Anonymous
10/01/2025 12:45
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t believe taking post Calculus BC math matters for admissions, and I say it as the parent of a kid who will need to find something past differential equations in high school.
The only tangible benefit of acceleration is ability to take calculus based physics early, and having a solid math framework in place. Many others do well without.
Whether or not it makes a difference, admissions at preferred colleges is a competitive selection process. All else being equal, completing math courses beyond Calc BC can only enhance an application, not diminish it.
Think about what goes into “all else:” GPA, SAT, APs, extracurriculars, coursework, jobs, volunteering, essays, athletics, first generation etc.
You simply can’t have “all else being equal”, and all these factors are more important than the most advanced math class the student took. It’s not going to diminish an application, it may help a bit on the coursework rigor, but not if the grades have Bs among them.
That’s why you have kids with Multivariable being rejected from UMD and other state schools.
No one is arguing that you should take math beyond BC calculus if you can't handle it. Presumably, a student who does well in BC calculus will go on to do well in more advanced math courses. But to say it's all worthless for college admissions is just wrong. I'll go with the college counselors have said rather than someone on this board trying to convince me or other parents of something that inherently doesn't make sense.
+1000
If a kid takes Linear & Multi, they are guaranteed to be admitted to at least one of HYPSM. This is a secret that others dont want you to know.
Report back which HYPSM your child is going to choose to study at.
Of course, each course past Calculus BC at the community college will guarantee admission to one of the HYPSM.
If you’re smart, take all of them: Multivariable, linear algebra, differential equations, discrete math and some analysis and you’re guaranteed admission to all of them. My college counselor told me that much. It has got to matter, cause my kid is doing it.
Anonymous
10/01/2025 12:27
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t believe taking post Calculus BC math matters for admissions, and I say it as the parent of a kid who will need to find something past differential equations in high school.
The only tangible benefit of acceleration is ability to take calculus based physics early, and having a solid math framework in place. Many others do well without.
Whether or not it makes a difference, admissions at preferred colleges is a competitive selection process. All else being equal, completing math courses beyond Calc BC can only enhance an application, not diminish it.
Think about what goes into “all else:” GPA, SAT, APs, extracurriculars, coursework, jobs, volunteering, essays, athletics, first generation etc.
You simply can’t have “all else being equal”, and all these factors are more important than the most advanced math class the student took. It’s not going to diminish an application, it may help a bit on the coursework rigor, but not if the grades have Bs among them.
That’s why you have kids with Multivariable being rejected from UMD and other state schools.
No one is arguing that you should take math beyond BC calculus if you can't handle it. Presumably, a student who does well in BC calculus will go on to do well in more advanced math courses. But to say it's all worthless for college admissions is just wrong. I'll go with the college counselors have said rather than someone on this board trying to convince me or other parents of something that inherently doesn't make sense.
Nobody is saying they are worthless. If you took Algebra in 6th or 7th Colleges recommend you keep taking math during high school and often that means taking MV, DE, LA.
Upthread were links from MIT and Caltech, arguably the best stem schools in the country. They don’t mention anything about past BC classes.
Weirdly enough they say “we recommend that you pursue at least some challenging courses in areas like English, history, economics, music, and/or foreign languages”.
Shocking how they seem to value English over Multivariable!
But sure, discard what these colleges say, and go with your gut feeling and what your college counselor said. So far you haven’t shown a shred of evidence to support your assertion.
Anonymous
10/01/2025 12:23
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t believe taking post Calculus BC math matters for admissions, and I say it as the parent of a kid who will need to find something past differential equations in high school.
The only tangible benefit of acceleration is ability to take calculus based physics early, and having a solid math framework in place. Many others do well without.
Whether or not it makes a difference, admissions at preferred colleges is a competitive selection process. All else being equal, completing math courses beyond Calc BC can only enhance an application, not diminish it.
Think about what goes into “all else:” GPA, SAT, APs, extracurriculars, coursework, jobs, volunteering, essays, athletics, first generation etc.
