will not taking calculus hinder a kid's chance at getting into a top college?

[Anonymous]

My 8th grade daughter's math teacher told the class that there was no point in taking calculus in HS if your not interested in majoring in STEM. I was under the impression that most selective colleges (top 30 and above) expected to see that a student took calculus irregardless of the intended major. Is her math teacher right?

[Anonymous]

They would also expect to see calculus for business majors. Plan on having her take calculus and adjust later if it is beyond her reach. You don’t want to pidgeon hole her into a humanities major just yet.

[Anonymous]

I think you are generally correct. I would trust the guidance of a high school college counselor more than a middle school math teacher on this question.

But there are certainly students who are admitted to elite colleges who only got to pre-calc by the end of senior year, because so many factors go into admissions.

One problem with not getting to calculus, at least if you are coming from a school that weights GPAs, is that you will have one less AP class than someone taking Calculus and potentially a slightly lower GPA and class rank because of that.

The most important thing, however, is for your kid to take the most challenging courses that they can do well in. One of two Bs in high school is ok; struggling through math courses the student isn't ready for, and tanking one's GPA in the process, is dumb.

But - why you are thinking about elite colleges when your student is only 13 years old?

[Anonymous]

Is your daughter on track for taking Calculus? (i.e. did she take Alg I this year?)

[Anonymous]

irregardless

[Anonymous]

The teacher doesn’t know what they are talking about. My college required it of everyone. And in a roomful of kids that age, no one knows who or what they will want to be.

Social science also requires some good math skills for stats purposes, and calculus is the beginning, not the end of the math classes.

The good schools expect a student to have taken advantage of the opportunities offered, which means call.

[Anonymous]

Required for those interested in engineering.

[Anonymous]

Yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you are generally correct. I would trust the guidance of a high school college counselor more than a middle school math teacher on this question.

But there are certainly students who are admitted to elite colleges who only got to pre-calc by the end of senior year, because so many factors go into admissions.

One problem with not getting to calculus, at least if you are coming from a school that weights GPAs, is that you will have one less AP class than someone taking Calculus and potentially a slightly lower GPA and class rank because of that.

The most important thing, however, is for your kid to take the most challenging courses that they can do well in. One of two Bs in high school is ok; struggling through math courses the student isn't ready for, and tanking one's GPA in the process, is dumb.

But - why you are thinking about elite colleges when your student is only 13 years old?

+1

[Anonymous]

Absolutely it will hurt her. Both calculus and physics are essential for top colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is your daughter on track for taking Calculus? (i.e. did she take Alg I this year?)

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you are generally correct. I would trust the guidance of a high school college counselor more than a middle school math teacher on this question.

But there are certainly students who are admitted to elite colleges who only got to pre-calc by the end of senior year, because so many factors go into admissions.

One problem with not getting to calculus, at least if you are coming from a school that weights GPAs, is that you will have one less AP class than someone taking Calculus and potentially a slightly lower GPA and class rank because of that.

The most important thing, however, is for your kid to take the most challenging courses that they can do well in. One of two Bs in high school is ok; struggling through math courses the student isn't ready for, and tanking one's GPA in the process, is dumb.

But - why you are thinking about elite colleges when your student is only 13 years old?

Because my 8th grade daughter who is easily getting A's in geometry, now wants to scale back in math because of what her bobo math teacher said.
+1

[Anonymous]

If calculus is offered at her school, it will hurt her if she doesn’t take it. When the answer about whether she took the most challenging course load offered is answered, it will be a ding.

[Anonymous]

What would she take instead of calculus? MD requires 4 years of math in high school. In MCPS, on grade level math leads to calculus in 12th grade. So a child not taking calculus would either be below grade level, or would have to find some other math class for senior year. I don’t know how other districts work.

[Anonymous]

Can I just say that I think it really sucks that this is even a conversation for an 8th grader??