Why no honors for French 5?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if top colleges that require four years of foreign language in high school frown on the kid who takes French 4 in 9th grade and AP French in 10th and then stops?? Or, maybe they are confused by that?? The kid's transcript would show only two years of foreign language in high school. Is the French 5 and 6 a way to get around that confusion, I wonder?

Of course they don't "frown" on it.

[Anonymous]

So level 5 of language is optional and is really just for kids who started in 6th to hold off on taking AP until 11th grade? But someone who was ready to take AP after taking Honors Level 4 in freshman year could take AP in sophmore year?

I'm confused becuase there appear to be 7 years in the language sequence at our home school (BCC). Are levels 5 and 6 both optional?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t “Advanced Level” trump “Honors” anyway? Most of my kid’s magnet classes are “advanced” rather than honors.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At BCC it has honors in parentheses. French 5A/3B (Honors). Same with Spanish and Chinese.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1556jHAFThI9iv1Ob8pNa2UTmklQUkYa-VqOinsaNdyY/edit#gid=1912123422

And, BCC has French 6 (Honors), in addition to the AP. What is the rationale for that?? Does it have to do with their student population?

I think they are just putting Honors in parentheses as a shortcut to saying these level 5 and 6 classes are not actually Honors, but receive the same GPA weight as if they were.

But why take away the honors designation when there is a 3 and 4 honors? Is it because the regular honors track is honors 3 and 4, then AP?

The level 5 is mostly for kids who started in 6th Grade, and got to HS for freshman year at level 4, and don't want to to take AP Foreign Lang in sophomore year. It stretches it out and gives more practice. No need to worry about college confusion.

My kid skipped 5 and just took AP as a senior. Very common.

Yes, that is why it is not designated honors, because level 5 is totally optional and if it was honors, they would have to have 2 different curricula. The current system gives the teachers more flexibility.

This is not true - there are other classes offered which are only offered in honors (for example, some mcps high schools only offer honors english 4 in 12th grade, there is no on level english 4).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t “Advanced Level” trump “Honors” anyway? Most of my kid’s magnet classes are “advanced” rather than honors.

Whether it does or doesn’t (and I don’t think it does in this context at my kids’ hs, I think it is just the equivalent of french 5 honors), no one (i.e., college admissions) would understand that when no other courses on the transcript are listed as “advanced level.” Meaning, as my kids’ hs there are lots of honors and AP classes but no advanced, with the exception of french/spanish 5. So it stands out that this one class isn’t being taken as honors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t “Advanced Level” trump “Honors” anyway? Most of my kid’s magnet classes are “advanced” rather than honors.

Whether it does or doesn’t (and I don’t think it does in this context at my kids’ hs, I think it is just the equivalent of french 5 honors), no one (i.e., college admissions) would understand that when no other courses on the transcript are listed as “advanced level.” Meaning, as my kids’ hs there are lots of honors and AP classes but no advanced, with the exception of french/spanish 5. So it stands out that this one class isn’t being taken as honors.

Completely agree with this. It creates unnecessary pressure on the kids to skip this course especially since everyone is in "honors" english and "honors" everything else

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t “Advanced Level” trump “Honors” anyway? Most of my kid’s magnet classes are “advanced” rather than honors.

Whether it does or doesn’t (and I don’t think it does in this context at my kids’ hs, I think it is just the equivalent of french 5 honors), no one (i.e., college admissions) would understand that when no other courses on the transcript are listed as “advanced level.” Meaning, as my kids’ hs there are lots of honors and AP classes but no advanced, with the exception of french/spanish 5. So it stands out that this one class isn’t being taken as honors.

Completely agree with this. It creates unnecessary pressure on the kids to skip this course especially since everyone is in "honors" english and "honors" everything else

but these days honors English and honors everything is just regular everything else since we have embraced the honors for all model in order to dumb down the high-achievers to show we're making progress at "closing" the gap. I get that elevating the low-end is impossible because no amount of $$$ or effort can address problems at home or lack of interest in school.

[Anonymous]

The reason French 5 exists is for the kids not quite ready for the AP. It gives them an extra year with grammar and vocabulary to build their confidence. It is not an honors class because it is not inherently advanced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t “Advanced Level” trump “Honors” anyway? Most of my kid’s magnet classes are “advanced” rather than honors.

Whether it does or doesn’t (and I don’t think it does in this context at my kids’ hs, I think it is just the equivalent of french 5 honors), no one (i.e., college admissions) would understand that when no other courses on the transcript are listed as “advanced level.” Meaning, as my kids’ hs there are lots of honors and AP classes but no advanced, with the exception of french/spanish 5. So it stands out that this one class isn’t being taken as honors.

AP and IB classes are also Advanced Level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t “Advanced Level” trump “Honors” anyway? Most of my kid’s magnet classes are “advanced” rather than honors.

