Freshman: Algebra 1 placement ??
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Anonymous
| My DC’s HS found that so many students who had been accelerated in MS and took Algebra 1 in 7th and Geometry in 8th in their k-8 but were coming in with big gaps in both (not doing well enough on placement tests to place out of either class), that the school created a special hybrid algebra/geometry class for these students where the teacher tailors the material each year to the gaps shown by the students’ placement tests. We loved in for DC because the alternative would have taken them off the highest track that gets them to AP Calc BC in 12th, essentially penalizing them for excelling in math in MS. No, DC is no longer a year ahead (to hit Calc in 11th), but they also aren’t a year or more behind or unable to be in the highest track of on-level math. It’s a great solution and one I think more schools should adopt. |
Anonymous
| Ideally you want Calc AB by senior year (not pre calc). Geometry can be taken over a summer. |
Anonymous
| OP reading your post about already doing 1/2 of alg 1–ask school if they can do remaining half of alg 1 this summer and start fall in geometry. Maybe call somewhere like Fusion for the Alg1 this summer. |
Anonymous
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It's worth keeping in mind, placement tests don't measure whether you took Algebra 1, but whether you really "got" it and can apply what you learned on a test not written by your current teacher. It doesn't mean the previous class was insufficient, just that your child might not be really confident in the material yet. It's better to retake and get that confidence than push ahead and be shaky in the future.
(Your brain also has to reach a certain phase of development for the abstract thinking in Algebra to click. Not everyone gets there at the same time!) The school where I work has an add/drop period at the beginning of each term. So if he aces the first couple tests and is bored, ask to switch classes! Schools want to get the placement right and not have you suffer through. |
Anonymous
| Our private does not allow for much movement if you place into Algebra 1 in 9th, which my child did, even with an 8th grade Algebra 1 A. I do not argue that the foundation is and that retaking the class was. not helpful, BUT they only allow a small percentage of kids to take geometry over the summer and we are stuck on the max out in pre-calc track now. It stinks and since my kid wants to major in business, will probably have to take a summer course that is not recognized by the school just to have things in place for college apps. Pretty crumby but thats where we are. Would have made different school choices if we knew this going in. |
Anonymous
| This is PP, I will add that I am not positive its a big deal, but worry that it will be. |
Anonymous
New poster - not to derail, but curious what your son is doing with a math major post college. I have a rising college senior math major. For OP, in general, I think it’s better to be solid in math skills than over accelerate and have big gaps. However for college admissions I think it could limit some options. My kid placed into Algebra 1 in 9th at private school after taking it in 8th. They got a high A in 9th grade Algebra 1 and was offered the opportunity to take Geometry the summer after 9th grade at the school. Being in Honors Algebra 2 and Honors Chem in 10th kept them on the Honors/AP track for Math and Science. From a weighted GPA standpoint that helped them because the top students at the school were taking all honors and APs. I can tell you know without it they wouldn’t have had the weighted GPA to be in the running to get an offer at our state flagship. Also, while my kid ended up majoring in math, they didn’t know that going in and was mostly focused on liberal arts colleges. If they had listed math as their intended major, for some schools that may have made it harder to get in because they wouldn’t have stacked up as well against kids at their schools with BC Calc and beyond especially if they had taken pre-calc in 12th. |
Anonymous
When was this? College admissions have gotten way more competitive in the past several years. Finishing pre-calc in 12th at a school in that offers AP Stats, AB, BC, Multi, Diff EQ, etc would put them in the lowest rigor math for 12th. Most colleges would want at least Calc AB or AP Stats if it was available. |
Anonymous
| To even begin to answer this question requires knowing your school's math tracks. Some schools do Algebra 1 through Calculus BC in 4 years. |
Anonymous
For the hundredth time, this is not how "rigor" works for college applications. Rigor means taking the most demanding option for the students current level, be it honors or AP if available. It does not mean skipping ahead. |
Anonymous
This situation sounds very similar to my DC, but he is going to be taking Geometry 1. Geo is the standard for Freshman at his school, and there is no placement test needed IF you took Alegebra in 8th. That said, I don’t trust his ability to hit the ground running and plan to get tutoring over the summer. I can tell he needs it based on math grades (B+) and relatively lower standardized scores in Algebra subsections, and I think getting to Calculus by 12th is ideal. I will say he is naturally better at Geometry than Algebra, so I’m hoping it will eventually click with the extra tutoring. |
Anonymous
The school will know and it won’t be the first time they are asked. Take their advice on summer courses as then it will transfer to them no problem. |
Anonymous
Yes yes and yes |
Anonymous
Math level and grades indicate intelligence, Iq, teachability. No calc Ab on a high school transcript would be bottom third of college applicants to any humanities or otherwise decent college or program. |
Anonymous
And you want pre algebra 1&2 done right before taking the SAT. Thus 40% of MCPS and top DCPS students take those in 9& 10th grad and do sat summer before junior year. |