<p>I just did a quick check of a bunch of schools on D’s list, and they all require 3 years of math! Of course, then I wondered if they’re all assuming most kids these days do Algebra 1 in 8th grade, so that third year of math would be pre-calc or stat. Guess I need to make some phone calls tomorrow :)</p>
<p>Here’s what I’m thinking: as much as she struggles with math, would she be comfortable at a school that expects all of its students to be able to do calculus? She definitely needs to be in a place that values the areas in which she is most capable.</p>
<p>I’m kind of thinking out loud here . . . thanks for listening.</p>
<p>Look to see if math is required as a college core subject. I found some schools that didn’t have any math required during the college years while others had easier sounding math classes as options. So even if the school requires or strongly suggests those four years for applicants, it doesn’t mean the student will have to do very difficult math once they get there. But every school is different.
I have found in some states where the four years is required of their public school students, there are not amazing upticks in SAT scores on freshmen profiles to go along with that requirement. The student’s bodies may have been in calc class, but it doesn’t look like they were always engaged!</p>
<p>Lulu63 - hmm, either the requirements changed, my friend misunderstood the requirements, or they are different between music ed and MT majors. Because I definitely recall her saying that. </p>
<p>And FrancescaBennett, I avoided applying to the school that wanted me to have taken calculus simply because I wasn’t comfortable with it. 3rd year of math typically being pre-calc or stat is about accurate. If you visit a school you really, REALLY love that wants you to take (or to have already taken) higher levels of math, then I’m sure you can find a way to work around it or work up to it. But if you don’t really like the school I’d just skip it since their values don’t match mine.</p>
<p>Just adding that my S who did not take math as a Senior DID get into schools such as NYU and Boston College that supposedly “required” 4 years of it. So even the schools posting such requirements might just as easily ignore them. However, I will point out that my S did follow a rigorous course of study with 9 AP classes. </p>
<p>Ironically, the college he attends, Fordham DOES have a math/computer science requirement for the core curriculum. There is a math course that is supposed to be the easiest but guess who refused to take it? I guess we’ll see how he does in computer science.</p>
<p>My daughter has just been accepted into NYU-Steinhardt. She took 3 years of math, up through AP Calculus and did not take a class her senior year. However, she has taken 6 AP classes all together, in math, science, history and English and scored well on her SAT’s.</p>
<p>I do hate to hijack this thread, but since it was already on the topic of high school credits I thought it might be okay just to add my little query.
I have my courses locked in for my junior year (I’m a sophomore). However, I’ve begun to look closely at the curriculum at certain programs that I’m putting on my ‘list’. Most of them require a US History credit for admission. This is a problem for me, however, being from Canada. The province of Ontario and the Ministry of Education DO offer a US History course, but there are no options for me to take it close to home - my school doesn’t offer it, and neither does my board in summer school. I was wondering if my bases would generally be covered, anyway? The way the Ontario Secondary Schools Diploma works is that two of the required credits for graduation are a Grade 9 Canadian Geography and a Grade 10 Canadian History. I have successfully completed both of those credits. However, next year I plan to take AP-Track World History, and then AP World History (with intentions of writing the AP exam) in my senior year. With that much world studies, would you think that I would be okay? It’s unlikely, too, that I will be able to find a US History course at a local community college. Some schools seem to stand pretty firm on the US History thing, but I’m caught between a rock and a hard place.</p>
<p>CanadianMTgirl, all of the American schools that I applied to said that they would accept Canadian History (or Socials), and that as long as I met my province’s requirements I would be fine.</p>
<p>Penn State is one of the few school that asks you to list any high school math classes taken before entering high school, even if not listed on your HS transcript. For them, Algebra in 8th grade is still considered a year of HS math - too bad all schools don’t do that…</p>
<p>This a moot point if you live in our state (same as broadway95) which now requires 4 years of HS math and a math/math related class must be taken in the senior year.</p>
<p>It is sometimes possible to test out of core math classes. My sister scored a 730 in math on the SAT and was able to leapfrog freshman math at Chapman with no problems-- granted, she’s a Business Admin major so she went straight into an advanced class, but the fact remains that good scores on the ACT, SAT, or even IB could negate core math requirements. </p>
<p>Then again, perhaps this is an isolated case; I’ve not heard of any other instances of it happening and the counselors at my school still advise four years of math, even though the UC/CSU requirements are only three years.</p>
<p>Like it already has been stated, a stressful community theatre production doesn’t make up for training. Although community theatre (at least in my area, I know there are several in much more better areas that are phenomenal) is usually only mediocre productions, it’s great for when you first become interested or are experimenting. That’s where I first became interested in performing.</p>
<p>Re: Math</p>
<p>I’m actually very glad to see this thread deviated from the topic onto math! Math is simply not my thing- I barely get through it, and pretty much loathe it. But I didn’t know that some colleges only required three years of math in highshcool- this would make everything so much easier for me (being behind in the dreaded subject already). Just need to re-check the state requirements for graduating. </p>
<p>And all of that was pretty much me speaking my thoughts aloud. :)</p>
Although community theatre (at least in my area, I know there are several in much more better areas that are phenomenal) is usually only mediocre productions, it’s great for when you first become interested or are experimenting. That’s where I first became interested in performing.</p>
Just need to re-check the state requirements for graduating. 