That's wonderful. These are really important skills for her to learn, and they will serve her well in the future academic life. Wonderful!

I'm beginning to wonder if the only people who actually read the a-g requirements are homeschoolers, and everyone, including admissions committees, ignore them? And congratulations to your son!

I agree with so much of this post. I've been thinking and wondering (as so many of us do) why many girls seem to fall short of many boys in so many areas. One idea that has resonated with me is that boys seems to be attracted to a kind of competitive geekiness, whether it's for math, Star Wars, Shakespeare, whatever. And it accelerates when there are others who have the same interests. It's like they are trying to outdo each other in their chosen fields and they thrive in it. If Jim knows more details about Star Wars trivia than I do, then I'm going to study up and try to beat him at his game. He will do the same to me. But it isn't personal and they don't view it negatively, that is, they feel a camaraderie that's mixed in with competition. And the result is that each develops greater expertise than they would have in isolation. I feel like many girls lack this embrace of friendly competition, but this is only a working theory, and I'm eager to hear other opinions. (Having written this, I do understand there are exceptions, and I've seen many examples just on the WTM boards alone. The other issue is that when we look at MathCounts finalists and the USAMO team, we are seeing the extremes, where perhaps, very small differences in math aptitude become magnified at the extremes. I don't want to believe this, but I'm going to throw it out anyway as a possibility. And of course, I agree that we in the US are quick to ascribe great accomplishment (whether sports, extracurriculars, or academics) to inborn talent, not diligent practice. Finally, I want suggest that math circles aren't necessarily all that. We've participated, and it really wasn't that inspiring, plus there were the kids who were made to attend, kinda ruining it for everyone. We've made much greater progress working independently with the AoPS books, that that required a well-trained teacher (me). Liping Ma wrote about the situation of poorly trained math teachers in the US already.

Agreed. I wonder if I had been in charge of math instruction for some of my friends' kids, from the very start, could I have turned them into reasonably competent math competitors. I think many, many kids are written off like this. Compare math competitions to AYSO. It's almost a pillar of parenthood that one most put their 5 yo kid into AYSO. Many kids participate for at least a few years, or else they switch to another sport. What if math competitions were the same way? What if all kids did MOEMS as a matter of course, to at least get them accustomed to solving math problems from every direction, not just learning and practicing one algorithm at a time.

Thank you for clarifying, and sorry for playing "gotcha semantics." But this rule is quite startling. And annoying. Between all this nonsense and the budget cuts, I'm ready to cut out the UCs.

I agree with PPs and would like to add that if you need additional math filler, you can throw in some old MOEMS exams for fun and practice. Then he can add old MathCounts (school level, then chapter and so on) and old AMC8s. That way he can start putting into practice the skills he's learning now.

I'm curious specifically about the word "avoid." Do they specifically prohibit submitting test scores in addition to course grades, or they just really wish and hope you wouldn't?

My older dd is taking AP chem from PA homeschoolers and was told that it aligns well with SAT chemistry so she's signed up for that (the very next day after her AP chem exam). My younger dd is taking WTM bio and was also told that it works for SAT bio, so she's signed up for that as well. (She'll need to read one additional chapter in the text.)

I'm also disappointed that they haven't offered Java for the past year or so.

I stalked him at an event at Proof School. He was very gracious and allowed us to take selfies. :thumbup1:

Wonderful news! I'm so happy for your son and you. I love that he's writing mystery stories. He sounds like a lovely person.

O M G !!! That is so funny, I don't even have words. Love the BMW ads: The New Teacher's Pet. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Thank you for posting this link. My kids have a fair amount of programming experience. Do you think the Burton book is most appropriate for beginners new to programming, or could it be used by students who know some python and java?

Thank you for this. So this means that I don't need to show any proof of geometry if my kids took it in middle school? I'm curious now about the "challenge exam!"

If you have time before you enroll, then study up on Python independently. The classes are still challenging, and an excellent learning experience, but I think it's better to arrive with some understanding first. I really liked this book, but there are lots of other resources for beginners.

I'm curious. Do other state universities have a similar a-g requirement or are we the only lucky ones? And should I feel miffed that OOS and Out of Country applicants are exempt from a-g? I have my head in the sand about the fact that my dd took Geometry at home with AoPS. My current plan is if dd wants to apply to UC, we'll have her take geometry again her senior year.

Has anyone had their dc take a summer camp through Johns Hopkins CTY? What did you think?

Thanks. She told us she's contacting some local schools, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

It might help to describe your ds' interests. It's much easier to volunteer your time for a cause you believe in, or using skills that you enjoy using. For example, my dd is mathy, and she tutors math with an after school program. It isn't an established program, we just started contacting friends and friends of friends until we found someone who would get my dd started. She's not the type of gal who would want to volunteer cleaning beaches or building park benches.

I suggest you err on the side of formality at first, and then match the tone of the teacher for subsequent communications. Some PhDs get mad if you don't call them "Dr." or "Professor" and others are fine with first names.

I agree with Freesia. My dd took the class in 8th grade and got a 5. We both felt like she was in good hands with Ms. Dovi. I didn't sign up for coaching, but dd tells me she wishes I had. I also agree with Freesia's suggestion to do some computer science NOW, even if it's in python instead of Java. Python is much easier for beginners but it will still be a big help in learning Java. Java is kind of inscrutable programming language when you are just getting started. My dd had had extensive programming experience (in python, no Java) before beginning with Ms. Dovi, and I think it really helped.

For electronics ideas, you might want to check out this thread.

I mentioned this earlier, but if there are things about Waldorf that you really like, you can continue to do those things. My Waldorf-y friends are more properly called, "Waldorf-inspired." Some start out fully Waldorf, then gradually move away from it as their children age. Take what works, leave out the rest. No need to be ideological about it, just do what works for your child. That's the beauty of homeschooling. Good luck!

For the "T" and "E", you can check out my list of resources for getting started in electronics.

I do the Problems with my kids, and they do the Exercises independent of me. They also check their own answers in the solution manual and then finally consult me on any solution they don't understand.