DC is getting a C+ in Advanced Calculus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids at Blair, RM, Wootton, and Churchill public schools routinely have taken such high advanced Calculus courses and differential equations prior to 11 th grade in the area public schools. I know a couple on the math USAMO teams. What’s the big deal here? All those power hitting high GPA kids are no longer deserving?

Same. Multi, linear eq, diff eq by junior year. Common at our public.

Good for them. Won't help. Up to BC with good grades is all the good schools want. Anything more can also be a negative if they are not involved in a lot of activities especially varsity sports showing they are well rounded.

Agree. And I will take it a step further to say that any calc at all is all you need. Taking calc as a sophomore or whatever really isn't impressing anyone, and it is just setting your kid up for failure.

We purposely turned down a very elite magnet school to send our kid to private school to avoid the pressure to take calc as a sophomore, 15 APs, not have a lunch period, and whatever else. Yes, I am extremely privileged to be able to afford to do this. But people really need to chill.

You are making stuff up. Of course they have lunch and ap classes are normal for smart kids. That is why we did not go private. It’s dumbed down with rich bragging parents.

My kid has a number of friends at Stuy and Bronx Sci who have classmates who don't have lunch periods so they can squeeze in a fifth AP or whatever. This is not necessary or healthy. Their parents argue it is because they are "curious" or "highly motivated." Socializing with your peers and taking some down time at lunch is more important to your development as a human being than yet another AP class.

Sounds like something the schools should not allow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids at Blair, RM, Wootton, and Churchill public schools routinely have taken such high advanced Calculus courses and differential equations prior to 11 th grade in the area public schools. I know a couple on the math USAMO teams. What’s the big deal here? All those power hitting high GPA kids are no longer deserving?

Same. Multi, linear eq, diff eq by junior year. Common at our public.

Good for them. Won't help. Up to BC with good grades is all the good schools want. Anything more can also be a negative if they are not involved in a lot of activities especially varsity sports showing they are well rounded.

Agree. And I will take it a step further to say that any calc at all is all you need. Taking calc as a sophomore or whatever really isn't impressing anyone, and it is just setting your kid up for failure.

We purposely turned down a very elite magnet school to send our kid to private school to avoid the pressure to take calc as a sophomore, 15 APs, not have a lunch period, and whatever else. Yes, I am extremely privileged to be able to afford to do this. But people really need to chill.

You are making stuff up. Of course they have lunch and ap classes are normal for smart kids. That is why we did not go private. It’s dumbed down with rich bragging parents.

My kid has a number of friends at Stuy and Bronx Sci who have classmates who don't have lunch periods so they can squeeze in a fifth AP or whatever. This is not necessary or healthy. Their parents argue it is because they are "curious" or "highly motivated." Socializing with your peers and taking some down time at lunch is more important to your development as a human being than yet another AP class.

Sounds like something the schools should not allow.

Tell me about it. Many of the kids are horrified by it. But plenty wear it as a badge of honor. It is far from all of the kids. But it isn't just one or two.

Those schools have nothing to prove - this isn't Podunk HS that has to prove how rigorous it is. They should limit how many credits and how many APs a kid can take.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most kids in NYC who enter SHSAT schools (Stuy, Bronx Science, etc.) from public schools end up doing calc as a senior. And these are the best and brightest.

The take calc early phenomenon is dumb. It is not proving anything.

Stuy is THE best STEM magnet school in the country, yet fcps moms say they are very behind.

Exactly. That is why I mentioned this. I live in NYC and have friends with kids at allegedly top suburban schools in VA, NC and MD who are obsessed with pushing their kids ahead and think it shows that their kids are so brilliant and their schools are so great. It really doesn't. But they are in their little bubble.

I have also heard that these kids who place into super advanced math sometimes end up struggling if they end up at top colleges because they aren't as prepared as they think they are.

I’ve heard quite a few cases where public school students failed miserably in college calculus class. The AP classes or whatever more advanced math courses offered in these public schools are not well taught. The foundation is just not there.

One big issue with public schools is that the teachers teach to the AP tests. But AP Calculus test is NOT Calculus. There is no real understanding of Calculus being taught there. Same issue with the more advanced math courses offered in public schools. The more exposure to it, the worse the consequences.

Elite private schools like PEA PAA teach Calculus on the same level of college Calculus. If the students passed their class, they would do well in college.

Stop with the nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids at Blair, RM, Wootton, and Churchill public schools routinely have taken such high advanced Calculus courses and differential equations prior to 11 th grade in the area public schools. I know a couple on the math USAMO teams. What’s the big deal here? All those power hitting high GPA kids are no longer deserving?

