<p>I agree, I wouldn’t push a kid into an AP class if they didn’t want to be there (not saying anyone here is doing that) and also if there is the potential to be over their head and get a poor grade. I am still thinking APs in English and History are not the best choice for D2, but I also have to be careful not to sell her short. At this point we are trying to accelerate her in math/sci, which is where her interests lie… It is mostly because of her I want D1 to ask the question.</p>
<p>ag54 - lol.</p>
<p>D is in AP English this year and is doing fine grade-wise, but she is just not interested in literary analysis. She would prefer a writing class. I am not going to push her into anything (as if I could), and she is not applying to the HYPs of the world. I think her schedule is rigorous enough for her. I just wanted to find out so that if she needed just one more AP for that check mark, we could figure something else out. There are other APs she could pick up. For example, instead of taking Chorus (required class) which is a non honors class, she could take AP music theory (fulfills same requirement, but is supposed to be a KILLER class).</p>
<p>Mathson was happy not to take AP English. Even the Ivy adcoms say they really don’t need to see you take every AP in the school. If you hate English, or the AP English class is notorious for being a huge amount of work (both true in our school) just don’t take it. Somewhere on the MIT admissions blogs they said the average number of APs taken by MIT admits was five.</p>
<p>Anyone have info on University of Hartford? I tried looking it up on some independent websites and am not finding much, which has me concerned. It’s got a major S is interested in. Thanks for any information.</p>
<p>Hi everyone. Even tho I don’t post much, I lurk everyday and find this discussion about “most rigorous” facinating. I didn’t think the label would apply to Son because he has “only” has 3 APs under his belt at this point. </p>
<p>But, since I like what I see in that MIT reference, I’m gonna inquire with the GC. 12th grade scheduling occurs next week, so the timing is relevant.</p>
<p>pugmadkate - while I don’t know much about the University of Hartford, D got an email from them yesterday that offered the opportunity to win a $100 gift card just for requesting information! That was a first, I think.</p>
<p>Queen’s Mom - I really wouldn’t stress too much about the AP Lit class for next year. I know that some of D’s friends took honors English instead of AP English in 12th grade, and they all got into good schools. At her school, the 12th grade options are Regents, Honors, College English, or AP Lit. Other English classes are considered electives.</p>
<p>I’m not sure whether you can go by the average number of APs a student at a college takes. Kids are coming to colleges from many different schools all over the country. Some high schools don’t even offer APs, so kids coming from those schools probably won’t have any. Other schools don’t offer AP courses but say their classes will prepare kids to take the exams if they choose. Other schools offer a tiny selection. And some offer most, if not all. From what I understand, colleges take into consideration the classes offered by a high school and to what degree the student has taken advantage of those opportunities.</p>
<p>Yes, I’m curious about “most rigorous” now, as well.</p>
<p>Doug Betsy, in our school the typical kid who takes APs would take a language, calc, and history. There are only about 10 (out of 60) who take AP Eng Lit, but I don’t know if it is more rigorous than the alternative elective choices we have, some of them are pretty challenging! Some kids take 2 AP language courses, depends on the prevailing pattern of the language, most kids take AP French after French IV, but most go into AP Spanish or Latin after level III. So 3 APs from our high school would not be unusual, and would (if I had to guess) probably get the second highest rating. We have no science APs. Last year according to our school profile, there were 10 AP tests taken, two of those were self studied, one psych (my D) and one Bio.</p>
<p>Good luck on the course selections those who are doing that now, when do they find out if there is a problem? We do ours in early April and you would get a call over the summer if there is a problem. The course lists come out end of July so we can buy books.</p>
<p>ya know, we are still way behind on “views” but we are almost caught up to the class of 09 in “replies” wow!</p>
<p>Other than thoughts I expressed earlier about my S contemplating not taking AP English Lit next year (still an open issue as course sign ups are not until March), the bigger worry in these parts is what may happen to the AP course offerings. The rumbles out of Sacramento regarding budget cuts to K-12 aren’t pretty. </p>
<p>We had to cross fingers and toes (and try to enlist students!) that AP Physics C would be offered this year. It is, with 11 students, one over the minimum. (It was out special concern because S thinks he may want to major in it.)</p>
<p>FindAPlace, so sorry California is in such a bind. We have thought about moving back there over the years, and now that our kids are almost launched, we wouldn’t have to worry so much about the school situation. But I loved living in California (except for one place haha), and we may end up back there some day.
