Just moved to a new state (GA). He took Algebra in 7th grade in original state (CA). Had to prove to new school that Algebra he took was high school level and we succeeded in that. My son is in 8th grade and has two options regarding this math:
Take current schedule he’s placed in (Algebra1 /GeometryA accel course). Will take Alg2/GeometryB freshman year then Precalc sophomore year.
Take Geometry 1 at High school in morning then shuttle back to Middle school to take rest of courses (this is fairly common according to counselor). Take Algebra II during summer at college that public school accepts credits. This allows him to take Pre-Calc freshman year and be on “top level” math path.
Here’s the crux. If we go with Option 1, we wave his Algebra 1 credit received in old state. If he go with option 2, we accept credit for Algebra I class he took but grade counts on HS transcript. His total grade for Algebra I would be ~B+.
Pre-Calc is an prerequisite for some upper level Science classes in HS so taking it in Freshman year gives him more choices of Science classes he can take.
Is it better to basically retake algebra (go with option 1) and give him another chance for a better grade or go with option 2 and hope try to overcome B with better grades in HS. One thing we heard is the “option 1” path is accelerated and does pose risk of kids speeding through math w/o a firm foundation in it.
He (and we) are hoping for upper tier (like Georgia Tech) but we are avoiding the “Ivy league/Stanford or bust” mentality as much as we can (i.e. if he can make Ivy league that’s great but not end of the world if he doesn’t). Just not sure how much a B in Freshman math will affect his transcripts. In CA, UC doesn’t even look at freshman grades. Not sure what GA schools method is (will find out soon).
If I read you right, option B has your 14 year old son taking Algebra II next summer in a college?
The differences between a 14 year old and a college freshman are mind boggling. I would absolutely choose any option that did not place my 14 year old in a classroom with college kids. Throw in the shuttle this year to and from the high school, and you may just end up with a kid who learns to hate math in 2 years.
bjkmom: He can take the class online (doesn’t have to be on campus). Either way, I’m not too concerned about a summer class in college. I had to take a class at a college once when I was 16 (of course, their’s a big difference between 14 and 16). He’s an old 8th grader too (didn’t start K until he was 6).
guineagil96: We asked counselor. He has to take Geometry 1 as the HS and Algebra 1 grade would count towards HS transcript. If he waits to take Alg 2 Freshman year, he takes PreCalc Sophomore year. Basically same path as current option (although it’s one course at a time instead of a mix of two for two years).
It’s interesting that geometry is not offered in middle school and your son has to commute to high school to take it.
Not knowing the “end game” in math for your district, I’d lean towards Option #1. In our middle and high schools, you can’t be “double accelerated” (what we call it) unless you maintain an A in all your math courses. If your son received a B+ in Algebra I, then it only gets much harder from here on out.
What does your son take for math in his junior and senior years?
He is already +2 in math progression, as the normal track is algebra 1 in 9th grade. Normally, such students are top-end students in math. But if he earned a B+ in algebra 1 in 7th grade, it is possible that he may have been pushed too far ahead, since top-end students in math who get tracked into the +2 sequence normally find math to be easy A courses.
So, going through your options:
Option 1: 8:algebra1+geometryA, 9: algebra2+geometryB, 10:precalculus, 11:calculus, 12:college-math
This one keeps him on the +2 track.
Option 2: 8:geometry, 8.5:algebra2, 9:precalculus, 10:calculus, 11:college-math, 12:college-math
This one pushes him to the +3 track. Probably not appropriate if he is a B+ student in math.
Option 3 (from reply #3): 8:geometry, 9:algebra2, 10:precalculus, 11:calculus, 12:college-math
This one keeps him on the +2 track, but gives him a full year of geometry and algebra2 instead of compressing geometry and algebra2.
Option 4: 8:algebra1, 9:geometry, 10:algebra2, 11:precalculus, 12:calculus
Back off to the +1 track, since he may have been pushed too far ahead before. Still reaches calculus in 12th grade.
Honestly I would not go with the accelerated path that has pre calculus in 9th grade, that seems crazy. That means that he would take ap calc in 10th? I’m not a fan, but what is the final math class offered at his HS?
