6 is not the norm, even for HS like McLean or Langley. Look at the stats.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I went to high school in France - the French international Bac was much harder than undergrad in the US.

Regular classes have very low standards here - AP and IB classes (albeit different) are about the same degree of difficulty as the best high school systems abroad.

That's the part Americans don't understand.

+1

I think what you're missing is, so what? Who cares? It's not a contest to see who can be the most difficult. So it takes you a couple more years to get your doctorate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I went to high school in France - the French international Bac was much harder than undergrad in the US.

Regular classes have very low standards here - AP and IB classes (albeit different) are about the same degree of difficulty as the best high school systems abroad.

That's the part Americans don't understand.

+1

Here's the difference, in those countries, you also don't have the pressure to be involved in extra curricular activities, sports, community service, etc..

My DH is from the UK, and he would agree. All they really had to focus on was school work, and getting into a good uni isn't as competitive as it is here. Not to mention, univ. in a lot of those countries are free or cheap, not so here, so the students have to worry about merit and/or financial aid as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What people don't realize is that AP of earlier generations is not the same as it is today. I do not consider them the same as a college class. Many colleges advised us the repeat the last AP math taken because many students struggle when moving up based on APs

Why? Has the curriculum or test changed to cover less material or be easier?

I've heard people say it, in a disparaging way -- once high school rankings started counting number of students taking AP classes, high schools encouraged lots of students to take them and dumbed them down in the process. I suppose whether or not any given AP class at any given HS has been dumbed down can be measured by AP scores and preparedness in college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In this area, 6 is nothing. Have you seen kids take 13 and up? Now, that's crazy.

Six per year is "13 and up"

Agree... except you can't take 6 per year for 4 years.

Got it. PP made it seem like it was 13 in one year. Our HS limits the AP courses in 9th, while the kids become accustomed to the format. There may be exceptions, but I believe that's the general guideline (cause I'm sure someone will come to say otherwise).

Anonymous wrote:What people don't realize is that AP of earlier generations is not the same as it is today. I do not consider them the same as a college class. Many colleges advised us the repeat the last AP math taken because many students struggle when moving up based on APs

Why? Has the curriculum or test changed to cover less material or be easier?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I went to high school in France - the French international Bac was much harder than undergrad in the US.

Regular classes have very low standards here - AP and IB classes (albeit different) are about the same degree of difficulty as the best high school systems abroad.

That's the part Americans don't understand.

+1

What people don't realize is that AP of earlier generations is not the same as it is today. I do not consider them the same as a college class. Many colleges advised us the repeat the last AP math taken because many students struggle when moving up based on APs

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In this area, 6 is nothing. Have you seen kids take 13 and up? Now, that's crazy.

Six per year is "13 and up"

Agree... except you can't take 6 per year for 4 years.

Anonymous wrote:In this area, 6 is nothing. Have you seen kids take 13 and up? Now, that's crazy.

Six per year is "13 and up"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated over 10 years ago and took 6 APs both Junior and Senior year. This is nothing new? I loved the classes and I was glad to be out of the regular classes. Regular classes focused solely on trying to get kids to not misbehave and on discipline. There wasn't any learning happening there.

Same and I graduated hs in the early 80ties. I loved the classes and had a great time in high school. Some kids want the challenge and are happy to do it.

Many of "those kids" know they'll never be "good enough."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ my DC took 13 AP and 6 IB exams in HS.

What district? Was it a special program?

MoCo magnet.

Anonymous wrote:^ my DC took 13 AP and 6 IB exams in HS.

What district? Was it a special program?

^ my DC took 13 AP and 6 IB exams in HS.

Anonymous wrote:In this area, 6 is nothing. Have you seen kids take 13 and up? Now, that's crazy.

13? There is not enough time in the day. Unless they were on a college schedule where they only went to each class once or twice per week.