You simply can’t have “all else being equal”, and all these factors are more important than the most advanced math class the student took. It’s not going to diminish an application, it may help a bit on the coursework rigor, but not if the grades have Bs among them.
That’s why you have kids with Multivariable being rejected from UMD and other state schools.
No one is arguing that you should take math beyond BC calculus if you can't handle it. Presumably, a student who does well in BC calculus will go on to do well in more advanced math courses. But to say it's all worthless for college admissions is just wrong. I'll go with the college counselors have said rather than someone on this board trying to convince me or other parents of something that inherently doesn't make sense.
+1000
If a kid takes Linear & Multi, they are guaranteed to be admitted to at least one of HYPSM. This is a secret that others dont want you to know.
Report back which HYPSM your child is going to choose to study at.
Anonymous
10/01/2025 11:34
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t believe taking post Calculus BC math matters for admissions, and I say it as the parent of a kid who will need to find something past differential equations in high school.
The only tangible benefit of acceleration is ability to take calculus based physics early, and having a solid math framework in place. Many others do well without.
Whether or not it makes a difference, admissions at preferred colleges is a competitive selection process. All else being equal, completing math courses beyond Calc BC can only enhance an application, not diminish it.
Think about what goes into “all else:” GPA, SAT, APs, extracurriculars, coursework, jobs, volunteering, essays, athletics, first generation etc.
You simply can’t have “all else being equal”, and all these factors are more important than the most advanced math class the student took. It’s not going to diminish an application, it may help a bit on the coursework rigor, but not if the grades have Bs among them.
That’s why you have kids with Multivariable being rejected from UMD and other state schools.
No one is arguing that you should take math beyond BC calculus if you can't handle it. Presumably, a student who does well in BC calculus will go on to do well in more advanced math courses. But to say it's all worthless for college admissions is just wrong. I'll go with the college counselors have said rather than someone on this board trying to convince me or other parents of something that inherently doesn't make sense.
Anonymous
10/01/2025 11:32
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
^also, none of this is relevant for 6th grade algebra. Kids who take algebra in 7th would take BC calculus in 11th. Algebra in 7th has been a standard “top track” for many years. If your school doesn’t offer it, you won’t be penalized. If your school doesn’t offer offer it to a significant percent of the student body, and you’re not on that top track, it’s a pretty good indication that the kid isn’t that great at math.
Anonymous
10/01/2025 11:29
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
^Literally nobody has claimed that a B in multivariable would be better than an A in Calc BC. Many of us have been arguing that the kid with As in all math classes including multivariable etc would have an advantage over the kid from the same school with As in all math classes ending with Calc. The first kid at the very least is showing that they’re willing to challenge themselves and pursued the most rigorous coursework available at their school. They also have an AP score to corroborate that they’re competent at math and not just receiving inflated grades. The second kid has the “most rigorous” check mark, but the AO would know that they took a less rigorous math pathway.
Anonymous
10/01/2025 11:01
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t believe taking post Calculus BC math matters for admissions, and I say it as the parent of a kid who will need to find something past differential equations in high school.
The only tangible benefit of acceleration is ability to take calculus based physics early, and having a solid math framework in place. Many others do well without.
Whether or not it makes a difference, admissions at preferred colleges is a competitive selection process. All else being equal, completing math courses beyond Calc BC can only enhance an application, not diminish it.
Think about what goes into “all else:” GPA, SAT, APs, extracurriculars, coursework, jobs, volunteering, essays, athletics, first generation etc.
You simply can’t have “all else being equal”, and all these factors are more important than the most advanced math class the student took. It’s not going to diminish an application, it may help a bit on the coursework rigor, but not if the grades have Bs among them.
That’s why you have kids with Multivariable being rejected from UMD and other state schools.
Anonymous
10/01/2025 10:30
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
Anonymous wrote:While BC Calculus is often viewed as the “gold standard” for rigor in college admissions, that perception stems in part from the fact that most U.S. high schools offer it as the highest available math course. Many selective colleges explicitly state that if a school does not offer calculus, students should find an alternative pathway (dual enrollment, online, summer programs). The advantage of going beyond BC Calculus is largely comparative: when two applicants are otherwise similar, admissions officers may view additional advanced coursework (with grades supporting that the student could handle this level of advancement)—such as multivariable calculus, linear algebra, or statistics—as a distinguishing factor. It does not guarantee admission, but to suggest that these courses carry no weight would ignore both the emphasis admissions offices place on curricular rigor (and GPA) and the documented role of advanced math as a positive signal in selective admissions.
