Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have had 3 kids in big 3 schools. Two, boys, took algebra 1 in 9 th grade. They did well and all three have gone to Ivys and top LAC. All scored high on math SAT. I would not worry about it.

+1. Showing acceleration IS important for students applying to college from public schools and not so much from private because colleges know students from Big 3 type schools are exceptionally well prepared and can write circles around the vast majority of public school kids.

It's the mom and dad's money and connection that colleges love - not your kids accomplishments. Algebra 1 in 9th grade is like bottom 20% kids even in public schools. Your kids are not circling around anyone.

Kids in public are taught to the test by memorization. Colleges know that.

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Ummm. Every public school does not have the same caliber academic program-- just like Podunk Christian Academy and Sidwell are not of the same academic caliber. Colleges know that. My TJ bound 8th grade AAP Center geometry student is getting a very thorough grounding, complete with complex proofs. DH was a math major and had been very surprised at the Algebra and Geometry expectations. It would shock me if any private school was giving a more rigorous grounding in math than DC's's TJ feeder AAP/honors (same think in MS math) Geometry class.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have had 3 kids in big 3 schools. Two, boys, took algebra 1 in 9 th grade. They did well and all three have gone to Ivys and top LAC. All scored high on math SAT. I would not worry about it.

+1. Showing acceleration IS important for students applying to college from public schools and not so much from private because colleges know students from Big 3 type schools are exceptionally well prepared and can write circles around the vast majority of public school kids.

It's the mom and dad's money and connection that colleges love - not your kids accomplishments. Algebra 1 in 9th grade is like bottom 20% kids even in public schools. Your kids are not circling around anyone.

Kids in public are taught to the test by memorization. Colleges know that.

Okay, now you are just proving you know zip about public high schools in this area.

Anonymous wrote:I have never used anything beyond basic algebra and geometry in my real life. Provided my kids are not interested in a STEM field, I have no desire to press them through multivariable calculus. They can, and should, spend their effort on subjects that interest them and will prove useful in the path they are pursuing.

"Provided my kids aren't interested in STEM." But that's a huge "provided". Many, many (most ??) of the high caliber 21st century jobs are in STEM of some sort: the Tech sector, medicine, software engineering, other engineering. Even patent law requires undergrad in a STEM field. Your kid has to make an Algebra placement decision in 7th grade. I certainly wouldn't want to decide for my 12 year old that they can't get into a top engineering, pre-med, CS, etc program. Why would you limit their options to undergrad liberal arts at such a young age? When I was 12, I was certain I was going to be an Olympic gymnast (hint: I never made it onto a Wheaties box). Why decide your kid won't be in a math heavy field-- before they ever take a "real" abstract math class?

My 12 year old may not end up in a STEM field-- but she certainly could (she thinks she is going to play her instrument with the NSO, BTW). She'll take Algebra in 7th grade, and if she hits Calculus in 11th and decides STEM is not for her, she'll take AB, instead of BC, and have a cakewalk through AP Stats her senior year. If she is interested in engineering, she'll be able to take BC her junior year, and multivariable through GMU as a senior-- and show colleges she has the math chops to succeed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm guess all of these my kid did great in college admissions with 9th grade Algebra cheerleaders did not have kids on a STEM path? Because I am very doubtful that an Ivy (or any top 30 college) wants a 9th grade Algebra student, who never got above Pre-Calc in Engineering, math, physics, computer science, etc.

Another thing I don't get. If my kid gets a 5 on the AP BC Calculus exam his junior year and hits the high 700s on the math SAT, then takes college level multivariable/ matrix algebra his senior year (check, check, check) at a strong FCPS high school, what makes his As in math worth less than a B- in math from a top private? Seems like he mastered the material your 9th grade Algebra student did-- plus three additional years worth of material.

How do the SATs compare between the top privates and the top publics (including TJ) in this area?

And to the fcps teacher at the "top" high school whose kids are in a "top" private, are you saying you and your fellow math teachers are substandard?

DC's public magnet SAT median score is around 2240 w/ 40% NMSF rate. We are in Moco. I have hard time imagining private kids running circles around them.

I do believe, however, private kids do much better with top tier college admission than most public schools - even the magnets. Colleges love full paying kids and parents with connections.

Most college prep schools have about 30% financial aid. Many of those kids (and not the legacies) are the ones that are in the top of their class. My friend had 80% financial aid to a private for 10 years and then a free ride to Stanford.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have had 3 kids in big 3 schools. Two, boys, took algebra 1 in 9 th grade. They did well and all three have gone to Ivys and top LAC. All scored high on math SAT. I would not worry about it.

+1. Showing acceleration IS important for students applying to college from public schools and not so much from private because colleges know students from Big 3 type schools are exceptionally well prepared and can write circles around the vast majority of public school kids.

It's the mom and dad's money and connection that colleges love - not your kids accomplishments. Algebra 1 in 9th grade is like bottom 20% kids even in public schools. Your kids are not circling around anyone.

Kids in public are taught to the test by memorization. Colleges know that.

That said, my daughter was in Algebra 2 in 9th at private.

Anonymous wrote:Some big 3 schools do not offer 9th grade Algebra 1.

Not true. Sidwell, GDS, and St. Albans all offer algebra I for ninth graders. My DC didn't take algebra in 8th grade, and was admitted this spring into two of these three (didn't apply to the third), as well as to two other independents. Lots of strengths in other areas can make up for a less stellar math performance.

