Cabertmom Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 I have an upcoming 10th grader who is very interested in electronics. He can't take science courses at the community college until he is a junior, and I would prefer that he take both biology and chemistry there. He has already had Hewitt physics last year as a freshman. Has anyone taken an electronics course and counted it for science? He loves this idea, and I just ordered a book called Electronics for Inventors which, according to the reviews, several professors have used for college introductory electronics courses. He is considering both engineering and becoming a commercial pilot currently. Do you think this would look good or bad or just unique on a transcript? He has the time to do it since the community college classes would each be one semester, leaving him his senior year still to delve more deeply into a science where he has strong interests. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 I say yes, but I'm sure many will disagree with me and call it an elective. My state requires of its P.S. students (no req's for HSer's) that they take 3 Sciences. (2 with Labs), The 2 main Colleges (one is an Engineering school) require the same but recommend that a 4th Science be taken if the student is going to be a STEM major. I'm pretty sure the Engineering school would count it as a Science, the other might not. I would call it Science and add in some more Engineering/Physics stuff(electricity in particular). I'd call it "Engineering and Electronics", or "Advanced Electricity and Electronics". Here's the deal, if you can't count it? Not a big deal. You've already got CP, Bio, Chem, (the big three) and another year to make sure all your boxes are checked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 Just a heads up: Are you taking the CC classes for meeting high school graduation requirements only or for transfer credit? Our CC advisor said for transfer, you need to take the full year of science, or you will have to start over from the beginning. If you are thinking of taking a chemistry class for future science/engineering majors at the CC, I would look at doing chemistry next year, even if all you can do at home is a textbook course with no lab. College chem assumes a high school chemistry background. For example, at our CC you have to enroll in "pre-chemistry" if you do not know this list of high school topics: http://scidiv.bellevuecollege.edu/chemistry/files/2012/04/Chem161_placement-exam-info.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabertmom Posted July 7, 2014 Author Share Posted July 7, 2014 Thank you both. Regarding community college science classes, the main purpose at this point is high school credit, labs beyond what we can do at home, and proof for college applications that the kids can excel in something not taught by mom. If he ends up going to a state college in our state, I'm pretty sure the classes would transfer, though they may or may not fulfill all his requirements depending on his major. We're in Arizona, and there is a good transfer program in place for classes from the community college system to the 4-year system. My older two children both took an Intro to Chemistry class at the community college and did well. It was actually really funny because there is a viticulture program here that requires that class, and most of the labs involved testing wine. :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Lava Mama Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I have an upcoming 10th grader who is very interested in electronics. He can't take science courses at the community college until he is a junior, and I would prefer that he take both biology and chemistry there. He has already had Hewitt physics last year as a freshman. Has anyone taken an electronics course and counted it for science? He loves this idea, and I just ordered a book called Electronics for Inventors which, according to the reviews, several professors have used for college introductory electronics courses. He is considering both engineering and becoming a commercial pilot currently. Do you think this would look good or bad or just unique on a transcript? He has the time to do it since the community college classes would each be one semester, leaving him his senior year still to delve more deeply into a science where he has strong interests. Do you have a link for this book? :) Hot Lava Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Lava Mama Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Does anyone know of any kind of "basic kit" that would have many common electronic parts that could be used with beginning books (such as the one OP mentioned) to build stuff? I am thinking of having parts on hand so my ds could make basic stuff then order special pieces as needed. Hot Lava Mama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Do you have a link for this book? :) Hot Lava Mama This bookhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0071771336 Sample syllabus based on 2nd edition http://www.phys.hawaii.edu/~varner/PHYS475_Fall2011/PHYS475_Fall2011_8oct2011.pdf More detailed one http://planet.weber.edu/Electronics/Handouts/Syllabus3410-2012.