Everyone agrees that students should take Calculus. There’s no suggestion anywhere they should do coursework past calculus because it’s beneficial for admissions. Students are not selected based on the advanced math they took.
You’re so invested in this being true that you don’t see the argument others are making. Put forward evidence that is not based on how you feel about it.
Advanced math marginally factors positively in the coursework rigor, but not if the grades are not As and if done at the expense of other areas like humanities and sciences. It’s better to do AP level classes in different subjects than go all in on math.
Anonymous
10/01/2025 08:27
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
While BC Calculus is often viewed as the “gold standard” for rigor in college admissions, that perception stems in part from the fact that most U.S. high schools offer it as the highest available math course. Many selective colleges explicitly state that if a school does not offer calculus, students should find an alternative pathway (dual enrollment, online, summer programs). The advantage of going beyond BC Calculus is largely comparative: when two applicants are otherwise similar, admissions officers may view additional advanced coursework (with grades supporting that the student could handle this level of advancement)—such as multivariable calculus, linear algebra, or statistics—as a distinguishing factor. It does not guarantee admission, but to suggest that these courses carry no weight would ignore both the emphasis admissions offices place on curricular rigor (and GPA) and the documented role of advanced math as a positive signal in selective admissions.
Anonymous
10/01/2025 00:42
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
Anonymous wrote:Even for engineering?Anonymous wrote:I have watched this question at my kids (very small, private) high school for the past six years, and in not a single year does the math class hierarchy correlate to the rank of college attended. It very much appears to be a complete non-factor.
Kids who take algebra in 6th rarely major in engineering. They do math or science. The ones who do are usually thr ones who struggle in the hyper-leveled math track so are on par with the students who on the level below but doing well comfortably.
Anonymous
10/01/2025 00:07
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
Even for engineering?Anonymous wrote:I have watched this question at my kids (very small, private) high school for the past six years, and in not a single year does the math class hierarchy correlate to the rank of college attended. It very much appears to be a complete non-factor.
Anonymous
09/30/2025 23:40
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I don’t believe taking post Calculus BC math matters for admissions, and I say it as the parent of a kid who will need to find something past differential equations in high school.
The only tangible benefit of acceleration is ability to take calculus based physics early, and having a solid math framework in place. Many others do well without.
Whether or not it makes a difference, admissions at preferred colleges is a competitive selection process. All else being equal, completing math courses beyond Calc BC can only enhance an application, not diminish it.
Rushing too fast can lead to bad grades and failing to learn the course of study. No one cares about your "application". It's not 1980 anymore.
Anonymous
09/30/2025 23:05
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
Anonymous wrote:I don’t believe taking post Calculus BC math matters for admissions, and I say it as the parent of a kid who will need to find something past differential equations in high school.
The only tangible benefit of acceleration is ability to take calculus based physics early, and having a solid math framework in place. Many others do well without.
Whether or not it makes a difference, admissions at preferred colleges is a competitive selection process. All else being equal, completing math courses beyond Calc BC can only enhance an application, not diminish it.
Anonymous
09/30/2025 16:43
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
I don’t believe taking post Calculus BC math matters for admissions, and I say it as the parent of a kid who will need to find something past differential equations in high school.
The only tangible benefit of acceleration is ability to take calculus based physics early, and having a solid math framework in place. Many others do well without.
The only tangible benefit of acceleration is ability to take calculus based physics early, and having a solid math framework in place. Many others do well without.
Anonymous
09/30/2025 16:15
Subject: Benefits of taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade
I have watched this question at my kids (very small, private) high school for the past six years, and in not a single year does the math class hierarchy correlate to the rank of college attended. It very much appears to be a complete non-factor.