Well, it depends on the student of course. How competitive is the applicant likely to be for for UVA or W&M or VT Engineering or perhaps Ivy's. Algebra 1 in 9th (in most schools) leads to Pre-Calc (rather than Calc) in 12th grade. Doors are closing. If the student might apply to top schools you are beginning to limit their chances

Totally agree. My daughter went to a very competitive college. One of her friends with very similar grades did not get in. Her friend did not take Calculus. That may have been the difference.

Why the push to take algebra in 8th over 9th?

Well, it depends on the student of course. How competitive is the applicant likely to be for for UVA or W&M or VT Engineering or perhaps Ivy's. Algebra 1 in 9th (in most schools) leads to Pre-Calc (rather than Calc) in 12th grade. Doors are closing. If the student might apply to top schools you are beginning to limit their chances.

Thanks for your responses. The recommendations for honors that I see here are consistent with what I am hearing elsewhere. I appreciate your input.

Anonymous wrote:Math is the most important to take for honors in 7th grade. The schools may tell you otherwise, but it really does determine whether DC can take Algebra I in 8th. For the other classes, honors can just mean more projects and more work. It doesn't have to be 'all or nothing'. My DC took 2 honors in 7th (math & SS) and 3 in 8th (math, SS, and science). He would have enjoyed honors science more in 7th, but it hasn't stopped him from getting an A in honors 8 science.

Why the push to take algebra in 8th over 9th? My son signed up to take honors math 8, but his teacher emailed yesterday and said he would be better off in math 8, building a better foundation, and taking algebra 1 the following year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honors. It is self-selected meaning children who actually want to learn will be in the class. Less discipline issues and less bullying, and a better peer group. Thr majority kids of these kids will want to do well. Better to get a C in an honors class and actually learn something, than be in a class with low expectations and feel frustation due to classmates' behavior and fitting in.

Regarding the "all students are in honors," mantra, for some schools they require honors for one or two subjects. Even if those classes are not difficult, the other honors classes will be challenging and the "mixed" honors classes will let your child be exposed to a wider range of students.

"Even if those classes are not difficult...?" So the schools could just do the everyone-does-honors subjects as--what? Promotion for the school, even if the classes themselves aren't really worth the honors label? And parents should just take heart that the other "real" honors classes, the ones where kids actually choose to be there, will make up for any slack classes that are just labeled honors to make the school look good? That's what you're saying here: Accept the everyone-is-honors classes for what they are and be glad the other ones will be challenging. Wow. That lets the school get away with using an honors label just so it looks good to outsiders and can crow about its all-honors student body.

I am a parent, not the principal. So, as a parent, who has no control over who is in honors, I am simply providing the OP with some info. This post was about if she should enroll in all honors or regular classes, My intention was to say enroll in all honors, so that your ciild will be challenged somewhere.

Math is the most important to take for honors in 7th grade. The schools may tell you otherwise, but it really does determine whether DC can take Algebra I in 8th. For the other classes, honors can just mean more projects and more work. It doesn't have to be 'all or nothing'. My DC took 2 honors in 7th (math & SS) and 3 in 8th (math, SS, and science). He would have enjoyed honors science more in 7th, but it hasn't stopped him from getting an A in honors 8 science.

Anonymous wrote:Honors. It is self-selected meaning children who actually want to learn will be in the class. Less discipline issues and less bullying, and a better peer group. Thr majority kids of these kids will want to do well. Better to get a C in an honors class and actually learn something, than be in a class with low expectations and feel frustation due to classmates' behavior and fitting in.

Regarding the "all students are in honors," mantra, for some schools they require honors for one or two subjects. Even if those classes are not difficult, the other honors classes will be challenging and the "mixed" honors classes will let your child be exposed to a wider range of students.

"Even if those classes are not difficult...?" So the schools could just do the everyone-does-honors subjects as--what? Promotion for the school, even if the classes themselves aren't really worth the honors label? And parents should just take heart that the other "real" honors classes, the ones where kids actually choose to be there, will make up for any slack classes that are just labeled honors to make the school look good? That's what you're saying here: Accept the everyone-is-honors classes for what they are and be glad the other ones will be challenging. Wow. That lets the school get away with using an honors label just so it looks good to outsiders and can crow about its all-honors student body.

Honors. It is self-selected meaning children who actually want to learn will be in the class. Less discipline issues and less bullying, and a better peer group. Thr majority kids of these kids will want to do well. Better to get a C in an honors class and actually learn something, than be in a class with low expectations and feel frustation due to classmates' behavior and fitting in.

Regarding the "all students are in honors," mantra, for some schools they require honors for one or two subjects. Even if those classes are not difficult, the other honors classes will be challenging and the "mixed" honors classes will let your child be exposed to a wider range of students.

Find out what "honors" really means at the school your child would attend. Honors in Fairfax County is "self-selecting" -- anyone can choose to be in it; students do not have to pass any particular test or meet other criteria to get in. That's neither good or bad, just something you need to be aware of; many of the kids in honors really do want to be there and have a challenge. Unfortunately some middle schools proudly insist that "ALL students are in honors!" in certain subjects in those schools. That means that kids who didn't even want to be in honors are in it, and for me that raises a serious question about how different or tough it really is, if everyone is required to do it, and I know a lot of other parents who feel the same way. It's one reason some parents who have AAP eligible kids choose to stick to AAP in middle school rather than move their kids to schools with honors classes.....Have you considered applying to have your child in an AAP center instead? A child does NOT have to have been in AAP since third grade in order to start it in middle school; you would, however, need to find out the county's process for having your child apply for AAP.

Anonymous wrote:DD wants to transfer from private to public. After checking with her friends they seem to be divided primarily into 2 camps for next year-- either AAP or general ed with a few taking honors or one or two honors classes. DD is a solid A/B student, but tends to be a little on the Amy side. Is all honors a bad choice?

I think it depends on the school. Here most of the kids choose Honors over General Ed. Both my boys took the Honors curriculum and it has been fine. Same in HS with AP. Sometimes the General Ed classes have too many students who have checked out.

Honors. All the classes are honors. You DC will find it very easy after private.

Too much of an unknown with the private school move. It's comparing apples to oranges. You could push (and you may have to) to enroll D in all honors ~ keeping in mind (and not revealing) you would switch her out, if possible, in a class or two if it were too much. You have to know ~ which is more risky -for her to be too stressed, or for her to be underestimated?

DD wants to transfer from private to public. After checking with her friends they seem to be divided primarily into 2 camps for next year-- either AAP or general ed with a few taking honors or one or two honors classes. DD is a solid A/B student, but tends to be a little on the Amy side. Is all honors a bad choice?