Transcript/planning feedback wanted

[SuperCrissy]

I would love some feedback on my daughter's high school plan. She's my oldest so she is our first high schooler.

 

She has no idea what she wants to study in college, but she likes a challenging schedule. Time management is a growth area :) so rigor must be balanced with realism. Despite all the math in the plan, literature is her favorite subject. She's actually really creative, but this plan doesn't bring that out.

 

Any comments on course titles or the rigor of the classes and schedule or anything else would be awesome. Thanks for reading!

 

She is entering 10th grade so the 9th grade classes are already completed. Ninth is pretty thin. Surprise job relocation out of state for my husband about half way through the summer complicated life enough that we decided to downscale English and history.

 

9th

At home classes

- English 1: World Literature with Composition, 1 credit (Bob Jones text, completed every assignment)

- Calculus AB, 1 credit (score: 3)

- Physics, 1 credit (Saxon Physics, completed every problem of every assignment)

- Rhetoric & Argumentation (I awarded one credit. This was well over 180 hours, but I'm still wondering whether I should award a full credit and what exactly I should call the class. She completed a debate curriculum and separate rhetoric curriculum, public speaking every week, 6 tournaments, wrote a speech, etc. At one time I worked in a law library and did research for a living so in addition to her own research for debate, she also did a couple of hours a week of guided research with me where she learned a ton of research skills.)

 

Outside classes

- Intro to Counting & Probability, 0.5 credits (AoPS. She did the class this summer.)

- World History through Film, 0.5 credits (Potter's School)

- Health & Wellness, 0.5 credits (Potter's School)

- PE: Club/year round swim team

 

10th

At home

- US Govt, 0.5 credits (I don't think she'll have time to study for the exam, but we're staying on an AP schedule just in case.)

 

Outside

- Advanced Composition , 1 credit (Potter's School. I'd like to add an American Literature component and call it an honors class. Or maybe award half a credit for a separate American Literature class. ?)

- Spanish I, 1 credit (Potter's School)

- Calculus 2 & 3, 0.5 credits each (She's hoping to get into the local CC Calc 2 class. We'll find out next week. If not, she'll do AoPS Intro to Number Theory/fall, Intermediate Counting & Probability/spring.)

- AP Statistics, 1 credit (PA Homeschoolers)

- AP Physics C: Mechanics and Electricity & Magnetism (PA Homeschoolers. I think I'm awarding one credit for the combined class instead of a whole credit each. This one confuses me.)

- PE: swim team

 

11th

All outside classes

- AP English Comp (Maybe also AP Eng Lit. ?)

- AP US History (Unless I can find her an international course on US History. She really wants to take a US History course from an outsider's perspective.)

- Linear Algebra (Local CC. Or she could take more AoPS.)

- Chemistry (She doesn't want to take the AP class. She could just take the Chem series at the local CC? She plans to take AP Biology. Maybe she should take AP Bio this year since junior year seems to be in the spotlight on the transcript. ?)

- Spanish 2

- AP Micro/Macroeconomics

- PE: at home, she doesn't want to swim all four years

 

12th

All outside classes

- AP English Lit

- AP World History

- some math ?

- AP Bio

- Spanish 3

- Art: Drawing (CC class)

- PE

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

My first thought was that unless you have a state requirement to have a PE class I'd be tempted to drop swimming off her transcript and use it as an extra curricular activity.

 

Second,  if she wants to attend college she will need a math class in senior year.  I have no idea what course that would be but if she is at the local CC or using AoPS they should be able to advise on a next logical step.

 

Third, I agree with adding lit to your 10th grade plans.  I'm not sure it needs to be American Lit-maybe there are a few novels that could compliment the composition course. 

 

Finally,  although this program would indicate that your daughter is very bright, I'd be sure to look into the prerequisites for the AP classes.  It seems to me that there are some that require a bit of basic knowledge rather than being a first course in the subject.  Perhaps she has covered that before high school or perhaps she'll want to do a bit of prep work over the summer so as to not be at a disadvantage.

