts like a Magnet)?

Or social/age reasons?

Kids I know in the program say that the MC classes are easier than AP classes and you don’t need to take the anxiety producing AP exams.

I think that depends on the courses and degree. For students in STEM math is math and AP only goes to Calc

I’m confused. Are you saying for math/stem it’s better to go the ap/IB route or the early college route?

I think they're saying the latter goes further, covering diffyQs, linear algebra, and calc 3

Yes. With actual college credit that is transferable. My kid has Calc 1-3, Diff Eq, Physics 1-3, Chem 1-2, & a smattering of other engineering courses. You can’t do all that via AP credits.

There are people who are absolutely convinced that community college classes are inferior to AP/IB. In reality, it’s just like all education (HS, CC, 4yr) with some fantastic teachers, most okay, and a few poor ones. As far as rigor goes, the MC STEM classes all had actual midterm and final exams counting for a significant portion of the grade. And I think people forget that the MC classes transfer directly to UMD. Many of those early college graduates are going to UMD-CP or UMBC right into finishing a 4 year engineering degree in two more years. It’s a great pathway to be in a high paying job at 20 without much (if any) college debt.

It can be helpful if you are interested in UMD College Park or UMBC. If you are interested instead in applying to Ivies and top 20 schools, AP classes are a better way to go.

My kids college will not give credit for a class that counted towards HS grad even if it was a college class. They do give credit for some APs with a 5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For students who continue to 4-yr university degreee programs, how do students choose between Early College (on campus at UMUC) vs AP/IB at high school?

Is it based on AP/IB availability at home school (so UMUC acts like a Magnet)?

Or social/age reasons?

Kids I know in the program say that the MC classes are easier than AP classes and you don’t need to take the anxiety producing AP exams.

In Loudon county the duel enrollment classes are taught at the HS by the HS teachers. There is final AP exam though so many kids find them easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For students who continue to 4-yr university degreee programs, how do students choose between Early College (on campus at UMUC) vs AP/IB at high school?

Is it based on AP/IB availability at home school (so UMUC acts like a Magnet)?

Or social/age reasons?

Kids I know in the program say that the MC classes are easier than AP classes and you don’t need to take the anxiety producing AP exams.

I think that depends on the courses and degree. For students in STEM math is math and AP only goes to Calc

I’m confused. Are you saying for math/stem it’s better to go the ap/IB route or the early college route?

I think they're saying the latter goes further, covering diffyQs, linear algebra, and calc 3

Yes. With actual college credit that is transferable. My kid has Calc 1-3, Diff Eq, Physics 1-3, Chem 1-2, & a smattering of other engineering courses. You can’t do all that via AP credits.

There are people who are absolutely convinced that community college classes are inferior to AP/IB. In reality, it’s just like all education (HS, CC, 4yr) with some fantastic teachers, most okay, and a few poor ones. As far as rigor goes, the MC STEM classes all had actual midterm and final exams counting for a significant portion of the grade. And I think people forget that the MC classes transfer directly to UMD. Many of those early college graduates are going to UMD-CP or UMBC right into finishing a 4 year engineering degree in two more years. It’s a great pathway to be in a high paying job at 20 without much (if any) college debt.

These aren't all AP, but some are available as dual enrollment without (mostly at MC; I think a few HS have onsite classes).


> Calc 1-2
This is AP Calc BC

> Calc 3 and DiffEQ

available via non-EarlyCollege Dual Enrollment

> Physics 1-3
There is AP Physics 1, Physics C Mechanics, Physics C E&M (rarely offered?)

> Chem 1-2
This is AP Chem

UMD AP Transfer credit chart:

https://www.transfercredit.umd.edu/plc/APGenEd.pdf

AP classes are generally worth the equivalent of a semester course or a 2 semester courses, sometimes depending on AP test score. So 5 AP classes per year with a score of 4+ (in English, Socal Studies, Math/CS, Science, Foreign Language/Art) equals about 1 college year.

It seems that main difference in coursework is the scheduling convenience and whether the student takes a single high
-stakes test for course credit.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for sharing!
DS is interested in fully remote Early College program that starts in 9th. Finishing 8th now so lets see how it goes next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing!
DS is interested in fully remote Early College program that starts in 9th. Finishing 8th now so lets see how it goes next year.

Thst is fascinating. Please tell more. Has DS already done a lot of high school courses? In public school, or where?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing!
DS is interested in fully remote Early College program that starts in 9th. Finishing 8th now so lets see how it goes next year.

