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PSA, for you lucky ones near Morrisville NC or Vienna, VA, an in-person AoPS school


wapiti
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We live roughly an hour south of Vienna. Contemplating this! Sunday classes sound perfect if it weren't for the fact that it's the interstate the whole way and NoVa traffic sucks. At any time on any day there could be a delay that makes our trip twice as long.

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Did anybody find out what the actual tuition is?  I couldn't find it on the website but maybe I am missing it?  I'm not too far from the Morrisville location.

 

I saw that it was 3 payments of $495 but my eyes must deceive me. I've been looking at zillow to see how much it costs to live in either place. 

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Ah, we are close to Morrisville, and DD would thrive, and I know she won't even consider it.

 

I see where it is. It's right next to RTP so all the high tech kids can go after school. It's 2 miles from my corporate site if I ever went into the office, which I don't...

 

Why are they offering language arts classes too?

Edited by deerforest
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Why are they offering language arts classes too?

I haven't looked at all their offerings yet but when you improve reading/ writing skills, math skills soar all the more.

 

My son does the MIT Primes - AoPS Polymath initiative that they started last fall. According to DS, students don't take time to read the research papers thoroughly so even if they try to collaborate in the forums, their answers are not complete or don't make sense because they did not spend time on the papers. My guess is, AoPS folks must have brainstormed ways to help more kids get comfortable with those reading skills? Or maybe too many errors when typing proofs/ forum responses?

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Why are they offering language arts classes too?

Probably what Quark said.

 

From their website:

"Communication Skills

 

Collaborative efforts have become crucial in most professional environments, so AoPS is expanding to language arts instruction through AoPS Academy. We extend this emphasis on communication to our math classes, in which students learn how to express their advanced mathematical ideas clearly and rigorously."

 

"Our core language arts classes in grades 2-8 teach students both the craft and art of effective communication. Instruction focuses on multiple components of writing, building from the fundamentals to give students a deep appreciation of language. Graduates of our language arts program will be fluent writers and excellent critical readers. They'll develop these skills by starting from words, progressing to sentences, and then organizing these sentences into well-constructed paragraphs, essays, and stories."

http://aopsacademy.org/school/about

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Okay let me rephrase that comment because it wasn't clear at all. I get "why" they would but when you think of AoPS, you don't think "incredible writing classes"! So, it's just interesting to see them offered. There is no frame of reference to know what they will be like. People often ask here, "what's the AoPS" of language arts. If there is already an answer to that, why aren't they sharing that anywhere except the classes?

 

Aha! I finally had a chance to read the descriptions in the academic year courses, and they are using MCT! So funny. I still don't know what they're using for the middle school essay class in the summer. 

Edited by deerforest
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I went to the information session yesterday. My son was super excited about it but it's more than I want to pay.

 

I asked if they would ever do a homeschool class but they thought it unlikely to get enough kids together for one.

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I suppose I could ask on the 700+ response thread on the AoPS boards, but my odds of getting a response seem better here...

 

The academic year classes are selective and want achievement tests or IQ tests or something... has anyone gotten in either using previous online AoPS classes or even better qualitative not quantitative HS background with either math circles or math competitions or not?

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At the info session, Sean Russom, the director of the VA branch and former director of the NC branch,said they would definitely be interested in math competition scores. Just send what you have. I can also send you his email if you would rather ask him directly. He says he is fairly prompt about answering emails.

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OK. The board seems to have eaten my earlier response...

 

I'll admit to being a prickly unschooler , but I think the credentialism  is inconsistent with AoPS's prior approach. Epsilon uses IQ as a proxy because there might not be a better marker for 3rd to 5th grade though requiring a $1k. test is a very coarse sieve.  After that I think using IQ or achievement tests as a proxy for math ability is largely debunked. 

 

MathPath uses a problem solving test.

 

30+yo vintage programs like Project Megsss in STL or UMTYMP in MN or HCCSiM  use specialized tests.

 

Using purely IQ or achievement tests risks the AoPS programs becoming some crappy test based thing like the BASIS charter schools rather than a math first venue like currently... 

 

 

 

 

Edited by raptor_dad
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They are looking for kids with high math ability to ensure it's a good fit for the kids. There are multiple ways to show that and they listed a few. They are not requiring those tests. It doesn't say it on the application or websitr but most kids are given a placement test as well.

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  • 3 weeks later...

OK. The board seems to have eaten my earlier response...

 

I'll admit to being a prickly unschooler , but I think the credentialism  is inconsistent with AoPS's prior approach. Epsilon uses IQ as a proxy because there might not be a better marker for 3rd to 5th grade though requiring a $1k. test is a very coarse sieve.  After that I think using IQ or achievement tests as a proxy for math ability is largely debunked. 

 

MathPath uses a problem solving test.

 

30+yo vintage programs like Project Megsss in STL or UMTYMP in MN or HCCSiM  use specialized tests.

 

Using purely IQ or achievement tests risks the AoPS programs becoming some crappy test based thing like the BASIS charter schools rather than a math first venue like currently... 

 

I missed this post while I was away.  This policy rubs me the wrong way completely.  But, I can't find info about it anywhere at all.  Is there anything you can point me to?  I looked in the forums too, though I tend to get lost easily there.

 

ETA, a placement test makes sense and would be a very reasonable bar, as I'd expect them to be similar to the pretests for the book.

Edited by wapiti
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I missed this post while I was away. This policy rubs me the wrong way completely. But, I can't find info about it anywhere at all. Is there anything you can point me to?

It is on the application page. Same for both campus. It did not say an IQ test is required, just one of the many choices listed.

 

"Upload Documents

Please provide recent report cards, including teacher comments if possible. Also, please include any standarized test results if available, such as EOG, EOC, Iowa ITBS, Iowa CogAT, ACT, WISC, MAP, PSAT, SAT, SSAT, ISEE, Explore, Woodcock-Johnson, etc.

 

Please note that we cannot admit your child without reviewing their supporting documents. Please upload them along with this application. If you do not have these documents available right now, you may submit the application without these documents and provide the supporting documentation later. Upon completion of the application, we will email you instructions for providing additional documentation."

http://vienna.aopsacademy.org/admissions/application

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  • 2 weeks later...

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