[Jen in NY]

Just random thoughts here... If i were you I might sign my kid up for calc via AoPS this next semester... Perhaps at the end of the year your dd could take the calc BC exam and have a really solid understanding before moving on to cc for multi or lin alg. Also, here in my house apush+ AP lit + AP eng lang + an advanced math class at the cc would be unmanageable... Just not enough hours in the day to keep up with all the reading and still have time for other things in life. YMMV, of course... But I'd push the lit off to senior year for sure if you are definitely doing the lang junior year.

 

You might look into the potters school advanced comp to see if anyone takes the ap eng lang exam after it... If the content is similar your dd might be able to self prep for the exam and get that out of the way before junior year.

[wapiti]

There was a recent thread that might help  http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/524904-need-help-scheduling-an-accelerated-path-feeling-so-very-overwhelmed/

 

I agree with the PP that I would also plan to take the AP calc BC exam at some point.  I would shoot for a 4 or 5, especially if she might decide to apply to selective colleges.  I think that the AoPS courses you mention are a great idea to take advantage of the extra time she has to get a wider view of math and greater exposure to problem solving, if she hasn't already done much AoPS (what was she using before?).

[kiana]

9th grade: I think I'd call it Speech, Public Speaking, or something like that, to make it very clear that it was distinct and in addition to a regular 9th grade english class which would include both lit and comp/rhet.

 

10th grade: I agree with adding lit. I wouldn't award it separately.

 

Her math looks challenging. I would probably not take linear at the CC as this is one course that doesn't transfer well to 4-years. Some CC's teach it as purely computational and some include theory, but most 4-years include theory or offer two tracks, one with theory and one without. Here are some other options:

 

If she enjoys number theory, a college-level number theory text should be readily accessible after AOPS. I used a text by Burton for self-study and found it engaging and enjoyable. There is a student solutions manual but I did not have one.

 

Re-doing calculus with theory along the lines of MIT OCW's Calculus with Theory 1 + 2 would be another option, but I would complete some AOPS intermediate courses first.

 

Niven's Mathematics of Choice is a classic C + P text that may be enjoyable.

 

A college discrete math textbook could be another option. There will be a fair amount of overlap with the AOPS number theory/c + p textbooks but there should be plenty left.

 

If she completes calc 3, she could be ready for a serious mathematical treatment of probability and statistics (multivariable calculus is required).

 

If she's more inclined to geometry, Coxeter's Geometry Revisited is a classic.

 

If she ends up wanting to go more into social sciences, there are some cool books out there as well.

Here's an accessible book on Voting Theory: http://www.amazon.com/Social-Choice-Mathematics-Manipulation-Outlooks/dp/0521008832/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1408977490&sr=8-3&keywords=mathematics+of+choice

Here's a cool book on Game Theory: http://www.amazon.com/Insights-into-Game-Theory-Mathematical/dp/0521696925/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=149ZF7RSZV0HBN4B6JMP

 

ETA: This is all just to illustrate that there are options. She is far enough ahead that you don't really need to worry NOW about 11th grade and 12th grade -- I'd revisit math towards the end of 10th grade and see which options sound appealing to her.

[JanetC]

Just a note since you said DD didn't necessarily want a math related major : the requirement that they take math in senior year does not mean 4 years of math if the basic classes are all covered. She could skip math sophomore or junior year to focus on creative endeavors.

 

The other thing is to read the requirement carefully: our state school wants to see a quantitative class in senior year, but it could also be a math-heavy science or other class.

 

If she is a literature oriented creative person, you can make room for that by doing the minimum 3 years of math and science, and adding more liberal arts classes.

 

Also, a 3 on calc AB is passing, but not top of the class. If she learned the material in depth but didn't retest well, ignore this advice, but retaking calc 1 at the CC to make sure it's solid is another option. Making sure she has strong foundations in upper level math is not wasted time.

[kiana]

You know, I'm sorry, I didn't notice the 3 in calc AB. She might actually consider just enrolling in the AOPS calculus class this year, because it will review and extend her knowledge of calc AB and also cover new material -- it covers enough for the BC syllabus.