Algebra I freshman year and selective colleges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did others at the school do? And how early could she have started it but didn’t? Is it honors or regular algebra, if your school has a choice n

This is OP. That’s the problem, I’d say more than half of the school took Geometry. She is at a Private so they don’t do honors and only offer a handful of APs.

I don’t know. In my mind, math is one case where this doesn’t make as much sense. The decision to approve kids to take algebra in 7th happens in 6th grade! Are they really saying that anyone who didn’t make that cut as a 11 year old and then didn’t choose to accelerate by taking a summer class is at a huge disadvantage? I am sure they are at the very best engineering schools. But I really don’t see even top 30 schools caring that much. I don’t have data on this, but it just doesn’t make sense to me at all that someone would get such a bump by being a year ahead in math.

People shouldn’t be penalized for something decided so long ago. It’s not the same as choosing to take cal AB vs BC or not taking a science AP when it’s offered.

Agree. My younger kid--10th grade--came home this week and his math teacher wants to put him ahead into Honors Precalc. He had this teacher last year for Honors Geo, this semester for Honors Alg2-Trig and my son apparently is scoring 100% on everything. I had zero idea. I thought he was my 'artistic' one . Always very into hip-hop, music, visual art, learns languages very quickly, etc. He also told me this week Chemistry is his other favorite subject. Meanwhile, my Senior was the kid I always thought had that side--so into Legos, science, programming in late elem-MS and then got to HS and is absolutely fascinated with history/international relations, etc. since Freshmen year. He can still get As in STEM but has zero desire to go into next year in college. He's taking AP Calc AB at private and has been told by AOs at T10 that it is more than enough--he has unweighted 4.0 for admission--particularly with 36 in ACT math.

Boys, in particular, can be later bloomers and you can't write them off so early with this tracking stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. My sense is that you need to get to at least BC Calc by senior year, as a humanities major, to have a chance at the top schools, and it's still a total crapshoot. Realistically, OP, your DD should target schools other than the top 20--so many kids who have the grades, the rigor, the advanced classes, etc., and still don't get in, that I would try to be very realistic. If she is high anxiety, why force the top 20? She can get a great education a lot of places, why force the math?

-- college professor at a non-top 20 school

Not at all AP Calc AB is far enough- even at Ivies fur a non-stem major.

+1 this is not required.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD is also in Algebra 1 freshman year and wants to take Geometry over the summer to get caught up. Where can she enroll for summer classes?

Local public schools usually have summer programs, check there first.

One Schoolhouse has a fully online summer math program that some of the local privates accept credit for. They offer both geometry and algebra 2. Geometry is the easiest one to not take at a your school as your future success in algebra 2 does not rely on geometry skills where as you need solid algebra 1 and 2 skills for precalc. I am a former math teacher and I find pre calculus the hardest course for students - it’s a big jump conceptually from algebra 2. Traditional calculus (the non AP courses) is more formulaic than precalc and less trigonometry focused and easier for kids to digest.

I think algebra 1 won’t shut your daughter out, but reaching calculus is an “important marker” for most of the top 50 colleges. If she can reach a calculus course or calculus adjacent on this track that’s ok, but for those school you tend to need calc unless you are the exception.