Jesus people - calm down

They are kids. Not robots. Work them all year and now summer classes too. Stop being so f'ing pushy on the academics.

Yes, I feel this is a big problem. The schools do not communicate adequately what is possible for students to do. For example, the only strict requirement is to have Calculus by the time you do AP Physics C. The College Board recommendation is that an intro course in Chem or Bio is necessary for AP Chem and AP Bio. Apparently AP Physics C can be done without a Physics requirement, because Calculus is what is truly needed.

So if your high school just shuttles kids into 9th grade Bio... there are actually other options. MCPS does not have a rule saying kids MUST do Bio first. It's just easier for them to administer the State biology exam if the cohort takes Bio at the same time.

For info, here is what my DD is planning on doing. She contacted the high school science coordinator in 8th grade (when signing up for 9th grade classes) to get the schedule approved:

9th - Honors Chem/Honors Precalc
10th - AP Chem/AP Calc
11th - AP Physics C/MVC
12th - AP Bio/other math course

This contraction will allow her to continue her music courses, and do APs in Humanities and Foreign Language that she also wants to do.
She took the health classes this summer to get them out of the way.

So if your kid is ambitious and driven, and wants to do AP STEM classes but also not lose other subjects, you need rely on some summer classes and getting approval from the science coordinator to skip some recommended intro science courses.

I'm not certain what the perceived obstacle is. I've had two graduate in recent years. Both took both honors, and then AP bio and 3 AP physics classes (AP 1, and the two junior/senior level one-period courses... so equivalent to the honors/ap bio sequence ). They both could have fit in AP chem but didn't want to take it (instead, took more social studies courses). This was on top of all requirements plus four years of language.

Kids can't do *everything*-- if the want to take social studies courses beyond what is required, they'd need to forego one of the double-period sciences.

They did both take health in the summer, so that helped, I guess. Neither were in band (I wish they had been)-- but I mention it because band/orchestra eat up an elective every year beyond the single year required of arts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the deal with Door Period AP Science classes, which also have a prerequisite of the Honors version of the course? (Biology, Chem, Physics)

How do high performing science/engineering inclined students get through their course goals, with all this time blocked off in the schedule?

Do they take extra online courses to round out their schedule?

Double Period cuts the school day back to 6 courses, while over at the magnet the students have 8 classes and they are get the classes done in less time.

My oldest is in MS but I am noticing a big problem here as well. They won't be able to take any classes they are interested in (e.g. music, art, latin...) without seriously compromising their AP load. There are also too many unnecessary prerequisites eating into slots for high level classes. HS students should have an option to have 8 classes (3 electives).

They need to do some requirements in middle school or summers.

You can't take biology or chemistry during the summer.

What about placement tests? In high school I was allowed to self study physics over the summer so I could test into AP.

This ties into the age old controversy about whether it’s okay to stop a language after sophomore year. I think that’s why my kid is planning. But I think even if you take a language that still leaves you one elective to take either an art class or something like Econ or psych or something.

Anonymous wrote:What's the deal with Door Period AP Science classes, which also have a prerequisite of the Honors version of the course? (Biology, Chem, Physics)

How do high performing science/engineering inclined students get through their course goals, with all this time blocked off in the schedule?

Do they take extra online courses to round out their schedule?

Double Period cuts the school day back to 6 courses, while over at the magnet the students have 8 classes and they are get the classes done in less time.

My magnet kid took two “double period” classes last year (chemistry and physics). Neither of them were actually double period - that is they took up one class for one sensor only but are clearly identified as “double period”.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the deal with Door Period AP Science classes, which also have a prerequisite of the Honors version of the course? (Biology, Chem, Physics)

How do high performing science/engineering inclined students get through their course goals, with all this time blocked off in the schedule?

Do they take extra online courses to round out their schedule?

Double Period cuts the school day back to 6 courses, while over at the magnet the students have 8 classes and they are get the classes done in less time.

My oldest is in MS but I am noticing a big problem here as well. They won't be able to take any classes they are interested in (e.g. music, art, latin...) without seriously compromising their AP load. There are also too many unnecessary prerequisites eating into slots for high level classes. HS students should have an option to have 8 classes (3 electives).

They need to do some requirements in middle school or summers.

You can't take biology or chemistry during the summer.

