High school credit in 8th grade?

[gingersmom]

If your child takes a course in 8th grade can you count it on their high school transcript?

 

Do schools know what year your child took the course or do they care?

[FloridaLisa]

If your child takes a course in 8th grade can you count it on their high school transcript?

 

For us, it depended on the course. I've listed high school math, science and foreign language (taken on-line and earning a Florida hs credit) taken in 8th on the high school transcript. I haven't listed English or debate or history taken in 8th grade, no matter how advanced our studies.

 

Do schools know what year your child took the course or do they care?

 

Again, it depends how you formate your transcript. I listed courses by year. I've seen transcripts listed by subject. Whether the college "cares" or will count the credits depends on that particular school. So the mantra, check with that college! :001_smile:

[Anne in CA]

Because we are using NARHS my son counted many things from 7th and 8th grade on his HS transcript. He did the work, and I'm glad to see him get credit for it.

[AnitaMcC]

If your child takes a course in 8th grade can you count it on their high school transcript?

 

Do schools know what year your child took the course or do they care?

 

 

For us in IL... we have a lot of flexibility. My twins took algebra 1 in 8th grade. I can count that as one credit of high school math. Then they would only have to take 2 more years of math while in high school. You don't have to show the years that student took the course.

 

You can make your transcript to show the courses divided by subject category instead of using school year (dates) as the category. So you could list math, science, language arts, social studies, electives as categories and then list the courses (credit given with grade earned) that fit in that category.

[gingersmom]

For us in IL... we have a lot of flexibility. My twins took algebra 1 in 8th grade. I can count that as one credit of high school math. Then they would only have to take 2 more years of math while in high school. You don't have to show the years that student took the course.

 

You can make your transcript to show the courses divided by subject category instead of using school year (dates) as the category. So you could list math, science, language arts, social studies, electives as categories and then list the courses (credit given with grade earned) that fit in that category.

 

So much to think about.

 

Where did you find out your states high school requirements?

 

I mean I know I can look at the board of education website for my state. But did you find a place that specifically told you, you could count Algebra 1 as high school math?

[Donna A.]

When there was a change to high school requirements in our state last summer, HSLDA did a webinar on it, and our rep said that as long as it's *legitimate high school work* and you can prove it, then it counts.

 

So you might want to check with them... and/or as the others have said, check on your preferred college's admission requirements for homeschoolers to see if they have anything specific listed.

[AnitaMcC]

So much to think about.

 

Where did you find out your states high school requirements?

 

I mean I know I can look at the board of education website for my state. But did you find a place that specifically told you, you could count Algebra 1 as high school math?

 

I have been told by several sources that I could do this...

 

Several homeschoolers who have done this, the local community college, and HSLDA high school counselor.

[Julie in MN]

My oldest son was public schooled. He took Algebra 1 & 2 during 8th grade. This is typically what parents worry about putting on their high school transcript -- although maybe you are concerned about something else?

 

Here are a few things from my experience:

 

- His high school transcript lists 9th-12th grade courses, but they also had a corner for "outside courses" (he took Alg. 1&2 through the university, so they are on there) and on the back there is his junior hi transcript. So, there are ways to include it if you really want to.

 

- It really isn't necessary if the student can show advanced work. Showing "Algebra 2" implies he has passed Algebra 1. My son never even took Geometry, and he was welcomed into every engineering & other college he applied to, because he had gone on to calculus.

 

- In reality, what is important is test scores and outside courses. Even if you say he had Algebra, colleges can't be sure what that really means -- what materials you used, how much help he had, etc. Even public schools are not reliable, and the only geometry course offered at my son's public high school was for kids trying to graduate, and when we went to check it out, the teacher had students coloring shapes! The rest of the kids had their geometry sprinkled into courses called "core 9 math" and so forth :tongue_smilie: I'm not trying to insult the schools, but just show you that the colleges we interacted with didn't value transcripts all that much.

 

- The only reason I can see for putting 8th grade work on the high school transcript is when the high schooler doesn't want to do 4 years of math during high school. I wouldn't recommend that, but I myself backed out of math in later high school and still did well on college entrance tests, & graduated from college in 4 years, so I guess it's an option.

 

- I'm not sure Algebra I on a high school transcript would look all that good anyways, since most college track kids take it in junior hi now.