Whether it does or doesn’t (and I don’t think it does in this context at my kids’ hs, I think it is just the equivalent of french 5 honors), no one (i.e., college admissions) would understand that when no other courses on the transcript are listed as “advanced level.” Meaning, as my kids’ hs there are lots of honors and AP classes but no advanced, with the exception of french/spanish 5. So it stands out that this one class isn’t being taken as honors.

AP and IB classes are also Advanced Level.

This is true. Just scroll through the HS course bulletin and look in the Course Info column. Every course with "(AL)" there is Advanced Level, and there are many.

http://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/publications/HSCourseBulletin2024.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So level 5 of language is optional and is really just for kids who started in 6th to hold off on taking AP until 11th grade? But someone who was ready to take AP after taking Honors Level 4 in freshman year could take AP in sophmore year?

I'm confused becuase there appear to be 7 years in the language sequence at our home school (BCC). Are levels 5 and 6 both optional?

In high school, you can make choices that are appropriate for your level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t “Advanced Level” trump “Honors” anyway? Most of my kid’s magnet classes are “advanced” rather than honors.

Whether it does or doesn’t (and I don’t think it does in this context at my kids’ hs, I think it is just the equivalent of french 5 honors), no one (i.e., college admissions) would understand that when no other courses on the transcript are listed as “advanced level.” Meaning, as my kids’ hs there are lots of honors and AP classes but no advanced, with the exception of french/spanish 5. So it stands out that this one class isn’t being taken as honors.

AP and IB classes are also Advanced Level.

This is true. Just scroll through the HS course bulletin and look in the Course Info column. Every course with "(AL)" there is Advanced Level, and there are many.

http://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/publications/HSCourseBulletin2024.pdf

Absolutely. Advanced level classes are technically beyond honors. PPs here would do well to understand that. It’s a step up, not down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t “Advanced Level” trump “Honors” anyway? Most of my kid’s magnet classes are “advanced” rather than honors.

Whether it does or doesn’t (and I don’t think it does in this context at my kids’ hs, I think it is just the equivalent of french 5 honors), no one (i.e., college admissions) would understand that when no other courses on the transcript are listed as “advanced level.” Meaning, as my kids’ hs there are lots of honors and AP classes but no advanced, with the exception of french/spanish 5. So it stands out that this one class isn’t being taken as honors.

AP and IB classes are also Advanced Level.

This is true. Just scroll through the HS course bulletin and look in the Course Info column. Every course with "(AL)" there is Advanced Level, and there are many.

http://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/publications/HSCourseBulletin2024.pdf

Absolutely. Advanced level classes are technically beyond honors. PPs here would do well to understand that. It’s a step up, not down.

Magnet classes are also all advanced level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At BCC it has honors in parentheses. French 5A/3B (Honors). Same with Spanish and Chinese.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1556jHAFThI9iv1Ob8pNa2UTmklQUkYa-VqOinsaNdyY/edit#gid=1912123422

And, BCC has French 6 (Honors), in addition to the AP. What is the rationale for that?? Does it have to do with their student population?

I think they are just putting Honors in parentheses as a shortcut to saying these level 5 and 6 classes are not actually Honors, but receive the same GPA weight as if they were.

But why take away the honors designation when there is a 3 and 4 honors? Is it because the regular honors track is honors 3 and 4, then AP?

The level 5 is mostly for kids who started in 6th Grade, and got to HS for freshman year at level 4, and don't want to to take AP Foreign Lang in sophomore year. It stretches it out and gives more practice. No need to worry about college confusion.

My kid skipped 5 and just took AP as a senior. Very common.

Yes, that is why it is not designated honors, because level 5 is totally optional and if it was honors, they would have to have 2 different curricula. The current system gives the teachers more flexibility.

This is not true - there are other classes offered which are only offered in honors (for example, some mcps high schools only offer honors english 4 in 12th grade, there is no on level english 4).

They may not be offered at your school, but a curriculum exists

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t “Advanced Level” trump “Honors” anyway? Most of my kid’s magnet classes are “advanced” rather than honors.

Whether it does or doesn’t (and I don’t think it does in this context at my kids’ hs, I think it is just the equivalent of french 5 honors), no one (i.e., college admissions) would understand that when no other courses on the transcript are listed as “advanced level.” Meaning, as my kids’ hs there are lots of honors and AP classes but no advanced, with the exception of french/spanish 5. So it stands out that this one class isn’t being taken as honors.

AP and IB classes are also Advanced Level.

This is true. Just scroll through the HS course bulletin and look in the Course Info column. Every course with "(AL)" there is Advanced Level, and there are many.

http://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/publications/HSCourseBulletin2024.pdf

I don’t care what the course bulletin says. I know in practice that French/Spanish 5 is basically the same as honors and gets the same weighting as honors. I am talking about the transcript, which is what colleges see. The transcript says AP or honors but does not for French/Spanish 5. I do not understand why mcps doesn’t label french/spanish 5 as honors so it doesn’t stick out on the transcript and look like the kid levelled down in world language near the end of high school.