Same. Multi, linear eq, diff eq by junior year. Common at our public.

Good for them. Won't help. Up to BC with good grades is all the good schools want. Anything more can also be a negative if they are not involved in a lot of activities especially varsity sports showing they are well rounded.

Agree. And I will take it a step further to say that any calc at all is all you need. Taking calc as a sophomore or whatever really isn't impressing anyone, and it is just setting your kid up for failure.

We purposely turned down a very elite magnet school to send our kid to private school to avoid the pressure to take calc as a sophomore, 15 APs, not have a lunch period, and whatever else. Yes, I am extremely privileged to be able to afford to do this. But people really need to chill.

You are making stuff up. Of course they have lunch and ap classes are normal for smart kids. That is why we did not go private. It’s dumbed down with rich bragging parents.

My kid has a number of friends at Stuy and Bronx Sci who have classmates who don't have lunch periods so they can squeeze in a fifth AP or whatever. This is not necessary or healthy. Their parents argue it is because they are "curious" or "highly motivated." Socializing with your peers and taking some down time at lunch is more important to your development as a human being than yet another AP class.

Not normal and that was a choice not forced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My white, completely unhooked kid was accepted this year to an Ivy engineering program after taking a max of calculus AB in high school. And no AP computer science either.

What HS, what is the highest math offered at the HS, and are any ap CS courses offered?

Max math offered is multivariable and AP CS is also offered. My kid did not take them and just took AP AB and AP stats. I'm not comfortable naming the HS.
It really happened and yes, I was really surprised and the guidance counselor at school was too. He has very good STEM involvement at school and one OOS STEM internship that was basically an observership. 800 math SAT. Very strong humanities grades, humanities awards and humanities extracurriculars outside of school. Applied to a bunch of Ivies as a humanities major and was denied at all these. Applied to one Ivy as an Engineering major and was admitted to this one. Go figure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most kids in NYC who enter SHSAT schools (Stuy, Bronx Science, etc.) from public schools end up doing calc as a senior. And these are the best and brightest.

The take calc early phenomenon is dumb. It is not proving anything.

Stuy is THE best STEM magnet school in the country, yet fcps moms say they are very behind.

Exactly. That is why I mentioned this. I live in NYC and have friends with kids at allegedly top suburban schools in VA, NC and MD who are obsessed with pushing their kids ahead and think it shows that their kids are so brilliant and their schools are so great. It really doesn't. But they are in their little bubble.

I have also heard that these kids who place into super advanced math sometimes end up struggling if they end up at top colleges because they aren't as prepared as they think they are.

I’ve heard quite a few cases where public school students failed miserably in college calculus class. The AP classes or whatever more advanced math courses offered in these public schools are not well taught. The foundation is just not there.

One big issue with public schools is that the teachers teach to the AP tests. But AP Calculus test is NOT Calculus. There is no real understanding of Calculus being taught there. Same issue with the more advanced math courses offered in public schools. The more exposure to it, the worse the consequences.

Elite private schools like PEA PAA teach Calculus on the same level of college Calculus. If the students passed their class, they would do well in college.

Many public school teachers are underqualified to teach Calculus. Even experienced public school teachers do not touch upon conceptual digressions, proofs, or open-ended modeling problems. Instead, public schools are doing a lot of repetitive “calculator-active” question drills that mirror the multiple-choice/FRQ format instead of deeper explorations. Students coming out of public school AP Calculus often have many many underlying gaps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most kids in NYC who enter SHSAT schools (Stuy, Bronx Science, etc.) from public schools end up doing calc as a senior. And these are the best and brightest.

The take calc early phenomenon is dumb. It is not proving anything.

Stuy is THE best STEM magnet school in the country, yet fcps moms say they are very behind.

Exactly. That is why I mentioned this. I live in NYC and have friends with kids at allegedly top suburban schools in VA, NC and MD who are obsessed with pushing their kids ahead and think it shows that their kids are so brilliant and their schools are so great. It really doesn't. But they are in their little bubble.

I have also heard that these kids who place into super advanced math sometimes end up struggling if they end up at top colleges because they aren't as prepared as they think they are.

I’ve heard quite a few cases where public school students failed miserably in college calculus class. The AP classes or whatever more advanced math courses offered in these public schools are not well taught. The foundation is just not there.

One big issue with public schools is that the teachers teach to the AP tests. But AP Calculus test is NOT Calculus. There is no real understanding of Calculus being taught there. Same issue with the more advanced math courses offered in public schools. The more exposure to it, the worse the consequences.

