Anonymous wrote:Stats is not considered a serious math by most US colleges. 12th graders should at the very least be taking AP Calc AB.

I have a non-math kid and I was told this by a reputable college counselor.

One of my kids took AP Calc as a junior. They aren’t interested in a career that uses higher math. They are interested in a career that uses statistics and they are taking it as a college course this semester.

Anonymous wrote:MCPS forces everyone to take a math every year and it honestly sucks. My DD is taking Alg 2 in 9th and has no desire to keep leaning Calculus she will never use another minute in her life. It would be different if she was going for science/engineering/computers/med, etc... but she isn't. The math options suck and to force the kids to keep taking it instead of other more interesting courses stink.

I’m pretty sure that is a state graduation requirement because I have family and friends in other counties, but they are also required to take math senior year.

Stats is not considered a serious math by most US colleges. 12th graders should at the very least be taking AP Calc AB.

I have a non-math kid and I was told this by a reputable college counselor.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's the question! Does it or does it not count in MCPS? Has anyone talked to their school or has someone used a CS course as a substitute for an MAT course?

My kid is a math kid so doesn’t need it to count. But if I wanted it to, I would bring the state document cited above to the guidance counselor and ask for a response in writing in whether it counts. If MCPS Aays no, I would reach out to the state to see what can be done.

According to the FAQ, a CS course would not meet the requirement if it is taken the final year before graduation. (It is not engaging students in algebraic skills the year prior to college enrollment.)

Anonymous wrote:Computer science is listed in a different grouping than math:

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseLists/Index/163/#Computer_Science_Courses

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseLists/Index/234/#Mathematics_Courses

Has anyone asked their school?

Saw the question in the other locked thread about state requirements and MCPS graduation requirements.

The state law was based on ensuring college readiness for the University System of Maryland:
"Please note the Mathematics Admissions requirements for schools in the University System of Maryland below.
The University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents in December 2009 approved an academic policy that requires incoming freshman undergraduates to have completed four years of high school math. The coursework must include Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Students who complete Algebra II before their
senior year must also complete the fourth-year math requirement. They can do so by taking a course during their senior year that utilizes non-trivial algebra. Examples of courses meeting this requirement include Algebra II, Trigonometry, Precalculus, Calculus and successor courses, Statistics, and College Algebra. An important feature of any such course is that it utilizes algebra in a substantive way, so the student does not lose the algebraic and numerical skills achieved in earlier courses."

From the MDSE FAQ with Univ. System of MD answers:
https://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Documents/DCAA/Math/MMGR/FAQsMathEveryYearEnrollmentRequirements.pdf

12. If a student earns four mathematics credits by the end of his/her junior year, does he/she still need
to take a mathematics class in the senior year?
• MSDE Response
Yes, COMAR 13A.03.02.03 states “a student shall enroll in a mathematics course in each year of
high school that the student attends, up to a maximum of 4 years of attendance, unless in the 5th
or 6th year a mathematics course is needed to meet a graduation requirement.”
• USM Response
Yes, a student must stay engaged in mathematics instruction in each year of high school that the
student attends.

8. Can enrollment in a computer science course count?
• MSDE Response
Yes, enrollment in a computer science course satisfies the mathematics every year requirement.
Computer Science is listed in COMAR 13A.04.12.01 as a mathematics- related course that satisfies
the mathematics every year requirement.
• USM Response
Computer Science may be one of the four required courses, but NOT the final course.

The graduation charts from MCPS at https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/graduation-requirements have a note saying:
STATE REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENTS GRADUATING IN 2018 AND LATER: Students graduating in 2018 and later must be enrolled in a math course in each year of high school. This may result in students earning more than 4 credits in math for graduation.
The requirement has applied since 2018.

Anonymous wrote:That's the question! Does it or does it not count in MCPS? Has anyone talked to their school or has someone used a CS course as a substitute for an MAT course?

My kid is a math kid so doesn’t need it to count. But if I wanted it to, I would bring the state document cited above to the guidance counselor and ask for a response in writing in whether it counts. If MCPS Aays no, I would reach out to the state to see what can be done.

That's the question! Does it or does it not count in MCPS? Has anyone talked to their school or has someone used a CS course as a substitute for an MAT course?

Anonymous wrote:Computer science is listed in a different grouping than math:

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseLists/Index/163/#Computer_Science_Courses

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseLists/Index/234/#Mathematics_Courses

Has anyone asked their school?

That doesn’t mean it can’t count toward the math requirement.