I think that it’s too much too soon. And I have 2 engineer kids and a nephew who has a math degree. There is no reason to rush things IMO.
if he took ap calc in 10th, it might mean either 2 years until college math. Or math at a college which is hard when trying to juggle HS and sports and life in general. What’s the rush? My D’s college said they were not a fan of the accelerated track themselves as the problem of a gap in HS with math.
My kids took ap calc as seniors as did the others in their HS. They both did very well in college. One got into a very selective college, the other didn’t have the grades but once in college did very well
Perhaps one result of inappropriately +2 accelerating students who are not top-end students in math is the following:
Student reaches calculus in 11th grade, after having to work hard to barely earn A grades, or earning B or lower grades, in math.
Student take calculus AB in 11th grade and calculus BC in 12th grade, earning scores less than 5 on the AP exams.
Student goes to college and takes calculus 1 because his/her AP scores are not high enough for advanced placement, or s/he is unsure of his/her math ability and chooses to repeat his/her AP credit (often recommended by people on these forums for some reason, even for students who found the AP exams to be easy 5 scores).
I.e. the +2 acceleration ends up being “wasted”, with the student spending three years to learn a year of calculus after being in too-advanced-for-his/her-development math in high school.
My D18 is taking MV Calc as a senior (BC as a junior) and D21 is taking Geometry as a freshman. Both receive A’s in math, but D18 works a lot faster and finds math fun. I didn’t accelerate (more) D21.
I’d be careful about accelerating. You know your child best.
Not at all surprising he would have to go to the HS for Geometry as 8th grade Algebra is so much more common and they can have enough students for the class.
I would avoid using the summer for school. Let him do kid stuff at his age, even if academically oriented summer camps.
Since he had a B in his algebra it may be a good thing to get a firmer foundation in it. Our school district had several kids each year who repeated the course as HS freshmen. They found some kids did much better with later courses this way. Better to really learn the foundations in math. Likewise many UW-Madison students who took and “passed” the AP calculus exam started over with first semester UW calculus because it is a much more rigorous class and skipping it often will not prepare students for the second semester.
Your decision will in part be based on your son’s input. Does he want to redo algebra or does he want to put in extra effort to learn skills he may be good but not perfect in? Does he want to remain with his class peers? Would going to the HS mess up his day? Taking algebra in 8th grade will allow for calculus as a HS senior.
My gifted kid (two grades ahead so one could spend time considering his age for classes) did 8th grade algebra through HS AP calculus then went on to Honors math and an Honors degree from a top tier U with grad math courses as part of his undergrad math major. Another student we know did geometry at the HS while in 8th grade (also did 9th grade language arts I believe) and used Youth Options for more regular calculus at the same U (along with other regular level U courses- wasn’t eligible to do the honors ones)- went to a different college and different major.
Many paths to be at the same point in college. No need to push ahead. Better to have the best foundation. btw- the trouble kid had with arithmetic flash cards years before I would not have guessed he would do so well in math. Memorizing add/sub… is not the same as thinking abstractly. He didn’t tell us how bored he was in HS until years later (and computer based courses not as prevalent in his time, sigh).
Why did he make a B? I do not think it is a big deal for him to be accelerated if he is ready for it, but if he is ready for it I would think it would be an easy A. As others have indicated, no matter which option he takes he will be accelerated anyway so I would not push him as it is better to make sure he has a very solid foundation.
We live in NC and DS is taking Calc AB in 9th grade (he made a low “5” on the AP AB pretest he took so teacher recommends AB not BC. He wanted to take BC but as we will need the teacher recommendation plus as he is accelerated anyway we see no need to push it.) The reason I mention this is that while DS is definitely accelerated, there are a few that are farther along than him but they are all making very high grades and into math competitions.
I would hate to have him retake a class he made a B in so perhaps a way to identify the gaps? I have read that many colleges will not consider grades for courses taken in middle school…perhaps you can see what GT policy is around that?
I’m with @ClassicRockerDad – go with option #1. That’s the highest/accelerated path in our public GA district. Your S can take GT’s online calculus class in 12th grade on that path. I don’t see PreCalc listed as a prereq on any AP science class here except for AP Physics C (calculus, which can be taken concurrently).
I think I’d focus my energy on getting your S into the gifted program because it can pay off in 11th and 12th grade.