Elite private schools like PEA PAA teach Calculus on the same level of college Calculus. If the students passed their class, they would do well in college.

Many public school teachers are underqualified to teach Calculus. Even experienced public school teachers do not touch upon conceptual digressions, proofs, or open-ended modeling problems. Instead, public schools are doing a lot of repetitive “calculator-active” question drills that mirror the multiple-choice/FRQ format instead of deeper explorations. Students coming out of public school AP Calculus often have many many underlying gaps.

I did not see a huge difference between the content and quality of my kids' AP Calculus class and my college calculus class. They followed the Saxon Calculus with Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry book from cover to cover. I know this is criticized a lot on these forums, but my kids' school has everyone take a 2 year calculus sequence. They do Calc AB and then Calc BC, but rather than just covering the topics on the AP exams, they cover everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most kids in NYC who enter SHSAT schools (Stuy, Bronx Science, etc.) from public schools end up doing calc as a senior. And these are the best and brightest.

The take calc early phenomenon is dumb. It is not proving anything.

Stuy is THE best STEM magnet school in the country, yet fcps moms say they are very behind.

Exactly. That is why I mentioned this. I live in NYC and have friends with kids at allegedly top suburban schools in VA, NC and MD who are obsessed with pushing their kids ahead and think it shows that their kids are so brilliant and their schools are so great. It really doesn't. But they are in their little bubble.

I have also heard that these kids who place into super advanced math sometimes end up struggling if they end up at top colleges because they aren't as prepared as they think they are.

I’ve heard quite a few cases where public school students failed miserably in college calculus class. The AP classes or whatever more advanced math courses offered in these public schools are not well taught. The foundation is just not there.

He or
One big issue with public schools is that the teachers teach to the AP tests. But AP Calculus test is NOT Calculus. There is no real understanding of Calculus being taught there. Same issue with the more advanced math courses offered in public schools. The more exposure to it, the worse the consequences.

Elite private schools like PEA PAA teach Calculus on the same level of college Calculus. If the students passed their class, they would do well in college.

Many public school teachers are underqualified to teach Calculus. Even experienced public school teachers do not touch upon conceptual digressions, proofs, or open-ended modeling problems. Instead, public schools are doing a lot of repetitive “calculator-active” question drills that mirror the multiple-choice/FRQ format instead of deeper explorations. Students coming out of public school AP Calculus often have many many underlying gaps.

The poster was just pointing out that high level Calc taught at the high school level isn't always the best for the students going to top engineering schools. I've found most take at least one over again when they get to these schools to make sure they have a solid foundation for the challenges ahead. Which is a good idea.
I did not see a huge difference between the content and quality of my kids' AP Calculus class and my college calculus class. They followed the Saxon Calculus with Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry book from cover to cover. I know this is criticized a lot on these forums, but my kids' school has everyone take a 2 year calculus sequence. They do Calc AB and then Calc BC, but rather than just covering the topics on the AP exams, they cover everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most kids in NYC who enter SHSAT schools (Stuy, Bronx Science, etc.) from public schools end up doing calc as a senior. And these are the best and brightest.

The take calc early phenomenon is dumb. It is not proving anything.

Stuy is THE best STEM magnet school in the country, yet fcps moms say they are very behind.

Exactly. That is why I mentioned this. I live in NYC and have friends with kids at allegedly top suburban schools in VA, NC and MD who are obsessed with pushing their kids ahead and think it shows that their kids are so brilliant and their schools are so great. It really doesn't. But they are in their little bubble.

I have also heard that these kids who place into super advanced math sometimes end up struggling if they end up at top colleges because they aren't as prepared as they think they are.

I’ve heard quite a few cases where public school students failed miserably in college calculus class. The AP classes or whatever more advanced math courses offered in these public schools are not well taught. The foundation is just not there.

One big issue with public schools is that the teachers teach to the AP tests. But AP Calculus test is NOT Calculus. There is no real understanding of Calculus being taught there. Same issue with the more advanced math courses offered in public schools. The more exposure to it, the worse the consequences.

Elite private schools like PEA PAA teach Calculus on the same level of college Calculus. If the students passed their class, they would do well in college.

Stop with the nonsense.

PP is speaking loosely but it’s partly true. Phillips and public magnets have a more intensive and deeper version of math. Phillips and public schools both also have the basic “AP” version which is common college calculus for marketing majors. “College” is a wide range from community college marketing AA to MIT and Caltech.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most kids in NYC who enter SHSAT schools (Stuy, Bronx Science, etc.) from public schools end up doing calc as a senior. And these are the best and brightest.

