College admissions really does start in middle school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The biggest thing is math placement. If you don’t get into an advanced track early on, you probably won’t be able to take AP calculus in high school, which is a problem if you want to major in STEM.

It also matters when it comes to extracurriculars like sports, music, or STEM competitions. It’s extremely hard to do well in those activities if you don’t start early well before high school

This is not true for all schools. At our private school. There are many kids who enter without algebra and the school has designed a path where they can get to calculus (AB) by 12th year by creating a way to double up in 11th and take Algebra 2 & Precalculus in the same year. It's a bit intense but doable. I assume you could do that with some kind of summer/dual enrollment course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The biggest thing is math placement. If you don’t get into an advanced track early on, you probably won’t be able to take AP calculus in high school, which is a problem if you want to major in STEM.

It also matters when it comes to extracurriculars like sports, music, or STEM competitions. It’s extremely hard to do well in those activities if you don’t start early well before high school

My DD is a recruited athlete for cross country and she started running for the first time in her life in grade 9.

[Anonymous]

We are not in the DMV -
DS was in the magnet program in ES for 3rd and 4th, the only years it was offered. That meant he skipped 3rd grade math and went from 2nd to 4th. In spring of 4th grade his teacher reviewed the math progression chart with us that went through 12th grade and we had to decide then if he would double skip. That would have put him in Algebra in 7th and Geometry in 8th (taken at the high school). In 12th he would have had to duel enrollment with a CC or online class because the school only offers through Calc BC. We decided to keep him on his track at that time and now in 7th that seems like a good decision. Going to the high school next year would have been really challenging and while he's STEM oriented, and getting straight A's, I don't see the need to push past where he is based on his cohort - there are no 7th graders that double skipped. In HS there could be some doubling up, but I think he will keep on his current track. So yes, I had to sit there and decide when my son was 9 years old what his math track looked like for the next 9 years, was wild at the time.

[Anonymous]

If your child is an average student. An A is much better than a B in a more advanced class.

My son went from regular to advanced as a Junior and he got a B - instead of an A. For him the rigor wasn't needed. The A would have been better. When he asked to take it, I couldn't say no. Had to let him try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It actually starts with marriage. Pick a partner with the best possible genes. Then have them eat a ton of choline and DHA (but not EPA) during pregnancy and breastfeeding period. Etc. etc.

Except for regression to the mean…

Yeah, you have to check your partner’s family. Actually the dumbest member of a high-achieving family is the best value purchase on the marriage market.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The biggest thing is math placement. If you don’t get into an advanced track early on, you probably won’t be able to take AP calculus in high school, which is a problem if you want to major in STEM.

It also matters when it comes to extracurriculars like sports, music, or STEM competitions. It’s extremely hard to do well in those activities if you don’t start early well before high school

My DD is a recruited athlete for cross country and she started running for the first time in her life in grade 9.

cross country is one sport that's possible to not pick up until high school and do very well. Many of my DD's friends have. It's an endurance sport. I think poster was talking about sports like basketball, lacrosse etc that require a lot of different skills that a lot of kids train, develop and pick up on and do travel sports at a much younger age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your child is an average student. An A is much better than a B in a more advanced class.

My son went from regular to advanced as a Junior and he got a B - instead of an A. For him the rigor wasn't needed. The A would have been better. When he asked to take it, I couldn't say no. Had to let him try.

This is my child too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of these super advanced MCPS kids do not impress admissions people. It is perfectly fine to take Calc as a senior. Once again it is the stupid DMV bias here. Get out of your bubble.

I talked to an admissions officer at a large flagship VA state school who had an open house a few weeks ago about this.
His words: for the students applying to competitive engineering majors (aerospace, but also CS) they do look for that post-BC Calc III course when reviewing applications, provided the school (or local CC) offers it. I found that intriguing and contrary to wisdom sometimes spilled here.

Why are you lying about this? No college expects kids to go to community college if the class is not offered at high school. Not to mention that Calculus III at the CC or high school doesn’t mean much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The biggest thing is math placement. If you don’t get into an advanced track early on, you probably won’t be able to take AP calculus in high school, which is a problem if you want to major in STEM.

