11th Grade Courseload?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What APs has your DD already taken? How do they feel about their current Honors English 10 class? That could help her/you decide about what level of World History and English to take next year. How time-consuming are her extracurriculars?

I also have a DD looking at her courses for junior year this week. It seems intense to me, but I know things have changed since i was in school. Here are her choices and reasoning (if I can piggy-back on your thread):

- AP Calculus BC (debating between this and AB, since she's not a super-STEM kid, but is doing well in honors precalc)
- AP Composition & Language (she's looking forward to a more challenging English class than Honors 9 and 10)
-AP World History (has already taken APUSH in 9th and AP gov this year, so she thinks this is no problem)
-Honors Spanish 4
- Honors Physics (will aim for an AP science next year)
- AP Seminar (although debating with AP Psych)
-band

I'd take Calc AB junior year and BC senior year. Otherwise looks good to me.

PP here. That was my initial thought for my kid, but then we looked at the AP scores for her school in the last few years, and the AB scores are absolutely dismal, whereas BC is somewhat better. Could be a function of which students are in each class, but could also indicate a really bad AB teacher. I mean, there have been 39 AB tests taken in the last 2 years at her school, and 26 students got a 1, 12 got a 2, and 1 got a 3. No 4's or 5's. It just seems like a terrible choice, but BC may not be right either. Still debating what to do...

Unless you've heard absolutely horrible things about the one AP Calc AB teacher (who teaches every section), I'd 100% say this is a self-selecting issue. Stronger math kids are taking AP Calc BC.

These stats are about more than self selection. This is a teacher who is either ineffective at teaching math, or doesn’t understand the AP exam itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:at our school teachers are making most writing assignments be worked on only in class because of AI. my dd with extra time ends up going in during lunch to work on assignments. just something to keep in mind.

But almost all AP Lang writing assignments are short…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:at our school teachers are making most writing assignments be worked on only in class because of AI. my dd with extra time ends up going in during lunch to work on assignments. just something to keep in mind.

I haven't heard this at our school yet, but I can see this happening. Is this the case at your school regardless of if it's an Honors class or an AP class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I missed the part about her child being a STEM kid. I'd keep Calc BC and drop the AP History.

Agree.

And I would keep AP English. The honors class is on-level, and learning to analyze texts and write is critical for anything OP’s child will do down the line.

Agree. Keep Cap BC, Keep AP English. Drop AP World History

Is there a significant difference between the work for AP World History versus Honors World History? DD says her friend spends more time working on AP Composition & Language than in their AP World History class. Do most kids take AP Exam for World History, or is it frown upon to skip the exam at the end of the year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:for non STEM focus, I don't know why a junior would take AP Calc BC. Then you'd have to take some crazy math senior year. Just take AP Calc AB junior year and BC senior year. My English-hating DS took AP Comp junior year, did not find it difficult and got a 4 on the AP test. He did well in Honors Physics but found it very hard. On the upside, he says AP Physics has been a breeze. His school does not offer AP World.

Mine took BC because it had the better teacher. Multi also has a great teacher, so it was the right path for her.

OP, can DD take Comp Sci next year? Mine did the other 4 Jr year and was ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD met with her counselor to look at coursework for her junior year this week. She enjoys writing but has always been on the slower side, so generally prefers to do most of her major writing assignments at home rather than in-class. She wants to take on the challenge but as I was reviewing at her potential course load, I am a bit concerned.
- AP Calculus BC
- French 5
- AP Chem (double period)
- AP Comp Sci Java
- AP World History
- AP Composition & Language

I am not sure how difficult AP Java is, or how time consuming? I am thinking she needs to either do Honor World History or perhaps Honor English 11 instead, or maybe both? Perhaps even wait for AP Java until senior year if it's very time consuming. FWIW, DD is a good/motivated student looking to enter a STEM field, but this doesn't look manageable to me with all her other extra-curricular activities. Your insights would be appreciated.

This is almost exactly what my stem-leaning current 11th grader is taking and it is a lot, including needing a tutor in Calc. Also EC activities and job for 15+hrs/wk too. But grades are good, says is not overwhelmed, seems tired but happy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD met with her counselor to look at coursework for her junior year this week. She enjoys writing but has always been on the slower side, so generally prefers to do most of her major writing assignments at home rather than in-class. She wants to take on the challenge but as I was reviewing at her potential course load, I am a bit concerned.
- AP Calculus BC
- French 5
- AP Chem (double period)
- AP Comp Sci Java
- AP World History
- AP Composition & Language

I am not sure how difficult AP Java is, or how time consuming? I am thinking she needs to either do Honor World History or perhaps Honor English 11 instead, or maybe both? Perhaps even wait for AP Java until senior year if it's very time consuming. FWIW, DD is a good/motivated student looking to enter a STEM field, but this doesn't look manageable to me with all her other extra-curricular activities. Your insights would be appreciated.

This is almost exactly what my stem-leaning current 11th grader is taking and it is a lot, including needing a tutor in Calc. Also EC activities and job for 15+hrs/wk too. But grades are good, says is not overwhelmed, seems tired but happy

Out of the classes your child took in 11th, which are the two that seem most time consuming?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I missed the part about her child being a STEM kid. I'd keep Calc BC and drop the AP History.

Agree.

And I would keep AP English. The honors class is on-level, and learning to analyze texts and write is critical for anything OP’s child will do down the line.

Agree. Keep Cap BC, Keep AP English. Drop AP World History

Is there a significant difference between the work for AP World History versus Honors World History? DD says her friend spends more time working on AP Composition & Language than in their AP World History class. Do most kids take AP Exam for World History, or is it frown upon to skip the exam at the end of the year?

For my DD last year, AP World was a lot more work that AP Lang. AP Lit is a lot more than AP Lang. I can’t imagine honors world is nearly as busy as AP World but can’t say for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I missed the part about her child being a STEM kid. I'd keep Calc BC and drop the AP History.

Agree.

And I would keep AP English. The honors class is on-level, and learning to analyze texts and write is critical for anything OP’s child will do down the line.

Agree. Keep Cap BC, Keep AP English. Drop AP World History

Is there a significant difference between the work for AP World History versus Honors World History? DD says her friend spends more time working on AP Composition & Language than in their AP World History class. Do most kids take AP Exam for World History, or is it frown upon to skip the exam at the end of the year?

Yes, there is. The rigor and time commitment for every AP class has been well documented and graphed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I missed the part about her child being a STEM kid. I'd keep Calc BC and drop the AP History.

Agree.

And I would keep AP English. The honors class is on-level, and learning to analyze texts and write is critical for anything OP’s child will do down the line.

Agree. Keep Cap BC, Keep AP English. Drop AP World History

Is there a significant difference between the work for AP World History versus Honors World History? DD says her friend spends more time working on AP Composition & Language than in their AP World History class. Do most kids take AP Exam for World History, or is it frown upon to skip the exam at the end of the year?

Yes, there is. The rigor and time commitment for every AP class has been well documented and graphed.

For example, here's a graph showing course difficulty vs. time requirement based on some polls and test scores: https://examstudyexpert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2023-24-Easiest-APs-bubble-chart.jpg