Fully remote for a high school age student sounds like a terrible idea.
Kids need in person interaction with their teachers and other students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing!
DS is interested in fully remote Early College program that starts in 9th. Finishing 8th now so lets see how it goes next year.

Fully remote for a high school age student sounds like a terrible idea.
Kids need in person interaction with their teachers and other students

DCUM maxim: what works for my kid works for everyone's kid! And you're wrong for thinking otherwise!
And its corollary: what doesn't work for my kid doesn't work for anyone's kid! And you're wrong for thinking otherwise!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing!
DS is interested in fully remote Early College program that starts in 9th. Finishing 8th now so lets see how it goes next year.

Can you share more about this? I didn’t realize that it could start in 9th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing!
DS is interested in fully remote Early College program that starts in 9th. Finishing 8th now so lets see how it goes next year.

Fully remote for a high school age student sounds like a terrible idea.
Kids need in person interaction with their teachers and other students

DCUM maxim: what works for my kid works for everyone's kid! And you're wrong for thinking otherwise!
And its corollary: what doesn't work for my kid doesn't work for anyone's kid! And you're wrong for thinking otherwise!

No... all kids need interaction, and I have had several kids do Stanford Online High School, CTY, etc. No child is better off spending the bulk of their day on a computer, even with a live class. Sorry...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing!
DS is interested in fully remote Early College program that starts in 9th. Finishing 8th now so lets see how it goes next year.

Fully remote for a high school age student sounds like a terrible idea.
Kids need in person interaction with their teachers and other students

DCUM maxim: what works for my kid works for everyone's kid! And you're wrong for thinking otherwise!
And its corollary: what doesn't work for my kid doesn't work for anyone's kid! And you're wrong for thinking otherwise!

I’m a HS teacher who wrote what you are responding to. Full virtual school is helpful in certain situations - persistent bullying, prolonged mental and physical illness, etc. But I stand by what I said - most kids need and benefit from an in-person educational environment. School is not just about learning subject content. It is also about learning how to collaborate and build relationships with your peers and mentors. Picking up skills to learn how to successfully navigate complex social situations is an important part of growing up. And teachers can be valuable mentors and trusted allies for students. Much as I would enjoy a partially remote job, there is no substitute for face to face interaction especially for K-12 education and post secondary as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing!
DS is interested in fully remote Early College program that starts in 9th. Finishing 8th now so lets see how it goes next year.

Fully remote for a high school age student sounds like a terrible idea.
Kids need in person interaction with their teachers and other students

DCUM maxim: what works for my kid works for everyone's kid! And you're wrong for thinking otherwise!
And its corollary: what doesn't work for my kid doesn't work for anyone's kid! And you're wrong for thinking otherwise!

I’m a HS teacher who wrote what you are responding to. Full virtual school is helpful in certain situations - persistent bullying, prolonged mental and physical illness, etc. But I stand by what I said - most kids need and benefit from an in-person educational environment. School is not just about learning subject content. It is also about learning how to collaborate and build relationships with your peers and mentors. Picking up skills to learn how to successfully navigate complex social situations is an important part of growing up. And teachers can be valuable mentors and trusted allies for students. Much as I would enjoy a partially remote job, there is no substitute for face to face interaction especially for K-12 education and post secondary as well.

Maybe that parent knows the kid who has lived with them for 14 years already?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing!
DS is interested in fully remote Early College program that starts in 9th. Finishing 8th now so lets see how it goes next year.

Can you share more about this? I didn’t realize that it could start in 9th.

DP here. Virtual Middle College is new for next year. I didn’t look at the details, but Middle College is what Northwood and Northwest offer. It’s a sequence of AP classes in 9-11 grades and then full time at MC for senior year. There is a recording of the information session on the website
https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/high-school-students/dual-enrollment/degree-and-pathway-programs/virtual-middle-college-program.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for sharing!
DS is interested in fully remote Early College program that starts in 9th. Finishing 8th now so lets see how it goes next year.

Thst is fascinating. Please tell more. Has DS already done a lot of high school courses? In public school, or where?

Early college starts in 11th grade.
https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/partnerships/early-college

Even in 11th & 12th, some courses need to be taken at the high school. The MC classes can be virtual.

[Anonymous]

Virtual middle college and middle college were designed to funnel more students into MC as community college enrollment has been declining.
The goal is to help MC stay afloat more than it is to benefit students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Virtual middle college and middle college were designed to funnel more students into MC as community college enrollment has been declining.
The goal is to help MC stay afloat more than it is to benefit students

Hopefully you’re aware that MC is a nonprofit.