It also matters when it comes to extracurriculars like sports, music, or STEM competitions. It’s extremely hard to do well in those activities if you don’t start early well before high school

The top kids will be placed in top math without any intervention from parents. The top 2 tracks which account for 30% of the graduating class in the public magnet school lead to BC calc in 11th or 12th, the top regional private school has the same, also about 30% of the graduating class ends with BC or MVC. Another large group gets to AB calc by senior year. T30 and higher is a regular outcome from any of these groups provided the rest of the rigor and grades line up. So what if some parents make their kids get Kumon to try to get in to the top math group? Those borderline kids usually do not excel compared to the true top ones, and suffer burnout. Best to love the kid you have and accept the math placement they naturally have, try to nurture any real interests outside of class (not parental), and let the chips fall where they may. That is the path to a top school, even ivies, if your kid is really on that level. Besides, there are many great schools outside of T30.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of these super advanced MCPS kids do not impress admissions people. It is perfectly fine to take Calc as a senior. Once again it is the stupid DMV bias here. Get out of your bubble.

I talked to an admissions officer at a large flagship VA state school who had an open house a few weeks ago about this.
His words: for the students applying to competitive engineering majors (aerospace, but also CS) they do look for that post-BC Calc III course when reviewing applications, provided the school (or local CC) offers it. I found that intriguing and contrary to wisdom sometimes spilled here.

I mean if your kid completes Calc BC say his or her junior year and they decide not to take Calc III when it is in fact offered at their school, I think that could be an issue. For my kid, it was not offered after he took Calc BC his junior year. Did not hurt him at all last admission cycle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The biggest thing is math placement. If you don’t get into an advanced track early on, you probably won’t be able to take AP calculus in high school, which is a problem if you want to major in STEM.

It also matters when it comes to extracurriculars like sports, music, or STEM competitions. It’s extremely hard to do well in those activities if you don’t start early well before high school

My DD is a recruited athlete for cross country and she started running for the first time in her life in grade 9.

cross country is one sport that's possible to not pick up until high school and do very well. Many of my DD's friends have. It's an endurance sport. I think poster was talking about sports like basketball, lacrosse etc that require a lot of different skills that a lot of kids train, develop and pick up on and do travel sports at a much younger age.

I think you can pick up lacrosse later if you are a legit athlete.

Also, there are plenty of kids that start playing football in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It actually starts with marriage. Pick a partner with the best possible genes. Then have them eat a ton of choline and DHA (but not EPA) during pregnancy and breastfeeding period. Etc. etc.

THIS All of this starts before conception and only compounds as time goes on.

[Anonymous]

Really need to choose your ancestors well too. Were your great-great-grandfathers scholars in the old country, wherever that was? If not, forget it--your kid will never read MV Calc by senior year in high school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of these super advanced MCPS kids do not impress admissions people. It is perfectly fine to take Calc as a senior. Once again it is the stupid DMV bias here. Get out of your bubble.

I talked to an admissions officer at a large flagship VA state school who had an open house a few weeks ago about this.
His words: for the students applying to competitive engineering majors (aerospace, but also CS) they do look for that post-BC Calc III course when reviewing applications, provided the school (or local CC) offers it. I found that intriguing and contrary to wisdom sometimes spilled here.

Why are you lying about this? No college expects kids to go to community college if the class is not offered at high school. Not to mention that Calculus III at the CC or high school doesn’t mean much.

+1 my kid’s high school doesn’t offer Calculus III. The local community college is not exactly known for the strength of their math department. The kids are better off waiting until undergrad for more advanced math.

[Anonymous]

I understand what the OP is saying. My oldest is smart in math but I did not push him. He scored advanced on every elementary and middle school standardized test and got As in math. I assumed the school was placing him correctly. It wasn’t until the spring of 8th grade with HS course placement that I realized my mistake – since he did not take Algebra I in MS, it limited his options.
Now – this did not hurt his college applications because he wasn’t applying to T20 schools. His major is Computer Science at a well-known state flagship. He is taking Calc 1 this semester.
My youngest, we talked to the school to place him appropriately so he would complete Alg I in 8th grade. He’s in 10th now, in Alg II