Anonymous wrote:

My son entered college with 62 credits and was able to earn two degrees in four years (a B.S. and a B.A.).

If this is true, that's great for your son, but wow, what a different HS experience. My kid's taking quite a few AP classes, but also wants to have time with friends and participate in her activities so will use AP's just for admission. I want her to enjoy the 4 yr college experience. They have the rest of their lives to work and earn money.

Anonymous wrote:

Would you turn to his mother in the audience and say, "What a different HS experience. Larlo had. I mean, my DD is taking quite a few AP classes, but also wants to have time with friends and participate in her activities!" Then don't say it on the internet.

You're kidding right? Our kids grew up together and his mom is one of my best friends. I'm her plus one at all the concerts. My friends and I always talk about our kids, their goals, their failures and triumphs, and whether we want to kill them or hug them because teenagers are so challenging. And it's an actual fact that my DD is having a very different HS experience. She'll never win any national music awards and that's totally fine with her. It's not a contest. Again, I wasn't denigrating anyone's choice so I'm puzzled by the sensitivity.

Anonymous wrote:As someone who graduated college more recently than most here there was no way I was giving up my Spring semester senior year to save some money. I had a job by Thanksgiving so by the time I came back from Christmas break I was in full coasting mode and enjoying my last 6 months of freedom before having to start my career.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My son entered college with 62 credits and was able to earn two degrees in four years (a B.S. and a B.A.).

If this is true, that's great for your son, but wow, what a different HS experience. My kid's taking quite a few AP classes, but also wants to have time with friends and participate in her activities so will use AP's just for admission. I want her to enjoy the 4 yr college experience. They have the rest of their lives to work and earn money.

What an idiotic, rude, and judgmental post.

PP's son achieved something great. Good for him. I have absolutely no doubt he has many friends and lots of fun.

Also I love the implication that if only your daughter chose this inferior route, she would no doubt have accomplished the same.

It is not rude to think that taking mostly high school courses in high school, and getting one undergraduate degree in 4 years of college is healthier than the alternative.

Agree, you can think whatever you want. Making a judgment like that and saying it to someone who's child who has focused on academics is absurdly rude.
The idea that anyone who has gone above and beyond with coursework is an anti-social loser is ridiculous.

But it is probably true! Let’s be realistic here.

Would you turn to his mother in the audience and say, "What a different HS experience. Larlo had. I mean, my DD is taking quite a few AP classes, but also wants to have time with friends and participate in her activities!" Then don't say it on the internet.

Anonymous wrote:Why the sensitivity about kids social v heavy AP/CC credits? I'm the PP who mentioned my DD wants a different HS experience. I didn't call anyone a loser or criticize anyone else's choice. I simply said my kid wants a different experience. One of her best friends is crushing HS - probably 2 yrs ahead of her in math and is also a very talented musician with multiple state and national level awards. He prefers to play and write music in his free time so isn't as social, by choice. When he walks on stage and sits in the first chair, I couldn't be happier for him and couldn't care less about his social activities. When he's playing, I'm sure no one's wondering if he was at Larla's party Saturday night. HS is an individual experience based on each kid's goals and choices, so there's no right or wrong option.

Anonymous wrote:
A word of caution: With some courses, the college might require that the student take that college's version of the class even if the student has an AP credit in that subject.

This happened with a friend's DD who loaded up on lots of APs in HS in hopes of jumping over some of the science classes at college. (And since DCUM always cares about this stuff, this student got the top score on all her AP exams--she was stellar.) The student did indeed get a lot of credits, but not every AP course translated automatically into skipping a class and moving to the next level in that subject.

The college somehow gave a certain amount of credit, not sure how that worked, but the student and parents were very surprised that she was also told she would have to take the college's classes in a couple of science subjects where the student had assumed that she had "done" the AP/college intro level work, and would just be placed in the next higher course in that sequence. The college told them that it wants all its students to have the same grounding in the college's way of teaching that topic, before moving to the next levels in those subjects.

Just noting that no one should assume that if a kid has an AP credit for subject X, and the college recognizes AP credits, the student will get to skip a college's foundational freshman course in subject X. I realize this isn't quite the same thing as the question of using AP credits to reduce time in college. But having to take a course you thought you'd "placed out of" will affect a student's schedule.

Anonymous wrote:
A word of caution: With some courses, the college might require that the student take that college's version of the class even if the student has an AP credit in that subject.

This happened with a friend's DD who loaded up on lots of APs in HS in hopes of jumping over some of the science classes at college. (And since DCUM always cares about this stuff, this student got the top score on all her AP exams--she was stellar.) The student did indeed get a lot of credits, but not every AP course translated automatically into skipping a class and moving to the next level in that subject.

The college somehow gave a certain amount of credit, not sure how that worked, but the student and parents were very surprised that she was also told she would have to take the college's classes in a couple of science subjects where the student had assumed that she had "done" the AP/college intro level work, and would just be placed in the next higher course in that sequence. The college told them that it wants all its students to have the same grounding in the college's way of teaching that topic, before moving to the next levels in those subjects.

Just noting that no one should assume that if a kid has an AP credit for subject X, and the college recognizes AP credits, the student will get to skip a college's foundational freshman course in subject X. I realize this isn't quite the same thing as the question of using AP credits to reduce time in college. But having to take a course you thought you'd "placed out of" will affect a student's schedule.