@Mwfan1921 would this student benefit from taking a Kahn Academy algebra 2 course this summer, before doing precalc?
This district allowed this two year acceleration in math.That being the case, perhaps they will allow this student to take trig next year instead of precalc.
I don’t know if Khan offers classes, regardless, OP’s D has to do what they have to do to make sure they understand all algebra 2 content heading into pre-calc.
I don’t know many HSs that won’t allow a student who took algebra 1 in 8th grade not to take geometry in summer school before 9th grade. Anyway, this is a question for the HS math dept…my answer would depend on the course content of the trig class, which sounds like it is geared to students not interested in stem.
This seems odd - AP Stats is usually taken in the 12th grade. Some in 11th - but not 10th.
And where was trig - which is often mixed with another class vs on its own.
Something is off here.
Did the school recommend the track or your daughter simply signed up without any guidance from the 8th grade teacher? At our school, you were directed which class to take.
The mistake here was thinking that you needed to advance/excel to get into selective schools - that likely has backfired unfortunately. But it’s often unnecessary.
It’s nice to have the chat here - but the math correction/progression needs to be determined by the school faculty and not strangers.
One of my biggest takeaways from this year’s application season is the number of students who took AP Stats in 8th grade. I’m not saying I recommend that. Just a mini-trend I noticed this year.
Anyway, I hope OPs D talks with the math dept at her HS as well as her college counselor. I am sure the student wants to challenge herself, but hopefully the parents recognize the need to slow her roll, and not be focused on certain colleges right now. Or even to be talking about specific colleges at this point. CC is a great place for parents to talk about that.
That’s not going to help among those who are skeptical about AP Stats really being a college-level course.
I agree. Although we do count any AP/DE class take in junior high in our quantitative assessment of rigor. But I don’t make the rules 
Agree. And I think high schools should warn students that AP Stats MIGHT get them course credit if they are majoring in fine arts, general “business” or humanities, MIGHT get them advanced to the next level (i.e. skip the first semester class) if they are majoring in a social science, and DEFINITELY WILL NOT count if they are majoring in STEM. This usually comes as a huge surprise to kids that college won’t give them credit for AP Stats– even colleges that are generous with AP credits. Students think “Statistics is statistics”, not realizing that the HS version does not teach the tools someone needs for many disciplines.
AP statistics in 8th grade implies algebra 2 in 7th grade, or 4 grade levels ahead in math.
It emulates the content of a college introductory statistics course for general education (not the calculus-based courses for statistics majors, etc.). It may be difficult for the college students who actually take such a course, but not for the strong-in-math students who are on the +2/+3/+4 math track in high school or middle school.
Of course, the OP’s student is on the +2 math track, but not earning the easy A that is common among such students. So that makes the decision somewhat more difficult.
My daughter took AP stats in 10th as an elective along with pre calc, she really liked it, I think it helped her decide she wanted to be an actuary.
But I don’t think it’s the norm - or didn’t think so. We often read here about people taking it in 12th vs. another calc, etc.
That’s the point.
I hope OP slows down - the student may not be a candidate for the most selective. It may be a bit early to tell but even if not, no big deal.
But if they want to be an engineer - they do need to improve in math. They might find out engineering isn’t for them.
Personally, I think it’s way too early to “package” for a college.
Control the math.
Do an EC or two - whatever interests them.
And be a kid.
My goodness, the world doesn’t end if they end up at WVU or Delaware or Bama instead of Va Tech or UVA, etc.
Too much stress on these kids today…..and they focus on grades or grade blaming vs. learning.
And that’s the sad state we’ve created.
I would begin by speaking to the teachers and guidance counselor. I would also get a tutor. She’s going too fast in math and is struggling. I agree that a student with Cs in math should not be taking AP pre calc. This problem needs to be resolved and I would begin by talking to the school.
She’s in 9th grade. I would encourage her to be a kid, find non-academic activities that she enjoys, go out with friends, and take the requirements for graduation…on a level that is appropriate for her.
It’s too early to be focused on BME. I have seen way too many mental health challenges in HS kids.
As I read this, I wonder why she wants to be an engineer. Does she really understand what engineers do? She very young for being this focused. Engineering is math, math, and more math. Most engineers breezed through math in high school. Admittedly she has been advanced quite a bit, but I’m concerned about a student who is getting a C in high school math even considering engineering.
Great point - and knowing about 50% or so who start in engineering either finish in another major or not at all.
Was this sequence recommended to your daughter by her teachers? The math sequence seems a little off to me. Our students cannot take AP classes until junior year, and they are limited to 3.
Students in our HS who are on an accelerated math track take honors algebra 1 in 8th grade, honors geometry in 9th grade, honors algebra 2 in 10th grade, honors precalc in 11th grade (there is no AP precalc) and AP calc senior year. Sometimes parents push this schedule for their kids even though they were counseled not to, and they have to sign a waiver. Kids who are recommended for this sequence are strong math students and the discussion actually begins in 5th grade, when students can be recommended for enriched math in 6th grade. I have seen students struggle because the parents pushed their kids a little too far (not suggesting that this happened).
I guess I am not fully understanding the math courses and sequence at your school, but given the situation I would probably choose stats.
I have a family member (same HS) who is a BME, and I don’t think he knew it even existed in 9th grade.
Or they finish an engineering degree, but decide to pursue an entirely different career.
Sample of one. My DH is a career engineer, so our kids knew about the field. DD entered college and declared an engineering major, which she completed, but she decided she didn’t ever want to work in that field. Picked up a second major, and that’s more aligned with what she is doing.
But I have to add, she is a very strong math student. As parents, we elected not to allow her to be accelerated in math in grade 8. So, her highest HS math was precalculus. She took calculus in college, plus tons of higher level math courses. She had a very solid foundation for her math courses, and this matters.
I just want to add…algebra 2 is a harder and very different course than algebra 1…or geometry.
I 100% agree that solid foundations in math are essential for future engineers, and it’s worth noting that it is more the norm these days that STEM focused students are taking at least AP calc in HS (if offered). Honestly, there has been a shift even since my D graduated HS in ‘18 for the strongest of math students to be through Calc II or MVC before the end of HS. Where I live now, it’s not unusual to see public HS seniors taking even linear algebra or diff e q. Times they are a changing!
Our highest path is algebra 1 freshman year, they need to test in. You need to take AP AB before BC.
Our HS has a choice senior year- AB or BC.
There have been a few students over the years who went beyond this, but it is not the norm at all.
I don’t mean to cause a digression, but just wanted to correct this info. At Pitt specifically, engineering majors actually get a whole year of useful credit for AP Chem, because CHEM 0110 and 0120 / CHEM 0960 and 0970 are equivalent courses (See the note at the bottom of the page here: AP Score Information - University of Pittsburgh - Acalog ACMS™). In general, since I have two kids studying engineering, I have countless spreadsheets comparing the curricula at all these schools (
) and I will say that AP Chem is quite likely to give useful credit at many if not most engineering schools. Of course, the most important thing is for the student to get HS bio, chem, and physics; taking the AP versions can simply be “nice to have” when you get to college.