will not taking calculus hinder a kid's chance at getting into a top college?

[Anonymous]

What sucks is that the middle school math teacher was discouraging rather than encouraging, on top of being wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 8th grade daughter's math teacher told the class that there was no point in taking calculus in HS if your not interested in majoring in STEM. I was under the impression that most selective colleges (top 30 and above) expected to see that a student took calculus irregardless of the intended major. Is her math teacher right?

There are only about 150 colleges that are snooty at all about what kids take in college, and probably a few hundred respectable colleges that just want to see a college prep curriculum college.

I think the goal should be for your daughter to take classes that challenge her without being too stressful, then to find a college that fits who she is when she’s ready for college, rather than for her to go out of her way to mold herself to suit the colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:irregardless

It’s a word now. Language evolves.

[Anonymous]

This isn’t just an admissions question. Calculus is routinely used in economics, statistics, finance, data science, and some quantitative fields within the social sciences. Math teacher is just wrong.

[Anonymous]

Students should not be shutting out STEM majors in 8th grade. Teachers should not say things like that. Colleges look at the classes available to the student to see if the student challenged themselves. They will not require calculus if the school does not offer it, but almost every school I know at least offers it at the local CC as part of a duel enrollment program if they do not offer it at the HS itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:irregardless

It’s a word now. Language evolves.

Regardless, it makes you sound ignorant, so don't use it (especially on that application to Harvard that OP is preparing 5 years in advance for DC).

[Anonymous]

I did not take calc in HS back in 1989. Wasn't 'on track' to do so. Did All Geo, Al 2, PreCalc. HS didn't offer it to most.

Took calc in college but almost everyone else had already taken it! I felt behind.

I'd try going fo it as it's gotten so much more expected since then!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can I just say that I think it really sucks that this is even a conversation for an 8th grader??

Except they have to choose their HS classes. That's what sparked this conversation. The teacher was telling these kids who are two years advanced in math, that if they really,weren't. Interested in STEM they didn't have to take the math that would put them on track for,calculus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can I just say that I think it really sucks that this is even a conversation for an 8th grader??

My daughter is in 5th grade, and we already made sure she is tracking to take Calculus in 12th grade.

[Anonymous]

OP - is your counselor trying to say it's ok not to take algebra in 8th grade? I would not agree with that - not because of calculus, but because SAT/ACT math sections go up to pre-calculus so you want your DC to have that class by junior year so they can take the tests.

[Anonymous]

She needs to take math all four years of high school. If she is on track to take calculus, she should take it.

[Anonymous]

Irregardless is not a word.

[Anonymous]

If the kid's next class is Alg 2, having successfully completed Geometry, she should absolutely continue on that path.

The part people are rolling their eyes over is connecting that generally wise decision to optimizing chances for a "top 30" college for an 8th grader.

OP - tell her she is a strong student who needs to continue to take math at her level, regardless of what field or discipline she may pursue later. You have control over her course selection for a while longer.

Just please leave any college admissions rationale out of the discussion. You could, however, have her research the reasons to learn calculus -- the skills taught and applicability to various fields, STEM and non-STEM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous[b wrote:]OP - is your counselor trying to say it's ok not to take algebra in 8th grade?[/b] I would not agree with that - not because of calculus, but because SAT/ACT math sections go up to pre-calculus so you want your DC to have that class by junior year so they can take the tests.

No this was a math teacher, not a counselor. And she was telling a class of 8th grade geometry students (kids who are two,years ahead in math) that it was ok to not take the more advanced math class next year (that one would assume kids who are two years ahead in math would take)' if they were really certain that they didn't want to pursue a math field. My daughter who is very good at math but doesn't like it and will most likely choose an arts or humanities based major now thinks it's not necessary for her to take pre-AP Algebra II next year. What I strongly suspect is that schools along the lines of W&M and UVA would still expect to see it on a student's transcript, even if they kid was stating that they wanted to major in history or English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She needs to take math all four years of high school. If she is on track to take calculus, she should take it.

Yes, but if she bumps down to a lower level she wouldn't be in calculus her senior year. And now she has this idea that that wouldn't hurt her.