 

- Whether or not your child has Algebra on the transcript, if he doesn't test well in it, he will likely still have to take algebra in college. Again, it's his testing ability that will matter more than his transcript.

 

Julie

Edited January 16, 2010 by Julie in MN

[K-FL]

If the text publisher says it's hs level, it is. NJ hs req. are on the web, but here's the gist of req. credits:

 

 

 

• Language Arts Literacy -- 20 credits aligned to grade 9 to 12 standards
  
• Math -- 15 credits including algebra I content (effective with the 2008-2009 9th grade class), geometry content (effective with the 2010-2011 9th grade class), and a third year of math that builds upon algebra I and geometry and prepares students for college and 21st century careers (effective with the 2012-2013 9th grade class)
  
• Science -- 15 credits including laboratory biology (effective with the 2008-2009 9th grade class); chemistry, environmental science or physics (effective with the 2010-2011 9th grade class); and an additional lab/inquiry-based science (effective with the 2012-2013 9th grade class)
  
• Social Studies -- 15 credits including histories and integrated civics, economics, geography, and global content
  
• Economics -- 2.5 credits in financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy (effective with the 2010-2011 9th grade class)
  

 

 

As to counting jr. high classes for hs (or putting them on the transcript), as a homeschooler you can do what you like, but it

has become very common for the ps to do this.

Edited January 16, 2010 by K-FL

[melmichigan]

I guess it really varies by state.

 

Here the requirements say: Awarding credit is based on proficiency in expectations, not seat time and can be earned prior to a student entering high school or by testing-out. I find this funny since the local schools won't allow children to take high school classes before they are chronologically of high school age so how that works is anyone's guess.

[Miss Marple]

The best way to approach this is to see how the schools your student is looking at approach the issue. If he/she isn't going to continue to college, it probably doesn't matter.

 

All of the schools we looked at required that the transcript show what was done in the 4 years leading up to graduation. They understood that many students take high school level courses in 8th (and some even in 7th), but they were only interested in the 4 years prior to graduation.

 

So...even though my ds is taking geometry in 8th (having completed Alg. 1 in 7th), they still want 4 years of math in high school (algebra 1 and above).

 

Before making the transcript, I would recommend checking the requirements of any potential university.

[AnitaMcC]

I guess it really varies by state.

 

Here the requirements say: Awarding credit is based on proficiency in expectations, not seat time and can be earned prior to a student entering high school or by testing-out. I find this funny since the local schools won't allow children to take high school classes before they are chronologically of high school age so how that works is anyone's guess.

 

 

Ds took the placement test for CC. He is placed at accelerated trig/precalculus. He took the geometry test and was waived the 1yr high school geometry requirement for the accelerated trig/precalc course. He is doing algebra and geometry now but just for my piece of mind to make sure he didn't miss anything.

 

Anyway, I wonder if I have to worry about him "completeing" algebra 2 and geometry. I want him to at least do them but maybe I could just let him do it as a "review" and not bother with keeping grades. Just let him do it more for fun....? Then for his math credits I could just go and count precalculus (I plan to have him take the two semester sequence) and calculus 1-3.

 

What would you all do with a 9th grader who can do algebra 2/geometry problems in his head without ever taking the courses? ??? He took the placement tests in June before he ever took the algebra 2 or geometry high school courses.

[Mom22ns]

All of the schools we looked at required that the transcript show what was done in the 4 years leading up to graduation. They understood that many students take high school level courses in 8th (and some even in 7th), but they were only interested in the 4 years prior to graduation.

 

 

This is what I have seen and what our local ps do too. It seems to vary regionally though. We will only show what is done in the last 4 years on high school transcripts, but that is a personal choice.

[melmichigan]

What would you all do with a 9th grader who can do algebra 2/geometry problems in his head without ever taking the courses? ??? He took the placement tests in June before he ever took the algebra 2 or geometry high school courses.

 

 

Art of Problem Solving!

[AnitaMcC]

Art of Problem Solving!

 

I will look into it, thank you.

[Jane in NC]

 

What would you all do with a 9th grader who can do algebra 2/geometry problems in his head without ever taking the courses? ??? He took the placement tests in June before he ever took the algebra 2 or geometry high school courses.

 

I would have him write out geometry proofs nonetheless. There is great benefit in knowing how to write logical arguments.

