Reply to Is 8th grade pre-algebra or algebra?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I teach algebra 2. Last year I had a handful of seniors in my class (meaning algebra 1 in 9th, geometry 10th, AFDA 11th, and algebra 2 12th). One is now a freshman at George Mason, one is at JMU, one is at VCU. A fourth is down in Norfolk area doing a mechanics training for some fancy car (maybe Porsche? I forget, I remember we joked that he’d never be working on my cars since I drive a Kia)

This year I have a larger group of seniors. 1 got accepted early to university of Kentucky to study marketing, 1 has been missing class all quarter to audition for elite music programs, two have every intention of NVCC and transfer, and 4 are still waiting to hear.

The ones who take algebra on 9th and go to AP precalc or AP stats as seniors? I can’t even begin to list the amazing schools they end up at. Sure, not MIT, but that doesn’t mean you fail!! An engineer from university of South Carolina or nc state or Mason or Penn state is still an engineer! A career in nursing depends way less on the school you attended and more on the student. I’ve had kids leave my room with full rides to nursing school after taking algebra 2 as juniors and a less strenuous math class senior year.

You can have a fine future, collegiate or otherwise, with algebra in 9th. While you obviously have more options the higher the math you take, it’s not a death sentence to slow down and be confident![/quote]

Thank you for this reality check.  One can still live a happy, fulfilling, upper middle-class life without attending a Top 25/50 school.  If one thinks they can't, it's because their parents or others told them they couldn't and they believed it.  That's some BS right there.  I said what I said.[/quote]

I can tell you that we need in state options only. We are going to have to be more competitive.[/quote][/quote]

PP. My bright, but not genius level, DS took Algebra 1 in 9th grade to avoid doing it over PowerPoint due to Covid. Took SAT and submitted scores, got into 6 of 8 Virginia colleges he applied to. The assistant dean of Engineering at ODU flat out said you can start out at any Math level and become and engineer, it might take you longer, but you can do it. Then they showed the 5 year progression, or 4 year with some Summer school, to graduate starting at Pre-Calc. Mason did the same thing. You can graduate from either of those schools and start your life. Both were around 30K. In Virginia, most of the privates will give you enough aid in some form to get the price down to that of a public university. People in this area fight tooth and nail to hold on to the belief that not being in advanced math will somehow doom you to a life of poverty.

Thank you for this reality check. One can still live a happy, fulfilling, upper middle-class life without attending a Top 25/50 school. If one thinks they can't, it's because their parents or others told them they couldn't and they believed it. That's some BS right there. I said what I said.[/quote]

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