There are many CCs, colleges and state virtual high schools that offer Calc 3. I would talk to his counselor. Start with the local CC and/or in-state colleges. Consider if learning math in an asynchronous setting is right for him.
HS credit doesn’t matter (of course meet all HS grad requirements.) He can definitely take math summer before senior year, if that’s something he wants to do. You have to know your kid, obviously summer is a time for kids to decompress, play sports, go to camp, work a paid job, etc.
As for taking a second math junior year, I’m not sure that makes sense as it seems he would have to give up another core course, which probably isn’t the right choice.
I will also reiterate to find out what the HS’s math independent study class would be senior year before signing up for something outside the HS.
As far as high school statistics (that is like AP statistics) goes, that is unlikely to be of advanced placement or subject credit value to a prospective civil engineering major, who will take calculus based engineering statistics in college.
However, if considering certain other majors like statistics, data science, industrial engineering, or economics, taking statistics in high school may allow checking interest before committing to a statistics heavy major (although advanced placement and subject credit are still unlikely).
Math beyond calculus BC is best taken through a college, if the intent is to get advanced placement and subject credit.
Relevant math courses for a civil engineering major are linear algebra, differential equations, and multivariable calculus (calculus 3). Multivariable calculus is typically helpful in the physics course with electricity and magnetism.
At this point, he’s got more courses he wants to take, than he is allowed. So, my guess is that if he takes an online class during the school year, it will be a 7th class, and he’ll do the work outside of school. Taking Calc 3 in the summer seems like a better option though. Would this summer work?
He would have
9th Precalc
10th Calculus (covers I and II)
Rising Junior Summer: Calc III
11th Linear Algebra
12th No Math, but will still do some math in Calc based physics and post AP Chem.
From my perspective the only reason to take Statistics in school would be to check a box. He already knows the content, so he probably wouldn’t learn anything. Even if he switches majors, he’ll likely have an AP Stats exam score.
But “independent study” feels the same way. It’s something to do to check a box. Obviously, I’ll ask the school and maybe they will convince me it’s something wonderful.
I don’t really see a need for more math. Every college has kids who come in without Calc III, so he won’t be behind. But I’d rather not have him waste a class period, when there are classes he wants to take. So, either taking Calc III from a college, or not taking math at all, and using that period for more science or tech makes sense to me.
Is there a reason why he’s taking qcql3 over the Summer and not during the year?
If he wants to take Theater Tech then that’s what he should have for his 6th period 11-12th grade.
“Take AP Stats in 10th, get 5, take Calc based physics and independent study math in 12th.”
→ this sounds like the best choice for 12th grade.
He could take Mandarin 3-4 and see if there’s an external exam that could certify his level (Confucius institute?)
Since he’s interested in CivE, he would likely be interested in Environmental Science, which nowadays is very closely linked to CivE (Environmental Engineering is often linked to CivE).
He’s already taken/is taking World History and US history so all he needs is one more Social Science class.
=>
Year 11
English 11
US History
Biology
Theater Tech
Calc 3 or Linear Algebra
Environmental Science or Mandarin 3-4
Year 12
English 12
Independent Study/Math or College class
Calc based Physics
Theater Tech
Environmental Science or Mandarin 3-4 or Social science
CS or Advanced Chemistry
So, I don’t know that he will, we’re still weighing options. He is crazy busy during the school year. He has a heavy course load, and extracurriculars he loves. I don’t think he could take a course outside of school without giving up something.
I’m thinking this summer (before junior year), because I don’t want to lock him into something for the following summer. He might want to do something that conflicts. Whereas this summer he already has a job lined up that’s flexible enough that he could take a college course.
My question is wether a college class taken this summer would count.
He’d probably take the AP. Is there a reason to do Confucius Institute instead?
Just to be clear, Linear Algebra is a graduation requirement. He can’t substitute Calc III. He has to take 3 courses from this sequence:
Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, PreCalc, Calc I, Calc II, Calc I/II, Linear Algebra. He’s already taken the two bolded class, so Linear Algebra is the only one that makes sense.
The school doesn’t offer any AP classes. I think it’s likely he’ll choose to take the English exams anyway, the same way he’s taking the Spanish Lang and Lit exams.
