Do we really need 4 years of everything?

[Adrienne_in_TX]

Please help me out with this . . . I'm trying to plan the rest of high school for my dd who is going into 10th. She still needs to finish up about half of her 9th grade work (that she should have done over the summer).

 

She says that she wants to graduate early, but she can't seem to get motivated to do the work. UGH. I digress.

 

What I really need to know is if it is necessary to have 4 years each of all of the core subjects-English, History, Science and Math. This is what is being done in the Texas public school, but I am aware that it is not this way in every state. We will definitely do 4 years of English, but I'm not sure about the others.

 

What is your experience/research as to what colleges expect?

 

Thanks.

[Melissa B]

Some Florida high schools offer a 3 year college prep plan. It includes:

 

4 English (must include comp and lit)

3 Science (2 must be lab based)

3 History (World, American, Govt, Econ)

3 Math (Alg I, Alg II, Geometry)

2 Foreign Language (same language)

3 Electives

[AngieW in Texas]

I go to a college admissions seminar every year and have also been on a few campus visits. They stressed that they really would like to see 4x4 (4 years each of English, history, science, math).

[Night Elf]

I'm sort of in the same boat with dd18. She has been working on Keystone classes, very slowly and hardly progressing. Technically, she needs 5 more credits to earn their accredited diploma. She's now working nearly full-time though, and isn't motivated in the least bit to continue.

 

In my state (GA), colleges expect, at the very least, this set of courses from applicants:

 

4 English: Grammar/Usage, American English, World/Brit Lit, Adv. Composition

 

4 Math: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Adv. Math

 

3 Natural Sciences: Physical, Biology with Lab, Chemistry with Lab, or other

 

3 Social Sciences: American History, World History, Econ/Government, other

 

2 years of same foreign language

 

My dd18 has 3 English, 3 Math, 3 Natural Science, 3 Social Science, and 1 year of foreign language. She also has elective courses she took in public school like music, P.E., and health. I don't think she deserves the title of 'graduate', not even from a homeschool. And even if I did tell her she could write 'YES' to a job application's question of Did you graduate, she certainly won't be admitted to any college program being as deficient as she is in the CPC requirements. I suggested she get her GED and be done with it. I'm tired of messing with her. I know it's harsh, but I've been fighting her on this for a year now.

[Quiver0f10]

I would find out if your state has any requirements and what is required by any college your Dd is interested in.

[K-FL]

Some Florida high schools offer a 3 year college prep plan. It includes:

 

4 English (must include comp and lit)

3 Science (2 must be lab based)

3 History (World, American, Govt, Econ)

3 Math (Alg I, Alg II, Geometry)

2 Foreign Language (same language)

3 Electives

 

As of the class graduating 2011, the state U system requires 4 math (and 2 electives--keeping the total credit number the same.) Here's the Facts.org page.

[Guest Barb B]

Seems so. I just looked at UT and Texas A & M and they go by the Texas high school standards. The below is taken from Texas A & M's web site:

http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/curriculum/SBSGradReqs2010_2011.pdf:

4 of math, science, and english

3.5 of history - Geography, american history, world history, Government

economics - .5 credit

speech - .5 credit

physical education - 1

fine arts 1 credit

electives 5 1/2 credits

 

This is for the texas universities. Thank God for my sons guitar lessons plus the church band he started (fine arts). Also, civil air patrol and generation joshua I counted for speech. PT was the year he did baseball fall and spring. Electives - 4 years of religion, .5 for drivers ed. And I believe that 1 fine arts or the 1 physical ed. will count toward electives.

Barb

Edited August 4, 2010 by Barb B

[Susan C.]

Yep, that is what I have to do in SC.... It sure takes out having many electives. Plus, now colleges seem to want 3 years of foreign language. You could dual enroll in 12th grade at college and get some college freshman classes out of the way so she doesn't have to do them AGAIN in college. Other than that, I don't know, I'm right there with you.

[ma23peas]

A lot of schools around here are doing 'compressed' courses (block scheduling, doing Chemistry first semester and history second but still getting a full hour credit for each)...even our son's homeschool science class is doing a full Chemistry course in 6 months..so technically he could finish 4 years of science in 2 years, the same with English and History...combining programs like IEW (Medieval) etc. and writing/composition/lit you can easily get double credits and knock out 4 credits in one year, just need to back it up with list of books read and critiques...like you said, she has a goal, she needs to motivate herself..and it can be done...

 

Tara