9th grader schedule

[Anonymous]

Colleges want to see students taking 4 years of the 5 core courses. I would have him take social science of some kind.

AP CS Principles is a course he can skip if he's got CSA and some python skills, unless it's a prereq.

As for whether this is "too much", it depends on the kid. For one of mine it absolutely would be. For the other it absolutely wouldn't be.

[Anonymous]

OP, only you know your kid. One of my kids takes advanced everything and has straight As. She’s a junior now and her advisor has finally stopped telling her she’s picking too hard of a schedule. My other kid could not have handled an all-advanced or AP schedule.

[Anonymous]

I agree that it is kid dependent. I would actually encourage your child to take more history and government classes, it is clear that most Americans are clueless as to how the government should work or learned much from history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is in a different state, where parents and students have the ability to override schedule.
He did American Government for a semester in 8th grade, so can skip Social Studies class in 9th grade.
He know python, does not do any sports, but plans to take part in after-school clubs. He is interested in Math and Programming.

How feasible is it to take the below classes in 9th grade:
- Algebra 2
- Biology H
- English H
- AP Govt/Politics US which can be changed to AP Computer Science Principle
- AP Computer Science A
- Orchestra
- French 2 H - Virtually will work on weekends

He would like to change AP Govt/Politics US to AP Computer Science Principle. Is it advisable?
Which is better
-AP Govt/Politics US and AP Computer Science A
or
-AP Computer Science Principle and AP Computer Science A

Do you think this will be too much for a 9th grader?

If your child is ready for AP CS/A then AP CS Principles is a total waste of time. Our child is in a similar boat, but they'll take AP Precalculus since they completed Algebra II in 8th.
They will also take Chemistry I. If you don't do that, they won't be able to take AP Chemistry in 10th.

Middle school science (which in other countries involves a good mix of intro to physics, biology, and chemistry) unfortunately here revolves around reciting the phases of the moon year after year, so Physics/Chemistry/Biology (the I Honors course followed by an AP course) will unfortunately take a large amount of their 9th grade schedule (and up).

This means, unfortunately, that Health/PE has to be frontloaded over the summer and there's room for only one elective (orchestra/band) aside from the foreign language.

Also, at our school AP Govt is usually recommend after APUSH or AP European History, though I don't quite know why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Colleges like to see students take the following courses while in high school:
4 years of Math, English, Science, History/Government, and Foreign Language.

AP CS Principles is a beginner level college CS Class. AP CS A is more advanced.

The schedule depends on your son.

My son will be taking the following classes in 9th grade:

Honors English 9
Honors Biology
AP Pre Calculus BC
AP Human Geography
AP CS Principles or AP CS A
Spanish 2 (honors not offered)
Gym

It all depends on how easy school is for your son. Does he have all As in 8th grade?

Good lord. What school allows you to take 3 AP courses as a freshman? What a terrible rat race our kids are in.

Those are all AP courses listed in the 9th grade course directory. AP Pre Calculus BC is the next course for students after Honors Algebra II who are looking to study math/science/stem in college.

AP CS Principles is a basic beginner class.
AP Human Geography is supposed to be one of the easiest AP classes.

It is a terrible rat race here in FCPS, just trying to keep up!

Is this what the options are at all fcps AP high schools? We are zoned for Marshall. And I can't believe so many of your rising 9th graders took algebra in 6th grade.

Some kids take Geometry in the summer so they can be further ahead. DS is at Carson and knows kids taking geometry this summer. I think there are about 300 kids across the county that take it, most will be at Carson, Longfellow, and Cooper. There will be a handful at other schools. Mainly kids who think it will help them with TJ.

cram a year worth on math in 8 weeks... What could possibly go wrong? I have heard that consistently not recommended.

Most of them took a full Geometry class privately and only take the FCPS "class" to satisfy the legal requirement.

[Anonymous]

Even for a child who is very interested in math and qualified for USAJMO and USAMO, summer geometry was intense. Did fine, but we did not do this for the 2nd child.

[Anonymous]

AP Govt/Politics US and AP Computer Science A is the best option. If your kid knows anything about programming he will be bored out of his mind in CSP. If you're worried about workload, take CS A next year.

[Anonymous]

Or drop AP HuG, it's not a very useful class