It’s nerve-wracking how APs can come and go when there are not enough kids who sign up for them. And if you need a certain number to start the class, it’s hard to get kids interested when it hasn’t been offered in a while and no one knows it might be a possibility.
When D was in HS, she took AP Calc BC her jr. year and that was the last possible course. The school did not offer AP Stats her sr. year.
Stats is back now and it looks like S may be able to take it next year as a senior. But he is also very intersted in Psych, which hasn’t been offered in several years. GC doesn’t think they can drum up enough interest for next year, since it has been off the radar for a while. I’m not sure if there is even anyone at the school qualified to teach it…</p>
<p>jackief, I’ve been watching that, too! :D</p>
<p>YDS, we wouldn’t want to artificially inflate our numbers? Nah…</p>
<p>Something school related- girls signed an interest sheet for their language choices for next year. Good news is it looks like they are looking to add honors level III classes if numbers permit. Shouldn’t be a problem for D2 where there are currently 3 sections of Latin II, but D1 there are only ~8-10 kids (incl ~1-2 seniors) in Chinese II (this is the second year Chinese has been offered) and it really needs to be split but we’ll see if they do it or not. The other girl in the class who is bored has a much more vocal mother pushing for a faster pace, I am adding my agreement less violently from the sidelines.</p>
<p>FindAPlace - I’m sorry that the money situation is California is causing problems for the schools. I hope they manage to keep things going at least at the level they are now. It’s so hard on the kids when programs/options are cut.</p>
<p>Jackief - it’s really great that your D’s school offers Chinese.</p>
<p>My D’s school also offers Chinese, but with the budget issues, they are thinking of cutting it. Jackief, about French IV leading into AP French. In D’s school, there is French V and then AP. I wonder, however, if it makes sense for her to jump right into AP after she finished French IV this year. We were not considering it, but the truth is, she is WAY ahead of her class “orally” while being pretty much even in “written”, but that is due solely to the fact that she cannot spell in any language.</p>
<p>She is also considering taking either Russian or Chinese at the Community College this summer.</p>
<p>As an aside, my younger D (she’s 10) wants to take a Japanese class, and she is too young for CC classes. Does anyone have any ideas where to find a good language class for a little one?</p>
<p>French is being phased out, lower enrollements and teachers retiring. They started up Chinese last year as a replacement. They committed to offering French until all the current students are through AP. Spanish and Latin very popular, as I said 3 sections of Latin II currently and at the AP level there are two Vergil sections and one Lit section. Don’t know the details for Spanish but it has the most teachers. Size of school can only support three languages. </p>
<p>6th graders must take Latin, then can switch to one of the other languages in 7th. All middle school languages count as 1 year HS equivalent entering high school at level II. Through level III is required to graduate.</p>
<p>What the hell^^^^</p>
<p>Queen’s Mom - I have an 11 year old who is very much interested in languages.
I was keeping quiet, but since you brought up your little one…</p>
<p>My DD11 currently attends a school with lot’s of Spanish activities. I would not call it a full immersion, but she has an hour of Spanish daily and her SS/History class gets a lot of exposure to the language as well. For example - she is working now on a WWII presentation that will be done completely in Spanish. DD loves the language, is the best in her class out of non native speakers, so we have invested in private conversations with a native of Madrid , who just happens to be her Spanish teacher at the school 
It works fantastic both ways, because during private lesson the teacher knows what my daughter ability is, what she is working on at school etc. and during Spanish at school she is spoken to only in Spanish and replies only in Spanish as the teacher knows her very well and knows what her real ability is. I don’t know if I am making myslef clear???
Anyway, she has been doing this (private, weekly conversations) since November and she is really enjoying it and feels that she has made huge progress (we have discussed the whole issue with principal and it is working great for both the teacher and my daughter). DD also attends weekly Chinese lesson - also at the school, but that’s another story.
She has already made plans that once she gets to HS, she will be fluent in Spanish and would like to start French. And Russian as well, maybe on the side… what’s with Russian???
My daughter already speaks another language besides English, making her language studies somewhat easier.
Now, I don’t know what I am doing on this thread, since my oldest is not even the class of 2010? I guess I am adding actively to your post count :)</p>