Computer science is listed in a different grouping than math:

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseLists/Index/163/#Computer_Science_Courses

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseLists/Index/234/#Mathematics_Courses

Has anyone asked their school?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If DD took Algebra 1 in 8th, Honors Geography in 9th, Honors Algebra 2 in 10th, and Honors Precalculus in 11th, does she need another math in 12th? Does the math in 8th count toward her 4 years of HS credits? Will colleges that require 4 years of math (UMD) dismiss a kid who doesn’t take math in 12th?

She hates math.

I'm sorry. But your daughter messed up. They need to roll with math all four years. If it's not too late, get her into Calculus AB now.

I should have specified that she’s a riding Junior taking precalculus this year. So I guess next year she’ll need to decide between calculus and stats. Any advice on that choice?

HS teacher here. Financial Mathematics (revamped Quantitative Literacy) would be a good choice. Or Introduction to Statistics.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could do AP stats or AP computer science to satisfy the requirement senior year.

I don't think CS counts but AP Stats does. There may be a lower stats class as well. I do think colleges would expect to see Calc but if she hates it that much I can see why it's a big waste of time for her.

AP CS does count.

https://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Documents/DCAA/Math/MMGR/FAQsMathEveryYearEnrollmentRequirements.pdf

Maryland allows school districts to count AP CS, but it doesn't require it. I don't think MCPS chooses to count it. I could be wrong, it could have changed since I last looked.

I don't see anything that says that it doesn't count - and in the course bulletin, MCPS says that students must take 1 math class/year to align with the state requirement. If MCPS has a more strict requirement, that should be made clear. Certainly a student should confirm that the CS class counts toward math, but I think it's pretty clear that it does.

Thank you to PP for the reference. It our school's course bulletin CS is not listed under math courses but a separate. It would be great if CS courses would count!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If DD took Algebra 1 in 8th, Honors Geography in 9th, Honors Algebra 2 in 10th, and Honors Precalculus in 11th, does she need another math in 12th? Does the math in 8th count toward her 4 years of HS credits? Will colleges that require 4 years of math (UMD) dismiss a kid who doesn’t take math in 12th?

She hates math.

Have her take Financial Literacy. It’s a good, practical course that many seniors take.

q

Quantitative Literacy?

https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/math/high/quantitativelit/

Quant Lit doesn't exist anymore, it was renamed and tweaked in content. I got the name wrong above - it is now called Financial Mathematics.

https://coursebulletin.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/CourseDetails/Index/MAT2023A

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could do AP stats or AP computer science to satisfy the requirement senior year.

I don't think CS counts but AP Stats does. There may be a lower stats class as well. I do think colleges would expect to see Calc but if she hates it that much I can see why it's a big waste of time for her.

AP CS does count.

https://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Documents/DCAA/Math/MMGR/FAQsMathEveryYearEnrollmentRequirements.pdf

Maryland allows school districts to count AP CS, but it doesn't require it. I don't think MCPS chooses to count it. I could be wrong, it could have changed since I last looked.

I don't see anything that says that it doesn't count - and in the course bulletin, MCPS says that students must take 1 math class/year to align with the state requirement. If MCPS has a more strict requirement, that should be made clear. Certainly a student should confirm that the CS class counts toward math, but I think it's pretty clear that it does.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could do AP stats or AP computer science to satisfy the requirement senior year.

I don't think CS counts but AP Stats does. There may be a lower stats class as well. I do think colleges would expect to see Calc but if she hates it that much I can see why it's a big waste of time for her.

AP CS does count.

https://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Documents/DCAA/Math/MMGR/FAQsMathEveryYearEnrollmentRequirements.pdf

Maryland allows school districts to count AP CS, but it doesn't require it. I don't think MCPS chooses to count it. I could be wrong, it could have changed since I last looked.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If DD took Algebra 1 in 8th, Honors Geography in 9th, Honors Algebra 2 in 10th, and Honors Precalculus in 11th, does she need another math in 12th? Does the math in 8th count toward her 4 years of HS credits? Will colleges that require 4 years of math (UMD) dismiss a kid who doesn’t take math in 12th?

She hates math.

I'm sorry. But your daughter messed up. They need to roll with math all four years. If it's not too late, get her into Calculus AB now.

I should have specified that she’s a riding Junior taking precalculus this year. So I guess next year she’ll need to decide between calculus and stats. Any advice on that choice?

Whichever she prefers. Precalculus in MCPS includes pre-stats. Calculus more conceptual and interesting, and Stats has more boring memorization.
Both classes have non-AP options with more Applications and less theory.