The 6th academic course must be art or technology (e.g. CS, robotics), rather than others like English, math, science, social studies, foreign language. So if the student has at least one art course (e.g. theater tech), he can have 6 total academic courses (the art course and 5 others).
Yes, this is right. They can take 5 academic courses and one “elective” which is either visual arts, performing arts, or technology. They need to have 2 years of arts to graduate, but he’s filled that requirement. They also have a PE requirement every year but it’s not a graded course.
@Sportsball
Based on what has been said so far, would the following actual courses in 9th and 10th be correct, with planned or desired courses in 11th and 12th (italicized being less certain possibilities, noting that 6 is the maximum number of courses)?
I am surprised so many people feel so strongly about taking 4 years. I haven’t been able to find a single school that offers engineering, and asks for 4 credits. They all say 3. Are people really sure that something like Econ or Geography will be seen as better than a fifth science for engineering.
That’s right for 11th, although after talking to him today he’s more on the fence with Spanish and Mandarin than I thought. He’s got other AP’s he’s taken or planned to take. For some unknown reason, he likes standardized testing.
He can’t take theater tech and CS in 12th, and whether he’s interested in CS will depend on where they make him start. He has decent coding skills that he picked up outside of school.
Advanced science beyond AP level in high school may not gain much in terms of advanced placement or subject credit for a civil engineering major in college, especially since post-AP high school courses ordinarily will not get advanced placement or subject credit anyway.
A civil engineering student typically needs general chemistry (AP chemistry score may be accepted) and calculus-based physics (AP physics C scores may be accepted, more likely for mechanics than E&M). Organic chemistry (the next course beyond general chemistry) may be useful for the subarea of environmental engineering (of course, chemical and bio* engineering majors take it).
Various social studies subjects are generally good to know, since human behavior and preference affects what engineers are asked to design (e.g. a civil engineer may want to understand the economics and political science of what kinds of designs for buildings, bridges, transportation systems, etc. are considered desirable and affordable by those asking for them).
Does the high school have a US government or civics graduation requirement?
We are not the schools but colleges want well roundedness. And while your kid seems off the charts amazing, you don’t want him starting so far ahead because he might start too far ahead. College is hard, especially STEM, for most. But I wouldn’t necessarily take the written word from websites as the Bible.
Columbia says
Four years of English literature and composition
Four years of mathematics—unless you have already completed what is available at your school
Three to four years of history and/or social studies
Three to four years of laboratory science
Three to four years of one world language (ancient or modern) taken during high school
Cal Tech says “Wherever you’re in school, we want to see that you are taking thought-provoking humanities and social sciences classes. They help you gain new perspectives and prepare you for the level of academic discourse that you’ll find in our classrooms.”
Now contrary to all that, top school Rice states “At a minimum, the natural science and engineering divisions require trigonometry or precalculus and both chemistry and physics. Students may substitute a second year of chemistry or biology for physics.”
Do you really think kids with pre calc, and two years of language and social studies are getting in ?
You may never get a satisfying answer but I don’t think it’s good to be so focused one way in life. You want the student to experience more.
One suggestion might be to pick a school or two or three of interest and meet with an admission counselor and ask. Or take a tour somewhere and set a meeting. You might even talk to an engineering prof bcuz I don’t think your question is admission related.
You have such excess that overloading for sake of that will have diminished returns.
Rather than run from Econ, psych or government, embracing will show well roundedness.
This link shows what UIUC( a top CivE school) is asking of all their applicants, regardless of major. It says two years required, four years recommended. Those applying for engineering and other competitive majors are better off treating “recommended” as required.
ETA: I also just looked at UT-Austin. Three years required, four years recommended. Again, this is for all applicants.
I guess I see him as pretty well rounded. He has friends from robotics and math who only do STEM. All their EC’s, their service, their summer plans are all STEM. They take the minimum number of classes in language, the arts, and social science. I’m guessing their college counselor has signed off on that, and they’ll get into schools that they like.
So, it’s confusing to me that my kid who wants to max out on arts credit, most of them in theater which is also a humanities, and on world language, which is a humanities, and whose EC’s are very varied, would be considered “not well rounded” if he takes a second year of chemistry (which he enjoys, and which has a teacher he likes) instead of econ or government.
He knows that the chem won’t lead to him placing out of college classes, but neither would most of the social science options he could take.