Yes, but you can get Health A & B out of the way, as well as the Tech credits. That will free up some space in their schedules.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the deal with Door Period AP Science classes, which also have a prerequisite of the Honors version of the course? (Biology, Chem, Physics)

How do high performing science/engineering inclined students get through their course goals, with all this time blocked off in the schedule?

Do they take extra online courses to round out their schedule?

Double Period cuts the school day back to 6 courses, while over at the magnet the students have 8 classes and they are get the classes done in less time.

My oldest is in MS but I am noticing a big problem here as well. They won't be able to take any classes they are interested in (e.g. music, art, latin...) without seriously compromising their AP load. There are also too many unnecessary prerequisites eating into slots for high level classes. HS students should have an option to have 8 classes (3 electives).

They need to do some requirements in middle school or summers.

You can't take biology or chemistry during the summer.

Anonymous wrote:NP. I think block scheduling would be great for high school, but the premise that you can't do enough science in a 7-period day b/c some of the classes are double period is off the mark.

You can do enough science but you can't do other stuff.

NP. I think block scheduling would be great for high school, but the premise that you can't do enough science in a 7-period day b/c some of the classes are double period is off the mark.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the deal with Door Period AP Science classes, which also have a prerequisite of the Honors version of the course? (Biology, Chem, Physics)

How do high performing science/engineering inclined students get through their course goals, with all this time blocked off in the schedule?

Do they take extra online courses to round out their schedule?

Double Period cuts the school day back to 6 courses, while over at the magnet the students have 8 classes and they are get the classes done in less time.

My oldest is in MS but I am noticing a big problem here as well. They won't be able to take any classes they are interested in (e.g. music, art, latin...) without seriously compromising their AP load. There are also too many unnecessary prerequisites eating into slots for high level classes. HS students should have an option to have 8 classes (3 electives).

So you would have 8 classes in the day instead of 7? Classes would then be shorter and that would hurt those doing AP/IB. Or are you calling for block scheduling to allow for 8 and have fewer transitions during each day?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's the deal with Door Period AP Science classes, which also have a prerequisite of the Honors version of the course? (Biology, Chem, Physics)

How do high performing science/engineering inclined students get through their course goals, with all this time blocked off in the schedule?

Do they take extra online courses to round out their schedule?

Double Period cuts the school day back to 6 courses, while over at the magnet the students have 8 classes and they are get the classes done in less time.

My oldest is in MS but I am noticing a big problem here as well. They won't be able to take any classes they are interested in (e.g. music, art, latin...) without seriously compromising their AP load. There are also too many unnecessary prerequisites eating into slots for high level classes. HS students should have an option to have 8 classes (3 electives).

They need to do some requirements in middle school or summers.

Anonymous wrote:What's the deal with Door Period AP Science classes, which also have a prerequisite of the Honors version of the course? (Biology, Chem, Physics)

How do high performing science/engineering inclined students get through their course goals, with all this time blocked off in the schedule?

Do they take extra online courses to round out their schedule?

Double Period cuts the school day back to 6 courses, while over at the magnet the students have 8 classes and they are get the classes done in less time.

My oldest is in MS but I am noticing a big problem here as well. They won't be able to take any classes they are interested in (e.g. music, art, latin...) without seriously compromising their AP load. There are also too many unnecessary prerequisites eating into slots for high level classes. HS students should have an option to have 8 classes (3 electives).

Anonymous wrote:What's the deal with Door Period AP Science classes, which also have a prerequisite of the Honors version of the course? (Biology, Chem, Physics)

How do high performing science/engineering inclined students get through their course goals, with all this time blocked off in the schedule?

Do they take extra online courses to round out their schedule?

Double Period cuts the school day back to 6 courses, while over at the magnet the students have 8 classes and they are get the classes done in less time.

Double period allows for doing labs. For many high performing science/engineering students a double period AP class is a course goal.

What's the deal with Door Period AP Science classes, which also have a prerequisite of the Honors version of the course? (Biology, Chem, Physics)

How do high performing science/engineering inclined students get through their course goals, with all this time blocked off in the schedule?

Do they take extra online courses to round out their schedule?

Double Period cuts the school day back to 6 courses, while over at the magnet the students have 8 classes and they are get the classes done in less time.