How many credits is a high school class?

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to make sense of my 8th grader's course registration into 9th grade. The course bulletin does not say how many credits are given for each class, except when they say a class is worth 0.5 credits. Do I assume the others are 1 credit?

[Anonymous]

.5 credits means a one semester class.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

Thanks. So, two semesters, meaning one year, is 1 credit. OK. I was not educated in this country and the basics elude me (and are not written on the sheet they gave us!).

[Anonymous]

Above is correct. So, English, or Honors English is .5 per semester, so 1 for the year. Health is a .5 required class that many students take online over the summer, either between 9th and 10th or 10th and 11th grade, so they have greater flexibility to take classes they are interested in.

Required for graduation (in addition to Math, English, History, Science):
1 year technology
1 year PE
1 semester health
1 year art (can be music, ceramics, photography, etc depending on what your school offers)

[Anonymous]

I am the PP - this is from MCPS!

[Anonymous]

OP here.

Isn't language a requirement too? On our sheet it's written that 2 credits are necessary, which means students need to take 2 years of a language (the same language, I suppose).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
OP here.

Isn't language a requirement too? On our sheet it's written that 2 credits are necessary, which means students need to take 2 years of a language (the same language, I suppose).

Yes, in general, but there are also alternatives called "Program Completers." These include vocational programs at Edison High School and a special Computer Science sequence. If your child is college-bound, I highly recommend doing the foreign language option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
OP here.

Isn't language a requirement too? On our sheet it's written that 2 credits are necessary, which means students need to take 2 years of a language (the same language, I suppose).

I’m not sure it has to be the same language. But as PP points out it’s important to consider college requirements if that’s something your kid is considering in this country or your home country. Colleges often have higher expectations for applicants than the MCPS minimum. Language is a good example- often 3 years of a language are required. Best if it’s the same one since that will allow the kid to pass out of, or st least place higher in the colleges language requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here.

Isn't language a requirement too? On our sheet it's written that 2 credits are necessary, which means students need to take 2 years of a language (the same language, I suppose).

I’m not sure it has to be the same language. But as PP points out it’s important to consider college requirements if that’s something your kid is considering in this country or your home country. Colleges often have higher expectations for applicants than the MCPS minimum. Language is a good example- often 3 years of a language are required. Best if it’s the same one since that will allow the kid to pass out of, or st least place higher in the colleges language requirement.

Only at top schools...

[Anonymous]

Maryland state credit requirements:
http://www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/comarhtml/13a/13a.03.02.03.htm

MCPS credit requirements (they add .5 PE to make it full year, and one more year of math, plus some of the language needs updating to match state):
https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/publications/diplomarequirements.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
OP here.

Isn't language a requirement too? On our sheet it's written that 2 credits are necessary, which means students need to take 2 years of a language (the same language, I suppose).

I’m not sure it has to be the same language. But as PP points out it’s important to consider college requirements if that’s something your kid is considering in this country or your home country. Colleges often have higher expectations for applicants than the MCPS minimum. Language is a good example- often 3 years of a language are required. Best if it’s the same one since that will allow the kid to pass out of, or st least place higher in the colleges language requirement.

Only at top schools...

Even UMD says 2 years but that stronger applicants will exceed the minimum requirements. My point is that the OP needs to consider this if her DC is aiming for college. She hasn’t indicated that so it may be irrelevant.