History/Social Studies Credit Hours

[....]

It looks like dd16 will only have 3 social studies/history credit hours when she graduates, unless I cram another history class in there somewhere.  Do we really need 4 credits of history?  Should I cram another class in her schedule somewhere?  Why is this stressing me out??

 

The problem is...she is taking a TON of science and foreign language.  She doubled up on science this year and she's doubling up on science in the fall, too.  She's also taking 3 foreign languages: Latin, German and adding Hebrew in the fall.

 

I always kinda just let them pick what they want to study and now I'm worried about only having 3 history credits.

 

FWIW, she's interested in majoring in kinesiology or psychology.

 

Thanks for any advice! 

 

 

[RootAnn]

Has she taken a psychology course? Anything else that can be counted as social studies vs history? Some people count psych as an elective, but others include it under history.

 

The best answer on whether she needs more is to look at the requirements of some of the colleges she's considering. Some very specifically require certain topics and credits - one world history, one US History, half-credit Government, and some also require Econ. Others are less specific. Some say 3, but most say 4, but they may not specify what they have to be in.

[Kassia]

I would add another social studies class such as government, psychology, sociology, economics, civics, etc.  Psychology seems like a good choice if she might major in that subject in college.  

[....]

From googling Texas graduation requirements, It looks like the public schoolers here all have 4 credits of social studies.   :001_unsure:   Darn its.  

 

And I didn't realize psychology would count as social studies.  She's very excited to take psych!  We've already got this fall planned out, so I guess we can save that for senior year.  It's hard to believe we only have one more year to plan and then she's done.   :svengo:

Edited February 23, 2018 by Evanthe

[kiana]

Yes, if she wants to do psych in college psych would be a perfect 4th credit. 

 

I'm not sure where she's looking at college, but at some large universities psych 101 is a massive lecture-hall class. Especially if she's looking at one of those, it might be a great idea to DE at a CC. It's usually not a hard first class, it transfers very well as the curriculum is very standard, and she would get a smaller class. Also, CC profs are often VERY interested if they get a student who wants to major in their subject (even potentially) instead of just ticking off boxes. I got a lot of extra discussion/articles/loans of books from my chemistry prof. Lastly, it might be a good way to get a reference for college applications if she did it before the applications are due. 

[....]

Yes, if she wants to do psych in college psych would be a perfect 4th credit. 

 

I'm not sure where she's looking at college, but at some large universities psych 101 is a massive lecture-hall class. Especially if she's looking at one of those, it might be a great idea to DE at a CC. It's usually not a hard first class, it transfers very well as the curriculum is very standard, and she would get a smaller class. Also, CC profs are often VERY interested if they get a student who wants to major in their subject (even potentially) instead of just ticking off boxes. I got a lot of extra discussion/articles/loans of books from my chemistry prof. Lastly, it might be a good way to get a reference for college applications if she did it before the applications are due. 

 

My sister and I went to college together and she ended up with a degree in psych.  I took a bunch of psych classes for fun (after she raved about them, of course).  Psych 101 is a great course in college!  And we got to participate in research studies, as well.

 

I did some more googling and it looks like psychology is considered a social studies course in Texas high schools.  (Someone correct me if I'm wrong!)

[MerryAtHope]

I counted Psychology under Social Studies for my dd (who also, btw, only had 3 social studies credits because she focused more on science. See what the colleges around you require.)

[Teek]

Psychology is social studies in Louisiana as well. 

[JoJosMom]

Could any of the work that she has done during her language studies be counted separately as Cultural Studies, or something like that? Just an idea, should another class be difficult to squeeze in.

[....]

Could any of the work that she has done during her language studies be counted separately as Cultural Studies, or something like that? Just an idea, should another class be difficult to squeeze in.

 

I'm going to keep that option open if we get into a bind next year with her schedule!

[chiguirre]

From googling Texas graduation requirements, It looks like the public schoolers here all have 4 credits of social studies.   :001_unsure:   Darn its.  

 

And I didn't realize psychology would count as social studies.  She's very excited to take psych!  We've already got this fall planned out, so I guess we can save that for senior year.  It's hard to believe we only have one more year to plan and then she's done.   :svengo:

Look up the Texas Common Core Requirements for your local CC and any TX public universities she's interested in (and while you're at it look at any TX private schools you're interested in because a lot of them mirror the common core reqs). She'll need 2 semesters of American and Texas government and American history in college or by DE or by CLEP or AP credit during college. These are pretty simple to do in the summers during high school and will save you time and money or allow you to take more interesting courses in university.

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Look up the Texas Common Core Requirements for your local CC and any TX public universities she's interested in (and while you're at it look at any TX private schools you're interested in because a lot of them mirror the common core reqs). She'll need 2 semesters of American and Texas government and American history in college or by DE or by CLEP or AP credit during college. These are pretty simple to do in the summers during high school and will save you time and money or allow you to take more interesting courses in university.

 

Wait, I thought Texas passed a law banning Common Core in state. ?  Do you mean TEKS?  

