OP, I think the only reason to take the courses for credit (and thus have the grade counted on the HS transcript) is if having the credits towards graduation will help your child do something else he wants -- i.e. graduate early, take half classes senior year and work the other ha;f of the day or do some kind of internship, etc.

I used my early credits to graduate after 11th grade and spend my senior year as an exchange student in another country.

I suggest you call the guidance office at your high school and ask their view from the college admissions perspective. While I highly doubt that colleges are looking at the 8th grade English grade the professionals will have a far more informed opinion.

I'm not asking for the benefits for my child to studying advanced classes in Middle School.

I am asking what are the benefits for my child to having those advanced classes appear on transcripts used for college admissions. In other schools only courses taken in high school appear on the transcript, which makes more sense to me.

My kid will take Algebra and French, and those will appear on the transcript because the benefit of getting a year ahead in those subjects outweighs the transcript issue.

However for English and Science my understanding is that I can choose. That is he can take the same classes and use them as prerequisites for higher level classes without earning credit for them. For example, my child can take Honors 9th grade English, regardless of whether he took Advanced 8th grade English or not.

So, I'm wondering whether to check the box.

Here's the goal, OP - http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/keys/

By pushing kids, they are hoping that more and more students will sign up for AP courses or enter IB programs. It's great for kids who enjoy the challenge and who have the skills to handle such complex course work. So if you son fits that description, let him move on.

It's now the norm to take algebra in MS, and Earth Science (I believe that's the course.) will be moved down to the MS level permanently. And by entering a HS languages course at a higher level, the student can either move into a higher level - like AP or IB - or choose to fill that slot with another challenging course.

Does this make sense?

Now, on the flip side, if your child is "low-key," for lack of a better term and just wants to take things at a more leisurely pace, then I'd advise him to opt out.

Anonymous wrote:My 7th grader just brought home his course selection paperwork for 8th grade. They are suggesting that he take foreign language (for HS credit) algebra (for HS credit) advanced English (for HS credit) and Earth science (for HS credit). So 4/7 classes will be credit classes.

For 2 of them, we don't have a choice unless we hold him back in math or skip the foreign language altogether, but in English and Science, I think he can take the same class and have it count or not count.

I can't think of a single reason why I would want my kid to take these classes for credit. But maybe I'm missing something. Can someone help me understand why the state would set it up this way in the first place?

... And why would you not check the box, unless you're concerned a bad grade would look bad. If that's the case, then don't check it. I can't think of a reason why you wouldn't just go ahead and check it. What could it hurt? Even if there were a bad grade, unless that leads to a pattern of bad grades, it's only 8th grade.

Call the office. You've been given multiple clear answers on here but you obviously need someone to tell you something else. You need to speak to someone in person so there isn't an endless back and forth of someone not understanding whatever little detail is you're not getting answered on here. Then come back and explain to us whatever it is we're not telling you that you're trying to find out.

Anonymous wrote:My high schooler took three classes for h.s. credit when he was in middle school (two math, one foreign language). Some of the math classes were needed as a prerequisite for other classes (programming and physics), so he was able to take those earlier than other students who didn't take the necessary math until they were in h.s., and the foreign language credit freed up another spot for an elective in his senior year (when he'll be done with the years most colleges like to see). That could be filled by another AP class, potentially saving tuition money in college.

I've known several kids who have fulfilled all their h.s. requirements and been able to graduate a year early, and I've also know other kids who are able to leave school earlier in the day so that they can work and earn money.

I didn't realize that some schools offered so many h.s. classes in m.s.; ours only offered the two subjects.

OP again, to be clear, I totally understand the benefit of my kid taking algebra (and geometry if he were advanced enough) and foreign language in Middle School. What I don't understand is why taking Algebra or French and having it show up on your high school transcript is better for my kid than having a transcript that simply starts at Geometry or French 3 or whatever.

I guess I can sort of understand why Algebra shows up, if the logic is that Algebra always shows up regardless of when you take it, but Advanced 8th grade English is a course that's only offered in Middle School. There is no High School class called 8th grade English. So what benefit is there for my kid for colleges to be able to see his 8th grade English grade? Since classes taken in Middle School are never weighted, it could conceivably pull down his GPA even if he got an A in it (if he turned out to have a GPA over 4.0). So what's the benefit? Why would I check that box?

As far as science, same thing, how does it benefit my kid?

My high schooler took three classes for h.s. credit when he was in middle school (two math, one foreign language). Some of the math classes were needed as a prerequisite for other classes (programming and physics), so he was able to take those earlier than other students who didn't take the necessary math until they were in h.s., and the foreign language credit freed up another spot for an elective in his senior year (when he'll be done with the years most colleges like to see). That could be filled by another AP class, potentially saving tuition money in college.

I've known several kids who have fulfilled all their h.s. requirements and been able to graduate a year early, and I've also know other kids who are able to leave school earlier in the day so that they can work and earn money.

I didn't realize that some schools offered so many h.s. classes in m.s.; ours only offered the two subjects.

Looks like that's the case for English (being elective credit) but not the others.

I'm with 23:03 re: the motivation for offering and taking that opportunity.


My kids aren't in middle school yet, but your kid is on a track that I hope and pray mine will be on. Enjoy it.

Anonymous wrote:Then he'd be able to take more electives in HS if he fulfills the graduation requirements sooner. Or take college classes in HS.

OP here,

I don't think that's true though. My understanding is that the English class is just an elective credit, it doesn't replace another English class, and he'll still go into the same 9th grade classes regardless of whether the 8th grade classes are listed on his HS transcript or not. It's not like he's taking 9th grade English, and thus could take AP English a year early or something.

If it would let him graduate in 3 years, I'd consider it. Not that I want him to graduate early, but I wouldn't want to make a choice about that either way, but I don't actually think that it does.

Then he'd be able to take more electives in HS if he fulfills the graduation requirements sooner. Or take college classes in HS.

Anonymous wrote:My 7th grader just brought home his course selection paperwork for 8th grade. They are suggesting that he take foreign language (for HS credit) algebra (for HS credit) advanced English (for HS credit) and Earth science (for HS credit). So 4/7 classes will be credit classes.

For 2 of them, we don't have a choice unless we hold him back in math or skip the foreign language altogether, but in English and Science, I think he can take the same class and have it count or not count.

I can't think of a single reason why I would want my kid to take these classes for credit. But maybe I'm missing something. Can someone help me understand why the state would set it up this way in the first place?

Mostly to impress adult friends.

My 7th grader just brought home his course selection paperwork for 8th grade. They are suggesting that he take foreign language (for HS credit) algebra (for HS credit) advanced English (for HS credit) and Earth science (for HS credit). So 4/7 classes will be credit classes.

For 2 of them, we don't have a choice unless we hold him back in math or skip the foreign language altogether, but in English and Science, I think he can take the same class and have it count or not count.

I can't think of a single reason why I would want my kid to take these classes for credit. But maybe I'm missing something. Can someone help me understand why the state would set it up this way in the first place?