Ok, we did not send a letter by June as I didn't know this. But the scores are still there. Also, my DS was 14, and could technically be in 9th grade if we wanted to call it that. Maybe that's why the scores are still there? And what is the point of purging scores anyway??

OK, thanks. I will contact them on Monday.

So DS's scores are still up on the site. I did find where it says you need to send a request to keep 8th grade scores, but it was in the context of SAT. We don't need to keep his SAT score, as he'll take that again, but I would want to keep his subject test score, and the AP score. The AP scores only came out in July, so I'm not understanding how it could be purged in June anyway.

How long ago was that?

We got a phone call from the college board last night as they wanted to verify DS's address. We live overseas and were back in the US recently for a few months. He took the Physics SAT subject test before we left for the US, and then took the SAT and the AP Comp Sci exams in the US, both in different states. Makes sense that the college board would want to verify his address! After that was done, I asked the gentleman on the phone about what I need to do to ensure that DS's scores were kept for four years, since he was only in 8th grade when he took these exams. His reply was: "all 8th grade scores are purged in June of their 8th grade year unless you have provided a written request that they be kept." What? We only received the AP scores in July. And technically we could call that DS's 9th grade year if we wanted to. I freaked out a bit, and he said, "I'm sorry, but this is our policy. The scores would have been purged in June." He put me on hold to go check with someone, and then we were disconnected. DS's scores are still there on the college board website, and I can't see anything on the site about purging scores from 8th grade. I think he was just confused? Anyone heard of this before?

Another recommendation for HWT! Was perfect for my dyslexic/dysgraphic DS, and I appreciated that the workbooks do not have a grade level on them. When we pulled him from school at 2nd grade, he needed to start 'from the beginning' in learning how to write his letters.

Thanks! No, we didn't purchase the videos.

DS used TeenCoder last year to learn Java and enjoyed it. DH is a programmer and did give him a bit of assistance, but very little. DS took the AP Computer Science exam last May, and we just found out that he scored a 5. Other than the TeenCoder course he used an AP Review book (Barron's). So anyway, we recommend the course for anyone interested in learning Java or in taking the AP Computer Science exam. Prior to that he had experience with Scratch; that's about it.

Maybe we should have tried Jurgensen. Jacobs has 3 sets of problems, and the 3rd set are the best ones. DS liked these, but they were still easy compared to AOPS. Its this problem-solving ability that AOPS excels in developing that makes me want to keep trying. DS says that its helping in all areas of study and in life in general - like you said, a wonderful exercise program for his brain!

Thanks for this. Yes, I have read this thread, and the one linked within it that details some of the chapters that could be skipped. Definitely something I am considering!

Yes, I can see this. I wish my DS was one way or the other! He is somewhere in between I think. :willy_nilly:

Yes. We took nearly two years to get through Intro to Algebra, and I doubt we will get through Geometry in one year. This is why I'm not sure we'll make it through the entire sequence. I was just talking with DS about this, that maybe we need to expect more than one hour/ day, since this is high school level math. He enjoys math, but has other interests that make him a bit reluctant to spend hours on it. I think of "sailing through" when I think of the PACE of those online classes! There's no way we could do those.

How do you get through the book in a year if you spend an hour or more on a single problem -- routinely? I've been OK with him not being able to solve every problem (even some of the non-starred ones), but when it becomes OFTEN that he's working for an hour on one problem? That's when I wonder if we'll be able to complete the entire sequence.

So far my experience with AOPS has been a bit crazy. When we started with Intro to Algebra, it was VERY tough for my then 6th grader, and I panicked, but we kept on. And then the next year, starting where we had left off for the summer, mid-way through that tome, DS did fine, sailing through with no trouble. Huh. Then we began the Geometry text (toward the end of last school year). Yikes. It has been really tough for him. I know RR says this is one of the most challenging books, and it's been rough. After about a month or so DS came to me in frustration saying he doesn't feel like he's learning anything because he sometimes ends up spending the entire hour on ONE problem. He was feeling pretty hopeless, so we decided to drop AOPS for a bit and started Jacobs Geometry. DS had finished the first 7 chapters of AOPS Geometry. Jacobs was ridiculously easy for him. He started flipping through the book to find where to begin with problems he didn't know how to solve, and he ended up in the last few chapters! What?? (And even in the last chapter he felt like if he thought a bit he could figure out every problem.) It was really encouraging to him (and to me), to see that even though he felt like he was getting no where with AOPS, he actually WAS learning quite a lot of Geometry. So here we are yet again, staring at the AOPS mountain, gathering up courage to re-embark. I'm wondering if there are others out there with similar experience? I had decided to drop off the AOPS wagon, but now of course I am re-thinking that, as is DS. He has a renewed respect for AOPS. We do have the C&P and the Number Theory books, so maybe we will take a break and do one of those. He is in 8th this year, and I really have no idea if we'll be able to get through the AOPS sequence in time for him to complete calculus for calc-based physics in high school. On the other hand, it seems better to try than to race through the traditional textbooks. Anyone else in this boat? I feel like most people using AOPS have kids that are pretty much sailing through - which is definitely not us. Wish there were some kind of middle ground curriculum out there!

