My son is taking Algebra 1 in 9th grade. Is he doomed?

[Anonymous]

What it means is that he will get through pre-calc if he takes 4 years of math in HS and doesn’t take a one of the classes in his school’s math sequence during the summer. Generally speaking, competitive schools and engineering and computer science schools are looking for kids who have gone through calc and beyond. So he should think carefully before applying to only to engineering programs for college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do public schools offer all math classes in the summer?

Most do not. They focus on the ones required for the state (in this case MD) Diploma. Alg I and Geometry will definitely be offered.

[Anonymous]

Out west, our public schools only offer summer school for credit recovery. No way to get ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. He is doomed. But not for the reasons you think. Math has nothing to do with it. Having a parent who overreacts and places his entire worth on fulfilling a proscribed set of academic expectations will be more damaging than taking a class appropriate to his level. Ease up helicopter parent. Let him find his own way.

All right keyboard genius...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read all five pages of replies, but OP, my DS was in a Catholic HS and he took Algebra I in 9th grade, then doubled up on math in 10th grade, taking Geometry and Alg. 2 at the same time. Not sure if that's a possibility at your school?

But if not, please don't lose any sleep over this. Who says he even wants to major in math or computer science? If he's thinking that now, a LOT can change before he's applying to colleges. My DS was sure he wanted to be a chemistry major, but by the time 12th grade rolled around, he had taken some other courses that he loved and resonated with him, changing his intended major. He's 27 now and happily in that "other"career.

OP here. Yes, they said he could double up on math during his sophomore year but I don't think that's a good idea for him. Summer geometry is a better plan. He has been interested in computers for years and while things may change, I want him to have the opportunity to get into it in college instead of the door being closed to him.

The door is not closed to him. He can go to Community College and take additional math and then go to a college with a computer science program that he likes.

[Anonymous]

Another option is that he just may not be good at math at a high level. This world needs mathematicians; however, this world also needs people with humanities background just the same. If one door closes, another opens up. It’s not the end of the world at 9th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My D started with calculus in 9th grade, topped out of AP maths in her HS by 11th - and was shut out of all engineering programs she applied to. By topping out with no math in her 12th grade, she got rusty in math. Accelerating in math was no blessing. Algebra in 9th grade can be used as a blessing in disguise, for the right student.

Are you frickin kidding me??? There is something seriously broken with our admissions system if you daughter, who could do calculus in 9th grade, got shut out of engineering programs because there weren’t any more math classes for her to take senior year. That has to be the most ridiculous thing i’ve heard colleges do yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do public schools offer all math classes in the summer?

Most do not. They focus on the ones required for the state (in this case MD) Diploma. Alg I and Geometry will definitely be offered.

Algebra II in FCPS. But only Honors in Geometry. Geometry is the best bet to learn fast, without holes, and get the Honors tag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My D started with calculus in 9th grade, topped out of AP maths in her HS by 11th - and was shut out of all engineering programs she applied to. By topping out with no math in her 12th grade, she got rusty in math. Accelerating in math was no blessing. Algebra in 9th grade can be used as a blessing in disguise, for the right student.

Are you frickin kidding me??? There is something seriously broken with our admissions system if you daughter, who could do calculus in 9th grade, got shut out of engineering programs because there weren’t any more math classes for her to take senior year. That has to be the most ridiculous thing i’ve heard colleges do yet.

And PP’s either trolling or not being honest about something. I know kids who went into pre-Calc in 10th, maxed out math in 11th (through multi/linear plus AP stats), used AP Physics C as their senior “math” class and got into Top 10 engineering programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do public schools offer all math classes in the summer?

FCPS does. It’s online for most schools. But only Honors in geometry. I would not have a kid do summer A2 or Pre-Calc. And I would not have a math kid settle for the non-Honors 5 week version. If you are going to accelerate, take Geometry and A1 together. Or summer Honors geometry.

We are thinking my DS will do summer Geom Hons next year. He qualified for 7th grade alg. I hons, but chose not to do it. He is top in his class in math 7 hons and is naturally strong in math. So, he'll do Alg. I Hons. in 8th and then jump up with the Geom Hons during the summer to get back on the fast track.

My question: Do you think the summer Geom. Hons is sufficient for getting the material? Will it have any negative impact on Alg. II Hon or pre-calc?

Sufficient? Maybe. A great idea? Not really. Most kids who take it are MS kids gunning for TJ, which is why it’s the only math class offered as Honors online. By the end of 8th, that ship has sailed. And if your kid was going to make a serious run at MIT or Cal Tech, they would be applying to TJ. If your kid is serious about Engineering, it’s better to go through BC with straight As than discover in Algebra II or Pre-Calc that your kid missed concepts and have them end up with one or more math Bs.

TJ is a separate conversation, because serious engineering students take AP Physics C in 11th, which at TJ requires BC as a co-rec, but you really need it as a pre-rec. So, that answer may be different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
There is a difference between sufficient knowledge and general intelligence. Your child has the latter but not the former. In his case, I recommend he prep over the summer and take the placement test again. It’s a question of not letting doors close in high school, OP. My son will be taking Honors Algebra 2 in 9th, after taking Algebra 1 and Geometry, and he’s not particularly gifted in math.

Yes, this! Just work as hard as possible over the summer to skip ahead and he will be fine from there on. Totally worth it then he can take it easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter took Algebra 1 in 9th grade. She took geometry her summer after her first year, to get back on track, and AP Calc as a senior. The key is for your son to take summer geometry after 9th grade.

+1. My daughter didn’t place out of Algebra 1 either and it was a blessing in disguise. We wanted her to get back on track because otherwise she would not be able to take Honors Chem in 10th and Honors Physics in 11th. We asked the school early on about the options and they told us she needed a high A in 9th plus being invited and doing well on end of year Algebra 1 placement test in order to be offered the summer Geometry class. It turned out to be an easy A in 9th grade math which was nice given the rest of her coursework. She also heard the honors 9th grade Algebra 1/Geometry moved very quickly and the class was hard.

[Anonymous]

My son is in a similar scenario. He is VERY strong in math. However, he just finished Algebra 1 honors in 8th grade with an A and Chantilly HS was VERY vocal about kids NOT taking Geo.etry honors over the summer. They were very serious about it so we choose to just take it in Freshman year. Personally, if he gets straight As and takes Calcus senior year that should be good enough for VTU, , Cornell, or some of the other Tier 2 engineering schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is in a similar scenario. He is VERY strong in math. However, he just finished Algebra 1 honors in 8th grade with an A and Chantilly HS was VERY vocal about kids NOT taking Geo.etry honors over the summer. They were very serious about it so we choose to just take it in Freshman year. Personally, if he gets straight As and takes Calcus senior year that should be good enough for VTU, , Cornell, or some of the other Tier 2 engineering schools.

It's interesting that they are actively discouraging kids from taking Geo Hons in the summer, when nearby schools are offering it. I wonder if it is because the summer Geom. Hons class that kids from your area would be taking is the "on line" version. The version that is offered in my pyramid is in class/live (i.e you have to attend for 6 hrs per day.).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is in a similar scenario. He is VERY strong in math. However, he just finished Algebra 1 honors in 8th grade with an A and Chantilly HS was VERY vocal about kids NOT taking Geo.etry honors over the summer. They were very serious about it so we choose to just take it in Freshman year. Personally, if he gets straight As and takes Calcus senior year that should be good enough for VTU, , Cornell, or some of the other Tier 2 engineering schools.

You may want to investigate what's required to get into Cornell Engineering, one of the top programs in the country. Cornell has a 10.6% admissions rate. You have to be top 10% of TJ level to get in.