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Does anyone know of any kind of "basic kit" that would have many common electronic parts that could be used with beginning books (such as the one OP mentioned) to build stuff? Have you tried the Make Electronics kit already? http://www.makershed.com/Make_Electronics_The_Complete_Collection_p/mecp4.htm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabertmom Posted July 8, 2014 Author Share Posted July 8, 2014 Hot Lava Mama, here is the book I was talking about: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071771336/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 We'll get it tomorrow. I'm going on the assumption that my son can plan out what he'll need to order to do the projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Thank you both. Regarding community college science classes, the main purpose at this point is high school credit, labs beyond what we can do at home, and proof for college applications that the kids can excel in something not taught by mom. If he ends up going to a state college in our state, I'm pretty sure the classes would transfer, though they may or may not fulfill all his requirements depending on his major. We're in Arizona, and there is a good transfer program in place for classes from the community college system to the 4-year system. My older two children both took an Intro to Chemistry class at the community college and did well. It was actually really funny because there is a viticulture program here that requires that class, and most of the labs involved testing wine. :-) I forget sometimes that not all states have the same CC-University transfer agreements that Indiana has. There are 30 plus classes that transfer from our CC to all the public Colleges without question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I would consider it science and think it's a great idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Lava Mama Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 This book http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0071771336 Sample syllabus based on 2nd edition http://www.phys.hawaii.edu/~varner/PHYS475_Fall2011/PHYS475_Fall2011_8oct2011.pdf More detailed one http://planet.weber.edu/Electronics/Handouts/Syllabus3410-2012.pdf Awesome! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Just a heads up: Are you taking the CC classes for meeting high school graduation requirements only or for transfer credit? Our CC advisor said for transfer, you need to take the full year of science, or you will have to start over from the beginning. This is true for your particular area. It varies based on the university policy or state agreement. OP, I have never seen an electronics course (or computer, CAD, welding, etc.) listed for science in any course description documents I have seen. That doesn't mean you can't do it, though. I could see an eyebrow up if it replaced part of B/C/P, but for the "extra" course, I bet it isn't going to look off. Will he earn more than two credits from his CC courses? When my dc took a CC science with a lab, I gave them a credit for the semester, because it was considered double "contact hours." So they could earn four science credits in two years that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabertmom Posted July 9, 2014 Author Share Posted July 9, 2014 Angela in Ohio, that is what I have done as well with our two oldest children--count a 1-semester community college class as 1 full credit and thus the equivalent of a 1-year high school course. It is nice that that leaves extra time for more science. The only downside is that I'm having trouble fitting everything onto 1 page for the oldest two children's transcripts. Not a terrible problem to have though. :-) When my 15-year-old first asked to do this, my first thought was to just count it as extra credit, but since he is really interested in circuit design and thinking of electrical engineering and since he can't take the lab sciences at the community college for another year, I thought it started to sound like a reasonable albeit unique possibility. I'm really happy to hear some other Well-Trained Mind folk agree! It gives me more confidence to say yes to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 Just a heads up: Are you taking the CC classes for meeting high school graduation requirements only or for transfer credit? Our CC advisor said for transfer, you need to take the full year of science, or you will have to start over from the beginning. Every community college system has it's own regulations and agreements with their state universities. The possible scenarios are endless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 My son did an electronics credit this year at home. I am listing it as an elective. I based my decision on how our county public schools would classify it. For them, it is a technical class, not a science class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Cabertmom. So how did your son like the book Practical Electronics for Inventors? Any advice for those of us coming up behind you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pod's mum Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Hot Lava Mama, here is the book I was talking about: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071771336/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 We'll get it tomorrow. I'm going on the assumption that my son can plan out what he'll need to order to do the projects. Here is a link to errata for this edition, about 1/2 way down on the right. (Sorry, other right. Left) The reviews are very positive. Looks good. http://www.mhprofessional.com/product.php?isbn=0071771336 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabertmom Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 Well, unfortunately it really didn't work out for him at all. It was way over his head and, despite the name, very theoretical. I think it would be a great text for a college engineering student. We ended up getting a different book after realizing it was not going to work for him. This is the book we switched to: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0596153740/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0071771336&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1JR3W538H47JPCRYGZ1B Even that, though, was not as fascinating as he had thought it would be. It was okay, and he got through it. When he started it, he had planned to do the followup book as well but decided not to. I am counting it as a 1-semester elective, by the way, and not as a science. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 … oops ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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