Marie, this is a very good word. Thank you!

This is very encouraging! I am eager to see how he does with those problems on his own, and how that will work with us going over the solutions together. Thank you!

Thanks, Marie! That's great that he has been able to take math at a local college. Tabletclass looks interesting. He would benefit from a course that relies on video instruction rather than his own reading. Would you recommend Tabletclass as it is, without the extra tutoring your DS received?

Thanks, Marie! That's great that he has been able to take math at a local college. Tabletclass looks interesting. He would benefit from a course that relies on video instruction rather than his own reading. Would you recommend Tabletclass as it is, without the extra tutoring your DS received?

Thank you so much for sharing all of this - it is very helpful! DS really enjoyed doing the problems in AOPS, so we may try it again without all that reading. Somehow I did not think that was possible!

I would love to hear more about how you use AOPS Prealgebra! (You don't read it?) What do you mean by "going through the lesson problem solutions only takes a few moments because it was already covered while they were working the lesson problems?" How was it already covered? Is that because they work the problems with you and you are guiding them, discussing the problems as they go? Or they have already figured out most of what is in the solutions on their own? What I didn't like about the book is the profound detail into every aspect of what they were learning. I can imagine that a child who LOVES math might really enjoy an in-depth discussion of negation, but for us (me) it was just too much. I found myself more and more trying to read ahead and skip around, which was getting frustrating. DS wasn't following everything I was reading, but really enjoyed the puzzle-aspect of AOPS (and was eager to join in after watching older DS all year). He did fine on most of the problems, too. I just couldn't handle the wordiness.

Thanks for chiming in! I at first decided to do another pre-algebra program and purchased AOPS. Eldest DS and I enjoyed their Intro Algebra book. I did NOT enjoy the pre-algebra book, though, and dropped it. DS liked it fine, but it required me reading it to him, and it was too painful for me. I have not seen Dolciani pre-algebra - would love to hear how that goes for you guys!

Thanks, Marie! I remember that one of your kids is severely dyslexic/dysgraphic and also excellent in math (not sure if it's this DS). It's encouraging to hear how he is doing in Calculus! Sometimes I think my DS is just getting bogged down in the arithmetic, but then sometimes it seems like he's missing the whole concept. He also has difficulty expressing his thoughts to me, so sometimes the problem is more in our communication. I do feel like we need a fresh approach/ change of pace. Can I ask what you used for the rest of his math sequence?

Thanks for sharing your experience! So it sounds like you essentially went on to MUS Algebra even though you did not see total mastery yet. We did most of the Key to books as well - forgot to mention that. I will look into MUS. Did she do well in MUS Algebra? I have heard that dyslexics do better in higher math, so I'm wondering if she IS strong in math, just not arithmetic.

We spent this entire past school year in Singapore 6A/B (our year just ended), and DS is still not getting the concepts. He cruised through Singapore until this point (he is 11). I'm not sure how much is dyslexia - getting bogged down in the details of arithmetic - and we should just move ahead into algebra. Or how much is simply maturity and we need to keep at it and move ahead later. Keeping at it is an option I'm not quite sure how to do. We've done most of the Extra Practice and Intensive Practice books as well. Because of his dyslexia I had to skip the review sections which did not give enough room to write; I may cut/paste problems from there. It feels a bit like spinning wheels. Should I try another program -- if so, which one? Any advice would be highly appreciated!!

Thank you - great thread! I'm never able to find the best threads when I search :glare:. Especially appreciated the chart from Woodson High School - helpful general idea of the workload for each exam. Thanks!