There are certain classes that are more challenging like Functions, Org Chemistry, Phys Math. Kids self select.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 9th grader is taking Precalculus (not Functions) and APUSH, in terms of choices that determine homework and rigor. We have not found this year to be particularly hard or stressful. Had my kid taken Functions, I’m sure that would have been different but these choices are the most common for the Freshman and it’s been totally fine.

I also have a 9th grader and disagree. Homework has taken over our lives. We can’t make plans at the weekend with our kid because of the copious homework. They seem burned out at this point. This may be due to a bunch of absences for various reasons in the last couple of months but catching up has been almost impossible. Four years of this seems a grind.

Is there a less intense course slate available next year? SMCS goes hard with accelerated science and math to get students ready for electives. And they offer a lot of work to challenge even the most able and prepared students. You don't have to do it all.

Anonymous wrote:How is the rest of the school is it rowdy?

No different then any other large high school in the area.

DC is a current junior. I don’t know that there was more work in 9th than in later years, but it felt harder because the jump from 8th to 9th was huge. (This was partly due to Covid, but I’m sure not 100%.)

Things became easier in 10th as DC learned how to work with the other students and teachers, many of whom they have for multiple classes. 10th and 11th have been quite manageable, even with somewhat intense extracurriculars and objectively harder classes.

Anonymous wrote:My 9th grader is taking Precalculus (not Functions) and APUSH, in terms of choices that determine homework and rigor. We have not found this year to be particularly hard or stressful. Had my kid taken Functions, I’m sure that would have been different but these choices are the most common for the Freshman and it’s been totally fine.

I also have a 9th grader and disagree. Homework has taken over our lives. We can’t make plans at the weekend with our kid because of the copious homework. They seem burned out at this point. This may be due to a bunch of absences for various reasons in the last couple of months but catching up has been almost impossible. Four years of this seems a grind.

How is the rest of the school is it rowdy?

My 9th grader is taking Precalculus (not Functions) and APUSH, in terms of choices that determine homework and rigor. We have not found this year to be particularly hard or stressful. Had my kid taken Functions, I’m sure that would have been different but these choices are the most common for the Freshman and it’s been totally fine.

Even though 9th and 10th grade magnet classes are mostly already determined? Are later classes more time consuming, more rigorous? Or about the same?

It depends on your course selections

Which year is the hardest in terms of workload? How does freshman year compare to subsequent years?