 

And the cc and state university here is our first choice.  But, when I go on their admissions pages online, it looks like homeschoolers fall under the "individual review" category.  So, I'm not seeing a clear set of prerequisites for high schoolers applying to their colleges.

 

And then it seems like Texas is constantly changing their own graduation requirements for the public schoolers. 

 

...and now you're talking me into doing CLEPs!    :lol:   I need to do some research into this.  I was reading on our CC website about the Texas Core Curriculum requirements for college and couldn't believe it.  I had a thread about it earlier this year on the college board to make sure I was reading that right.  TWO semesters of US history??  P.E.?  Art appreciation?  In college?  What the heck?  And it transfers as some huge block on your transcript?  I graduated from a university in Illinois, so that whole idea seemed really strange to me.  I mean, we had classes we had to take based on what major we were.  Maybe CLEPs for some of that stuff would be a good idea.  Then, she can take all the science classes she wants.

[kiana]

Texas has a similar number of GE requirements as many other state colleges currently do, but they are very us-centric and very history/politics-centric. For  a comparative example, at the state school where I did my undergrad, it was 3 comm, 9 english, 3 arts, 3 humanities, 9 social science, 9 science, 3 math, 2 pe/health -- but within that, there was some freedom so I was able to take psychology, geography, and international relations for my social sciences. 

[....]

Texas has a similar number of GE requirements as many other state colleges currently do, but they are very us-centric and very history/politics-centric.  

 

I noticed that!  I was a biology major in college and I would've been hysterical if I had to take Texas History, PE or Art Appreciation.  What if it messed up my GPA?  As a science major, our classes were difficult enough without having to worry about stuff like that.  

[chiguirre]

I noticed that!  I was a biology major in college and I would've been hysterical if I had to take Texas History, PE or Art Appreciation.  What if it messed up my GPA?  As a science major, our classes were difficult enough without having to worry about stuff like that.

Not the TEKS! It's a college level requirement. I think only UT Austin actually calls it the Common Core, as in common to all their undergrad schools, not the K-12 curriculum thing.

 

You can game this a bit. Every single school I've looked at has 2 US history and 2 US/TX government credits, but the science and English requirements vary a bit. Every school has a fine arts appreciation requirement but quite a few don't have PE. The PE credit is mainly community colleges. OTOH, that smacks of easy A and my local CC offers some nice options (TKD, tennis, weightlifting, scuba, ballet, etc.)

 

You can also take class at your local CC during summers while you're enrolled in another university and transfer them without a grade. So if you don't get to the classes, you can do that or CLEP during college to fulfill the requirements. Of course, you can't CLEP the Texas government requirement, you've absolutely, positively got to sit through 3 credit hours learning the glories of the Lege, the Railroad Commission, and our illustrious state courts' ongoing battles with the Fifth Circuit.

[Lori D.]

It looks like dd16 will only have 3 social studies/history credit hours when she graduates, unless I cram another history class in there somewhere.  Do we really need 4 credits of history?  ...

 

...she is taking a TON of science and foreign language.  She doubled up on science this year and she's doubling up on science in the fall, too.  She's also taking 3 foreign languages: Latin, German and adding Hebrew in the fall.

 

First, History falls under Social Studies (or Social Sciences) -- as does Economics and Government. Will your student be taking either/both of those courses? If so a 0.5 credit of each of Econ and Gov't + 3 credits History = 4 credits of Social Studies and you're fine. :)

 

If that was not the plan, then I'd look at the specific colleges she will be applying to and see what their admission requirements are. Unless you are required by state regulations, or required by some special high school/college articulation agreement, you would only need to complete the Social Studies requirements for the college in order to be admitted. Many colleges only require 2-3 Social Studies credits for admission.

 

The other thing to look in to is if the college is flexible about the admissions credits. Many are, when it's not English, Math, or Science that the student is short in. Since you have a STEM-based student, they may not care if she is 1 credit short of the Social Studies admission requirement -- esp. since she will be coming in with BONUS amounts of Science and Foreign Language.

Edited February 26, 2018 by Lori D.

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First, History falls under Social Studies (or Social Sciences) -- as does Economics and Government. Will your student be taking either/both of those courses? If so a 0.5 credit of each of Econ and Gov't + 3 credits History = 4 credits of Social Studies and you're fine. :)

 

The other thing to look in to is if the college is flexible about the admissions credits. Many are, when it's not English, Math, or Science that the student is short in. Since you have a STEM-based student, they may not care if she is 1 credit short of the Social Studies admission requirement -- esp. since she will be coming in with BONUS amounts of Science and Foreign Language.

 

Yes, that was counting the US Government.   :001_unsure:

 

She's going to have a ton of science on her transcript.  She already has:

 

Genetics and Human Development (taking outsourced in the fall)

Chemistry

Forensic Science (we outsourced this, too)

Biology

Earth Science or Astronomy (not sure what to call it - she took that in 9th grade)

Physics (planning for senior year)

 

I'm sure she will double up on science her senior year, too.  So there will probably be an Anatomy course or something in there, I'm sure.  So, she will probably have 7 credits of science by the time she graduates.