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We've opted for her to take classes at the CC in our area. That way she's insured she'll get credit.
If your dd wants to go to an elite school she is better off taking AP classes. We have been told by admissions officers that AP classes are preferred to CC classes because with an AP exam they know what was taught, and what the kids mastered.
AP classes are considered more rigorous than CC classes and most elite colleges consider the rigor of an applicant's academic record very strongly for admissions.
Again, more proof that college has been dummied down to the high school level.
When I was in high school, it was unheard of for someone to have college credits before graduating from high school but high school was actually high school back then....Now it appears it's middle school...
As a teacher, I do believe that we've dummied down high school and college. I don't get to topics that I learned in high school. Back when I was in school, it was sink or swim. The class kept going. Now with NCLB we have to slow down so that everyone passes. That means that whole topics are not taught and there's nothing I can do about it because I, simply, run out of time. I need 36 weeks just to teach my content. With a 39 week school year by the time you factor in holidays, snow days, half days and the odd pep assembly, I'm short on time before I even start. When I was in school, it was all taught and the students just had to keep up.
No, when we were in high school AP classes were not common. AP and the post secondary/dual enrollment classes are a response to the ever increasing costs for college, not to "dumb" down college. When we were in college we took CLEP tests---didn't you hear people talk about CLEP'ing out of a class or whatever? Many schools still do this. You don't get credit but you do either test out of a general ed or get placed into a higher level class as a freshman. Didn't you spend a day the summer before you entered college taking CLEP tests?? I tested out of math, science, public speaking and freshman English with my CLEP tests.
Oh, our high school has an honor's class rank but doesn't weight GPA's--because it's pointless to weight GPA"s because colleges just refigure on a 4.0 scale anyway. You have to get a B or better to get honor's credit in an honor's/AP/CIC/PSEO class. You have 2 class ranks on your report card your overall rank and your honors rank. Your honor's rank is what is sent to colleges. If you don't take any honors classes you can't graduate above about the 50th percential or so depending on how many kids in your class are taking the honors+ classes.
Again, more proof that college has been dummied down to the high school level.
When I was in high school, it was unheard of for someone to have college credits before graduating from high school but high school was actually high school back then....Now it appears it's middle school...
As a teacher, I do believe that we've dummied down high school and college. I don't get to topics that I learned in high school. Back when I was in school, it was sink or swim. The class kept going. Now with NCLB we have to slow down so that everyone passes. That means that whole topics are not taught and there's nothing I can do about it because I, simply, run out of time. I need 36 weeks just to teach my content. With a 39 week school year by the time you factor in holidays, snow days, half days and the odd pep assembly, I'm short on time before I even start. When I was in school, it was all taught and the students just had to keep up.
Times have changed. Honestly. When I was in high school, getting into a fairly good college was hard, but not at all as hard as it is today. I went to a good college for my BA (U of M Twin Cities) and if I were a high schooled today, I doubt I'd get in (yes, I admit it ) The top kids of today would run in circles around the top kids from 30 years ago.
As for the Spanish class, it's the EXACT same as the class at the university. It's taught by a professor from the university (or a teacher with a PhD), they use the same books, they take the same tests, etc. They only thing that's different is that it's being taught in a high school building, not on a college campus...
Times have changed. Honestly. When I was in high school, getting into a fairly good college was hard, but not at all as hard as it is today. I went to a good college for my BA (U of M Twin Cities) and if I were a high schooled today, I doubt I'd get in (yes, I admit it ) The top kids of today would run in circles around the top kids from 30 years ago.
As for the Spanish class, it's the EXACT same as the class at the university. It's taught by a professor from the university (or a teacher with a PhD), they use the same books, they take the same tests, etc. They only thing that's different is that it's being taught in a high school building, not on a college campus...
You would probably still get into the U of MN, but Madison...did you have a 33 or better on your ACT ?
I don't think that it really is any harder to get into schools these days. I think more kids are trying, and only wanting, to get into their reach schools these days so it SEEMS harder. I think there is this huge push to have your children ONLY go to an Ivy or similar school. Now, Ivy's are the best deal out there financially if you can get in so we are considering them for our kids, but the other schools they have looked at they will have zero issues getting into (well except DS and Notre Dame-that's still pretty much a crap shoot for anyone applying) .
