Which privates have the most challenging math curriculum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If zoned for Yorktown, then maybe try for TJ with Yorktown as the backup. Supplement outside school if desired - Kumon, RSM, or Mathnasium.

At least, GDS and StA/NCS and Potomac all have several very advanced math classes in their official curriculum, but those are not offered every year. Only offered if several students at a given school are both interested in taking the course and also are well-prepared.

I love how people talk authoritatively about schools they know next to nothing about. STA offers linear algebra every year. It's the final course for their honors track math.

GDS also offers Linear Algebra, MV Calculus, and Differential Equations every year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP there is no private that has better accelerated math than public.

No comparison at all.

meh - our kids took multivariable, linear algebra and number theory after taking BC Calc at their private school. They could have also taken differential equations. I don't see accelerated public math students going much further.

the science/engineering side is a totally different story though.

He must have come in for 9th grade then or been heavily taught outside of the school for k-8.

My coworkers kid was the same- got in everywhere plus Blair magnet program and chose the private he felt he fit in the best. He worked very hard and did very well there.

[Anonymous]

APS offers these choices after BC Calculus:
Multivariable Calculus,
Vector Calculus,
Linear Algebra,
Differential Equations,
IB Analysis & Approaches HL Part 2 (@ W-L only).

OP, what else are you looking for in private?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis or public

+TJ

Agree. The answer is so obviously TJ that I don't understand why privates are part of the discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis or public

+TJ

Agree. The answer is so obviously TJ that I don't understand why privates are part of the discussion.

Because if you can get a sufficiently challenging math curriculum and you like the other things a private school offers it may be a more attractive option. It’s not necessarily a one stop test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Public schools are playing catchup from covid for the most part. You are better off in a good Catholic because those schools stayed open and didn't miss a beat. My 9th grader is one of only 2 in her Algebra 2 class. I am told most repeated Algebra 1 in 8th grade because of covid or many just didn't pass the evaluation test. The virtual instruction screwed things up significantly.

This isn’t true for FCPS. The majority of AAP kids and some non-AAP kids take Honors Geometry in 8th. A minority of students take Algebra II honors in 8th. A very small number of students take Pre-calc in 8th through independent study. Catholics cannot offer this level of instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If zoned for Yorktown, then maybe try for TJ with Yorktown as the backup. Supplement outside school if desired - Kumon, RSM, or Mathnasium.

At least, GDS and StA/NCS and Potomac all have several very advanced math classes in their official curriculum, but those are not offered every year. Only offered if several students at a given school are both interested in taking the course and also are well-prepared.

yes, the problem with the small classes is that it doesn't have the economies of scale to provide advanced courses every year. You have to have the demand to offer it, even in private school.

If you really want advanced math courses with a strong peer group, I would move to a highly rated public. More than likely, that school will have advanced math courses in high demand.

Serious question. Why are public schools so much stronger than privates in math? I’m assuming that the parents of private school don’t want to pay $50k a year so that their kid can get just basic, grade level math instruction… Or maybe they do? What am I missing?

Large class sizes mean more gifted/advanced kids. Public schools have an easier time telling parents "no, your child can't take this advanced math class because they don't meet the prerequisites." Private schools would likely have a harder time telling parents "no". Private schools are more likely to invest in smaller class sizes to for differentiation instead of special gifted-only classes as the former is far less likely to tick off parents whose children don't make it into the second

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP there is no private that has better accelerated math than public.

No comparison at all.

meh - our kids took multivariable, linear algebra and number theory after taking BC Calc at their private school. They could have also taken differential equations. I don't see accelerated public math students going much further.

the science/engineering side is a totally different story though.

He must have come in for 9th grade then or been heavily taught outside of the school for k-8.

My coworkers kid was the same- got in everywhere plus Blair magnet program and chose the private he felt he fit in the best. He worked very hard and did very well there.

They were lifers. Some kids who came in later were more accelerated. I think public schools are definitely more invested in acceleration. If you want your kid to take pre calc in 9th grade and think that is a “better” curriculum then you should go public. More kids will move faster through the different levels of math than private school generally. But that wasn’t something we valued. They went far enough in math at a reasonable pace.

