I mean…my kid is a sophomore. Has multiple APs, as do many friends. It wasn’t hard—requested them and got them, no schedule changes needed. My other kid requested one AP as a sophomore and got it (would have requested more but didn’t realize it was an option). In six years, only one of them has had to deal with a schedule change, and it was not a big deal to get it addressed. Yes, there are some horror stories, but my sense is that those are the exceptions that get a ton of attention. The rule is that most kids get most classes they want/need and can resolve schedule issues with some annoying but not particularly onerous steps. |
What made them move? And easier to coursework or easier to deal with? |
Because the kids are either not passing the IB test or the test happens so late after college acceptance that it’s meaningless, of the IB classes are dumbed down. |
You are sugar coating. No APs in 9th grade and you are lucky if you can get into one AP class in sophomore year. The AP CS classes are now off limits unless you are in the IT academy. The quality of AP teachers varies widely as well. And every single year, my kids have had schedule issues that are very difficult to fix because the counseling office tries their best to avoid students for the first month of school |
I’m not sugar-coating. I’m telling you what my kids’ experience has been and what I’ve heard from them about their friends’ experiences. I don’t know any kids who can’t get AP classes in 10th. I suspect that most kids who multiple APs in 10th are on the accelerated math track (meaning calc or pre-calc in 10th). But my kid who wasn’t on that track still had no problem getting a single AP class in 10th. And both of my kids have found the quality of AP teaching to be mostly really good (with a couple of exceptions, and even then, not bad). Sorry your kid has had such a difficult experience. |
It’s AP for all at JR and the AP courses are dumb down and not comprehensive or that rigorous. The classes are very large which also negatively impacts the class.
About 50% of the kids taking the AP test basically fail it with getting a 1 or 2. |
There is no AP for all at JR. The former principal tried to push this, but it was rejected by DCPS and never happened. JR has a 63% AP pass rate which is 2nd highest after Walls (which is expected). That is above the 55% national average. My kids also have not had any issues getting AP classes in 10th grade. Math and language AP track is straightforward, as well as non-core AP classes like Econ, Psych, Human Geography, etc. |
It is AP for all. There are absolutely no academic standards needed for kids to take AP courses. Anyone can take AP |
+1 AP classes are available to all students, but they are opt-in*. So the students who are in those classes want to be there. *The one exception next year will be pre-calc, which will be offered only at the AP level; this makes sense, as pre-calc curriculum is a bit of a mish-mash, so I understand the argument for going with the AP version for structure/consistency. Will be curious to see if they revert to two levels in subsequent years. |
AP for all means all students take AP classes. That’s not true at JR. Making AP available to any student who wants to take them is a pretty common policy in public schools. |
That's how 95%+ of all public schools work. |
It is a tough situation because some kids are not ready for AP classes but somehow end up in them. And it is frowned upon for the teacher to suggest that they move down a level |
OP here: Part of the attraction of J-R over DCI is broader course options, a larger cohort of really engaged kids (but still a very diverse school) and a longer, stronger track record of great college admissions.
Seems like even with some bureaucratic headaches and big-school chaos that generally is true? Curious to hear more from the person who knew people who attended both schools, and/or what DCI is like in the upper grades (11th and 12th) Thanks for all of the responses to date. |
If you already know that your son isn't enthusiastic about DCI, I might choose JR. The main reason that most choose DCI is because they don't currently have access to JR. That said, most kids in this years 8th grade had the opportunity to opt into schools that fed to JR, but parents didn't feel that it was a strong enough reason to leave elementary schools they were happy with. |
In case this is helpful, these are the instagram accounts where seniors are posting their college decisions:
https://www.instagram.com/dcidecisions2024/ https://www.instagram.com/jacksonreed2024/ |