 

Secondly, Calculus students often lose points for algebra errors. If a student does not write out his polynomial long divisions (say when he is finding oblique asymptotes), his factorizations,etc. it is very hard for a Calculus teacher to give partial credit. Again, I would have him learn to write lucid steps. This will help him succeed in later math and physics courses.

 

Jane

[Sandra in NC]

So much to think about.

 

Where did you find out your states high school requirements?

 

I mean I know I can look at the board of education website for my state. But did you find a place that specifically told you, you could count Algebra 1 as high school math?

 

Here are the state of NC requirements:

http://www.cfnc.org/static/pdf/home/sc/pdf/min_course_requirements.pdf

 

At the end of page 2, counting Algebra I taken in 8th grade is specifically addressed.

 

Here is a link to a video that specifically addresses how to research minimum course requirements, regardless of which state or school you're looking at. It's about 20 minutes long. Researching minimum course requirements for all colleges is addressed about 5 minutes into the video.

 

HTH,

Sandra

Edited January 18, 2010 by Sandra in NC

[TravelingChris]

One additional thing you can do is make sure your course ends in the summer after eighth grade. Then you can legitimately place it in the ninth grade column.

[KAR120C]

Here are the state of NC requirements:

http://www.cfnc.org/static/pdf/home/sc/pdf/min_course_requirements.pdf

 

At the end of page 2, counting Algebra I taken in 8th grade is specifically addressed.

Thanks for posting this! It matches what we were told in a meeting with one of UNC's admissions guys -- that you put Algebra 1 on the transcript and all math after that, no matter when it was taken. It looks like the same is true of foreign language. But the guy said specifically that he wants to see Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and one other math, and they don't recommend dropping math after that, but he wants to check off those four. No one ever believes me when I say that. :glare:

[Sandra in NC]

Thanks for posting this! It matches what we were told in a meeting with one of UNC's admissions guys -- that you put Algebra 1 on the transcript and all math after that, no matter when it was taken. It looks like the same is true of foreign language. But the guy said specifically that he wants to see Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and one other math, and they don't recommend dropping math after that, but he wants to check off those four. No one ever believes me when I say that. :glare:

 

Note on page 2 of the document: only certain math courses "count" as that 4th unit of math.

 

Also, be sure you have 3 sciences including one life science and one physical science. My son took biology in 8th grade and I needed to be sure he took AP Bio or another life science in high school.

 

As you say, admissions wants to check off the minimum course requirements and if they aren't clearly included in the high school transcript, a student is out of luck!

 

I've noticed a lot of schools requiring 3 units of foreign language in high school and recommending 4. This is another area I'd be careful about!

[Pamela H in Texas]

If you do a subject transcript, they won't know what year it was done. This is more important if your student does something in 8th but won't follow up with enough high school credits. For example, if the college requires 3 sciences and you only do science in 8th, 9th, and 11th grades.

 

 

IF your student is going to have 4 maths in high school, then there is no reason to mention the 8th grade Algebra class. Colleges are plenty smart enough to figure out that a student who completed the next 4 classes completed the prereq. IF you want to put it on the transcript, I'd do it in the notes section.

[Kareni]

If you do a subject transcript, they won't know what year it was done. This is more important if your student does something in 8th but won't follow up with enough high school credits. For example, if the college requires 3 sciences and you only do science in 8th, 9th, and 11th grades.

 

 

Do be leery of this though. A number of the colleges my daughter applied to wanted to see what specific courses she had taken in 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th (to date). So, you may end up having to state what courses where taken when.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[KAR120C]

Note on page 2 of the document: only certain math courses "count" as that 4th unit of math.

 

Also, be sure you have 3 sciences including one life science and one physical science. My son took biology in 8th grade and I needed to be sure he took AP Bio or another life science in high school.

 

As you say, admissions wants to check off the minimum course requirements and if they aren't clearly included in the high school transcript, a student is out of luck!

 

I've noticed a lot of schools requiring 3 units of foreign language in high school and recommending 4. This is another area I'd be careful about!

Fortunately we're on the start-early-and-do-a-ton end of things, so as long as we hit the four we need, according to "the guy" we're free to do whatever math we want, as long as we're considering how it will look on the application. Basically he wants to see the kid take the most challenging courses he can handle fron all the possibilities available to him. The rest shouldn't be a problem either, as long as we keep the records straight. That's actually why it matters so much -- I really did have to keep real transcript-worthy records and use high-school-credit-worthy materials starting with Algebra 1. No matter how young DS was at the time.