Most of the kids we know have gotten into every school they've applied to. One student in our older son's class didn't get into MIT but got into every other school he applied to. The MIT thing was funny because he was taking a special math class designed for him by an MIT professor when he was a freshman in high school because he had already tested out of every college level math class available---unbelievably smart kid--got 5's on 27 AP tests--by the end of his sophomore year in high school--didn't take most of the classes, just the tests. Couldn't hold a conversation with the kid though--but boy is he smart.
On AP Chem. They might as well have a warm body teaching it than offer it on-line. The CollegeBoard AP Chem required syllabus requires 18 to 22 labs for the course, which still have to be organized and taught by the in-school Chem teacher.
I am also shocked that AP Chem is being offered online- that seems like it'd be disastrous. Mine says she does labs often in the class, and I fail to see how an online course could do that
I am also shocked that AP Chem is being offered online- that seems like it'd be disastrous. Mine says she does labs often in the class, and I fail to see how an online course could do that
I didn't think it was "legal" to do the AP classes online....I agree, how would you do a lab? Our kids have labs several days/week.
I didn't think it was "legal" to do the AP classes online....I agree, how would you do a lab? Our kids have labs several days/week.
Oh it's legal. The CollegeBoard recognizes various vendors for on-line AP courses. That has to be noted on the student's answer sheet, each vendor has a code.
Again, this is part of the drive to have more kids in AP classes and taking the tests. It is somewhat helpful for small schools that can't afford to have a class for just a couple kids.
Rant time. Keep in mind that the CollegeBoard has a vested financial interest in having as many kids as possible taking AP tests. Actually about a $75/test vested interst (tests are $87 each but schools get a $12 rebate for each test in addition to another check, the amount depends on the number of tests administered). The push for more AP testing and on-line classes is coming not only from the CollegeBoard but also (strangely enough for on-line {sarcasm}), also from the Gates Foundation. AP testing is also a component of Race To The Top. A lot of school systems, especially urban or high minority ones, have rolled over and are doing anything the Gates Foundation tells them to in order to keep the money coming.
Oh it's legal. The CollegeBoard recognizes various vendors for on-line AP courses. That has to be noted on the student's answer sheet, each vendor has a code.
Again, this is part of the drive to have more kids in AP classes and taking the tests. It is somewhat helpful for small schools that can't afford to have a class for just a couple kids.
Rant time. Keep in mind that the CollegeBoard has a vested financial interest in having as many kids as possible taking AP tests. Actually about a $75/test vested interst (tests are $87 each but schools get a $12 rebate for each test in addition to another check, the amount depends on the number of tests administered). The push for more AP testing and on-line classes is coming not only from the CollegeBoard but also (strangely enough for on-line {sarcasm}), also from the Gates Foundation. AP testing is also a component of Race To The Top. A lot of school systems, especially urban or high minority ones, have rolled over and are doing anything the Gates Foundation tells them to in order to keep the money coming.
Around here the urban schools have the IB program for the the kids that are "better" students there. Does the Gates Foundation support that program too or are they going to have to shift to the AP programs? They are basically the same thing in the eyes of colleges so it doesn't really matter that much.
I am also shocked that AP Chem is being offered online- that seems like it'd be disastrous. Mine says she does labs often in the class, and I fail to see how an online course could do that
The in-school Chem teacher leads them.
My Principal wanted to do Chem on-line for a couple years. I reminded him that I couldn't do the labs and our Chem teacher refused to do labs in his regular Chem classes (long story, he's gone now) so did he really want to have a class on-line.
Around here the urban schools have the IB program for the the kids that are "better" students there. Does the Gates Foundation support that program too or are they going to have to shift to the AP programs? They are basically the same thing in the eyes of colleges so it doesn't really matter that much.
They don't so much "support" but "encourage". With money. And yes, Gates and Broad will support both. Interesting thing about IB, colleges here don't like the program and won't give any credit for it.
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) The top kids of today would run in circles around the top kids from 30 years ago.