[Anonymous]

Parent of elementary school kids here. Can someone tell me why this matters at all if your kid doesn’t end up studying Math in college? Is starting algebra in grade 6 vs grade 7 or 8, or taking multi variable calculus in high school that big of a big deal or is it more of a nice to have? Signed, a poli sci major that is now a lawyer who knows nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Public schools are playing catchup from covid for the most part. You are better off in a good Catholic because those schools stayed open and didn't miss a beat. My 9th grader is one of only 2 in her Algebra 2 class. I am told most repeated Algebra 1 in 8th grade because of covid or many just didn't pass the evaluation test. The virtual instruction screwed things up significantly.

This isn’t true for FCPS. The majority of AAP kids and some non-AAP kids take Honors Geometry in 8th. A minority of students take Algebra II honors in 8th. A very small number of students take Pre-calc in 8th through independent study. Catholics cannot offer this level of instruction.

My non-magnet or aap kid tool algebra starting in 6th in public. Not that uncommon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Public schools are playing catchup from covid for the most part. You are better off in a good Catholic because those schools stayed open and didn't miss a beat. My 9th grader is one of only 2 in her Algebra 2 class. I am told most repeated Algebra 1 in 8th grade because of covid or many just didn't pass the evaluation test. The virtual instruction screwed things up significantly.

This isn’t true for FCPS. The majority of AAP kids and some non-AAP kids take Honors Geometry in 8th. A minority of students take Algebra II honors in 8th. A very small number of students take Pre-calc in 8th through independent study. Catholics cannot offer this level of instruction.

Compare the numbers now to the numbers in 2019-20.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent of elementary school kids here. Can someone tell me why this matters at all if your kid doesn’t end up studying Math in college? Is starting algebra in grade 6 vs grade 7 or 8, or taking multi variable calculus in high school that big of a big deal or is it more of a nice to have? Signed, a poli sci major that is now a lawyer who knows nothing.

Taking algebra in 6 puts you on a path where you can take more advanced classes in high school, which can go beyond multi-variable high school.
Taking the advanced classes in high school is probably only useful for a math or science major in college, but is of course not required.
However, if you have taken those classes, then you can start out with more advanced classes in college, or you can take different classes or fewer classes. Maybe instead of having to take Freshman calculus 2 you can take a class taught by Bose that is not needed to graduate.
Or because you were on an advanced track since 6th grade, you can take easier math classes or no math classes in 11th-12th grade and focus more on other AP classes.

[Anonymous]

What’s the rush?
Barring truly gifted mathematicians, and these are few in number, it is rarely necessary to accelerate math this way. In fact, the long term look is that it is a mistake for many. They advance through classes faster than they build deep math understanding.
Seems inescapable until colleges clean up their admissions policies. Maybe now that they are overwhelmed with meeting the mental health needs of students, they will slowly start to reconsider how they evaluate applicants.
A number of engineering programs do not recommend placing out of their first level calc classes bc they are harder than many of the AP programs, though students find the AP calc is a good foundation for retaking it. A number of colleges do not grant AP credit, so it’s all about gaming for college admissions, not depth of learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If zoned for Yorktown, then maybe try for TJ with Yorktown as the backup. Supplement outside school if desired - Kumon, RSM, or Mathnasium.

At least, GDS and StA/NCS and Potomac all have several very advanced math classes in their official curriculum, but those are not offered every year. Only offered if several students at a given school are both interested in taking the course and also are well-prepared.

I love how people talk authoritatively about schools they know next to nothing about. STA offers linear algebra every year. It's the final course for their honors track math.

And, boys go beyond that almost every year. Certainly have boys beyond that this year. You can get some info on this board but definitely confirm on your own bc DCUM is not reliable.

[Anonymous]

Most of us who send our children to private like the liberal education they receive (and I do not mean liberal using today's political taxonomies). I want my DC to learn how to critically think, how to survive and thrive in a global environment, and how to express themselves clearly and effectively. If my DC wants to explore math at an advanced level beyond BC Calculus, they can do so in college.