The take calc early phenomenon is dumb. It is not proving anything.

Stuy is THE best STEM magnet school in the country, yet fcps moms say they are very behind.

Exactly. That is why I mentioned this. I live in NYC and have friends with kids at allegedly top suburban schools in VA, NC and MD who are obsessed with pushing their kids ahead and think it shows that their kids are so brilliant and their schools are so great. It really doesn't. But they are in their little bubble.

I have also heard that these kids who place into super advanced math sometimes end up struggling if they end up at top colleges because they aren't as prepared as they think they are.

I’ve heard quite a few cases where public school students failed miserably in college calculus class. The AP classes or whatever more advanced math courses offered in these public schools are not well taught. The foundation is just not there.

One big issue with public schools is that the teachers teach to the AP tests. But AP Calculus test is NOT Calculus. There is no real understanding of Calculus being taught there. Same issue with the more advanced math courses offered in public schools. The more exposure to it, the worse the consequences.

Elite private schools like PEA PAA teach Calculus on the same level of college Calculus. If the students passed their class, they would do well in college.

Many public school teachers are underqualified to teach Calculus. Even experienced public school teachers do not touch upon conceptual digressions, proofs, or open-ended modeling problems. Instead, public schools are doing a lot of repetitive “calculator-active” question drills that mirror the multiple-choice/FRQ format instead of deeper explorations. Students coming out of public school AP Calculus often have many many underlying gaps.

It’s the same at private schools. It’s not private vs public, it’s honors/gifted vs basic. (And “honors” in the name doesn’t mean it’s a serious math class.) private schools have both, and the public system overall has both, usually via magnets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very risky move to take Advanced Cal in junior, which is equivalent to AP Cal BC or even harder. We had a senior taking it who was admitted to Princeton, she pulled a C. Luckily the offer was not rescinded. Had she taken that course in Junior, she would be going to Rochester this Fall!

She doesn't sound like Princeton material if she can only get a C in Calc BC as a senior. What kind of school are you going to with that high grade inflation? My public school kid took it as a sophmore with an A but they also were in tutoring as the teacher wasn't strong.

Advanced calc is NOT calc BC. Advanced calc is a much harder and comes after BC.

So, what is it? MV?

My kids go to a special magnet STEM school. They offer Calc AB, Calc BC, Advanced calc, MV, and DE. You can take Adv Calc after BC, or after taking both AB and BC. It’s like a Calc 3 or C/D if you will. It’s extremely challenging and most kids opt for a different math after calc BC (MV, DE, stats) or stop at BC

What’s on the syllabus/curriculum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most kids in NYC who enter SHSAT schools (Stuy, Bronx Science, etc.) from public schools end up doing calc as a senior. And these are the best and brightest.

The take calc early phenomenon is dumb. It is not proving anything.

Stuy is THE best STEM magnet school in the country, yet fcps moms say they are very behind.

Stuy is not the best STEM magnet school. TJ and Blair SMACS are better.
Florida has better charter schools (semiprivate) like Frazer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is a rising senior (finishing junior right now). Rigorous private high school. Recovering a lot of points towards the end but just not enough. What is a realistic outlook on college application? Focusing on T40-60? Is that realistic? For context, B+ to A are considered good grades in DC’s school. DC gets mostly As in other courses, nothing below B+. Won’t major in math or engineering.

There was a big three mom recently mentioned that big three send 3.5 kids to Georgetown. Discuss with your school counselor whether that is possible at your school, considering your DC’s high rigor and overall good grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC is a rising senior (finishing junior right now). Rigorous private high school. Recovering a lot of points towards the end but just not enough. What is a realistic outlook on college application? Focusing on T40-60? Is that realistic? For context, B+ to A are considered good grades in DC’s school. DC gets mostly As in other courses, nothing below B+. Won’t major in math or engineering.

There was a big three mom recently mentioned that big three send 3.5 kids to Georgetown. Discuss with your school counselor whether that is possible at your school, considering your DC’s high rigor and overall good grades.

Maybe I missed it…where did OP say her child had high rigor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most kids in NYC who enter SHSAT schools (Stuy, Bronx Science, etc.) from public schools end up doing calc as a senior. And these are the best and brightest.

The take calc early phenomenon is dumb. It is not proving anything.

Stuy is THE best STEM magnet school in the country, yet fcps moms say they are very behind.

Stuy is not the best STEM magnet school. TJ and Blair SMACS are better.
Florida has better charter schools (semiprivate) like Frazer.

LOL. Total loss of objectivity.