I don't want to come across as anti-math, because I'm not, but math isn't necessary for success in all fields. Like lots of other successful people in DC, I took a lot of math for many years, and now don't use much beyond grade school math in my daily life (and almost no math at all in my work life). I also don't think studying lots of math made me a better thinker than in-depth study of many other subjects would have. Certainly, a student taking algebra I in ninth grade is unlikely to end up as an engineer, and that's fine, both for engineering and for whatever career the student ends up choosing. Independent schools recognize different strengths among different students, as do colleges and employers. For OP, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Anonymous wrote:I'm guess all of these my kid did great in college admissions with 9th grade Algebra cheerleaders did not have kids on a STEM path? Because I am very doubtful that an Ivy (or any top 30 college) wants a 9th grade Algebra student, who never got above Pre-Calc in Engineering, math, physics, computer science, etc.

Another thing I don't get. If my kid gets a 5 on the AP BC Calculus exam his junior year and hits the high 700s on the math SAT, then takes college level multivariable/ matrix algebra his senior year (check, check, check) at a strong FCPS high school, what makes his As in math worth less than a B- in math from a top private? Seems like he mastered the material your 9th grade Algebra student did-- plus three additional years worth of material.

Ivy League schools are mostly liberal arts type educations - for the most part they don't have engineering colleges for undergrads.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm guess all of these my kid did great in college admissions with 9th grade Algebra cheerleaders did not have kids on a STEM path? Because I am very doubtful that an Ivy (or any top 30 college) wants a 9th grade Algebra student, who never got above Pre-Calc in Engineering, math, physics, computer science, etc.

Another thing I don't get. If my kid gets a 5 on the AP BC Calculus exam his junior year and hits the high 700s on the math SAT, then takes college level multivariable/ matrix algebra his senior year (check, check, check) at a strong FCPS high school, what makes his As in math worth less than a B- in math from a top private? Seems like he mastered the material your 9th grade Algebra student did-- plus three additional years worth of material.

How do the SATs compare between the top privates and the top publics (including TJ) in this area?

And to the fcps teacher at the "top" high school whose kids are in a "top" private, are you saying you and your fellow math teachers are substandard?

DC's public magnet SAT median score is around 2240 w/ 40% NMSF rate. We are in Moco. I have hard time imagining private kids running circles around them.

I do believe, however, private kids do much better with top tier college admission than most public schools - even the magnets. Colleges love full paying kids and parents with connections.

Anonymous wrote:I'm guess all of these my kid did great in college admissions with 9th grade Algebra cheerleaders did not have kids on a STEM path? Because I am very doubtful that an Ivy (or any top 30 college) wants a 9th grade Algebra student, who never got above Pre-Calc in Engineering, math, physics, computer science, etc.

Another thing I don't get. If my kid gets a 5 on the AP BC Calculus exam his junior year and hits the high 700s on the math SAT, then takes college level multivariable/ matrix algebra his senior year (check, check, check) at a strong FCPS high school, what makes his As in math worth less than a B- in math from a top private? Seems like he mastered the material your 9th grade Algebra student did-- plus three additional years worth of material.

How do the SATs compare between the top privates and the top publics (including TJ) in this area?

And to the fcps teacher at the "top" high school whose kids are in a "top" private, are you saying you and your fellow math teachers are substandard?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't private schools provide resources so kids don't fall behind? I mean, isn't that why people pay 30-40k/year?? Even in public schools, Alg 1 is a 7th grade math for many kids.

I live in Baltimore. My dd will be taking algebra in 7th, normal track for her all girl's school is taking algebra in 8 th. No one takes it in 9th.

Meant to clarify this is a private school. Would expect the same rigor from a big 3 in Dc.

Anonymous wrote:Don't private schools provide resources so kids don't fall behind? I mean, isn't that why people pay 30-40k/year?? Even in public schools, Alg 1 is a 7th grade math for many kids.

I live in Baltimore. My dd will be taking algebra in 7th, normal track for her all girl's school is taking algebra in 8 th. No one takes it in 9th.

I have never used anything beyond basic algebra and geometry in my real life. Provided my kids are not interested in a STEM field, I have no desire to press them through multivariable calculus. They can, and should, spend their effort on subjects that interest them and will prove useful in the path they are pursuing.

I'm guess all of these my kid did great in college admissions with 9th grade Algebra cheerleaders did not have kids on a STEM path? Because I am very doubtful that an Ivy (or any top 30 college) wants a 9th grade Algebra student, who never got above Pre-Calc in Engineering, math, physics, computer science, etc.

Another thing I don't get. If my kid gets a 5 on the AP BC Calculus exam his junior year and hits the high 700s on the math SAT, then takes college level multivariable/ matrix algebra his senior year (check, check, check) at a strong FCPS high school, what makes his As in math worth less than a B- in math from a top private? Seems like he mastered the material your 9th grade Algebra student did-- plus three additional years worth of material.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have had 3 kids in big 3 schools. Two, boys, took algebra 1 in 9 th grade. They did well and all three have gone to Ivys and top LAC. All scored high on math SAT. I would not worry about it.

+1. Showing acceleration IS important for students applying to college from public schools and not so much from private because colleges know students from Big 3 type schools are exceptionally well prepared and can write circles around the vast majority of public school kids.

Yes, I'm sure there's no concern or drawback at all about taking the lower classes at a big 3

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have had 3 kids in big 3 schools. Two, boys, took algebra 1 in 9 th grade. They did well and all three have gone to Ivys and top LAC. All scored high on math SAT. I would not worry about it.

+1. Showing acceleration IS important for students applying to college from public schools and not so much from private because colleges know students from Big 3 type schools are exceptionally well prepared and can write circles around the vast majority of public school kids.

It's the mom and dad's money and connection that colleges love - not your kids accomplishments. Algebra 1 in 9th grade is like bottom 20% kids even in public schools. Your kids are not circling around anyone.