How much math is necessary to enter college?

[Gwenny]

My math-hating daughter will likely want to go to college.  What is the minimum amount of math that most colleges require?  It's been way too many years since I've last applied to college. 

 

With so many of her friends doing algebra in 6th grade, she is feeling terribly behind.  I want to assure her that starting algebra in 9th isn't going to hold her back.  I feel like waiting to cement basic math will make algebra more successful, so I don't want to rush her into it.

 

I took algebra in 9th, and was accepted into colleges without problem.  But with everyone now starting it so early, is 9th grade algebra now considered behind?  What if she doesn't get algebra in 9th and does it again in 10th?  What math is needed to do well on the SAT?  I do know that you need geometry.

 

I do know that I shouldn't stress over it and should progress in math at her own pace, but it would put my mind at ease to know that she was at least on the right path.  I don't know what she'll want to pursue after high school, so I don't want to limit her choices. 

[EKS]

It depends on the college.  The fairly selective engineering schools my son applied to said that the minimum was precalculus but I'm guessing that most applicants had had calculus also.  State schools frequently just require through Algebra II.

 

One other thing to keep in mind is that an additional year of arithmetic may not be as beneficial as doing Algebra I over two years.  I think a lot of homeschool parents keep their kids in arithmetic too long in an attempt to cement skills when a slower run at algebra (or going through it once and then again with a different resource) would actually make their kids more successful in the long run.  I've found with both of my kids that in doing algebra they actually strengthened their arithmetic skills.

 

I'd look at some of the colleges that you think your daughter might be interested in and see what their requirements are.  

[wapiti]

It depends on what you mean by "college."  Algebra 1 in 9th should be fine for an average student who is looking at average colleges for a non-STEM major; the student could still take geometry in 10th, algebra 2 in 11th, and precalc in 12th.

 

It would not be fine for a student shooting for highly-competitive colleges.  Note that highly-competitive colleges aren't going to care when the student took algebra 1, but how far into the sequence the student ultimately achieved, i.e, AP calc.

 

How old is your dd?  Your sig lists one in 4th grade in MM4, which, if she continued, would land her in algebra 1 in 8th grade. (MM7 is prealgebra.)  If this is the child you're referring to, now would be a great time to consider her situation, why she hates math, and realize that all she has seen is arithmetic, which isn't all there is to math :)

 

(As an aside, note that the Redesigned SAT, which begins this spring, will only have about 3 geometry questions, IIRC.)

[katilac]

Algebra in 9th is fine. Repeating algebra in 10th would not be a great choice, imo, unless absolutely needed. Yes, you want a good foundation, but a bit of time and maturity do the trick for many struggling math students. In any case, you want to pick a geometry program that has lots of solid spiral review. 

 

Just looked at your siggy - is this your 4th-grader?? That's way too young to be worried about high school, much less college! At this point, you just worry about solid, steady work and keep on keeping on. 

[kiana]

Doing MM on grade level is absolutely fine.

[Gwenny]

I've now updated my signature to reflect what we are doing now.  I sadly neglected it for 3 years. 

 

My daughter is in 7th grade now, but she is just starting CLE 600.  We used Strayer-Upton before and are moving to CLE for the spiral review.   I think she will be able to get back up to grade level by 9th grade, but I seriously doubt she will get to algebra before then.  She's actually not bad at math, but has a serious mental block.  I'm hoping that going back a grade will give her back her confidence in math and also catch her up on the geometry and algebra concepts that CLE incorporates in the earlier grades.  Strayer-Upton has none of these. 

 

At this point, my daughter wants to be a psychiatrist or psychologist.  She's young, so I know that will likely change as she matures.  She is fascinated by mental disorders and drug abuse, and reads about them constantly. 

 

I doubt she will be looking to attend a competitive college, and in reality, may have to attend community college for the first 2 years as she'll likely be financing this herself.  I am certain, however, that she will not be going into a technology or engineering field.  And of course, I do realize that psychiatry in particular does involve math and technology.    â€‹

[kiana]

Ok! Now your concerns make a lot more sense!

 

After CLE 600 it would be possible to move to a solid pre-algebra, but if your gut instinct is saying that it would be better to work through CLE 700/800 I would do so. Starting algebra in 9th grade is totally fine. She should work on math year-round until she is on track for 4 credits of high school math, including algebra 1, algebra 2, geometry, and an elective (the elective is not necessary to determine now -- if she continues her interest in psychology/psychiatry my personal favorite option would be to dual enroll for college algebra in the fall/college statistics in the spring).

 

Just in case she does not, though, if she is not ready for algebra 1 by high school, though, she is not. It is better for her scores on college entrance exams and on college math classes to be solid on algebra 1 and geometry than to have rushed through more advanced classes, have them appear on her transcript, and still do poorly on SAT/ACT and end up in remedial math. Keep meeting her where she is and working year-round. She should be fine.

[Tsuga]

Algebra 1 in sixth here would have you at least at Calc II in 12th so I'm confused about the timeline. Here, Algebra is standard in 8th and that gets to to Calc (phone capitalizes this, sorry) in 12th, ap calc if you do on summer math advancement course. 9th would get you to trig/pre-calc for sure, which is perfectly respectable for a humanities major at all but the most selective schools.

 

It won't get you a math scholarship and you'll need to work hard on the SAT to make up the points but I think you should be okay.

[Tsuga]

I've now updated my signature to reflect what we are doing now. I sadly neglected it for 3 years.

 

My daughter is in 7th grade now, but she is just starting CLE 600. We used Strayer-Upton before and are moving to CLE for the spiral review. I think she will be able to get back up to grade level by 9th grade, but I seriously doubt she will get to algebra before then. She's actually not bad at math, but has a serious mental block. I'm hoping that going back a grade will give her back her confidence in math and also catch her up on the geometry and algebra concepts that CLE incorporates in the earlier grades. Strayer-Upton has none of these.

 

At this point, my daughter wants to be a psychiatrist or psychologist. She's young, so I know that will likely change as she matures. She is fascinated by mental disorders and drug abuse, and reads about them constantly.

 

I doubt she will be looking to attend a competitive college, and in reality, may have to attend community college for the first 2 years as she'll likely be financing this herself. I am certain, however, that she will not be going into a technology or engineering field. And of course, I do realize that psychiatry in particular does involve math and technology. ​

Have you thought of using a different math series? Sorry if you have discussed this at length elsewhere. If you tell me "yes we've BTDT" I will believe you. :)

[ChrisB]

The other posters gave good information about what would be necessary to enter college.  I thought I'd give you an overview of what our large, local Catholic high school gives as the different requirement options for graduation, which is listed as 4 units of Algebra or higher math.  As you can see, there are many different ways to reach the final goal.  My guess is option 3 would be your college track STEM student?

 

Three tracks:

1. Algebra 1A - Algebra 1B - Informal Geometry - Intermediate Algebra II

2. Algebra 1 - some form of Geometry -  some form of Algebra II - Algebra III, Pre-Calc, or College Algebra

3. Geometry or Advanced Geometry - Algebra II or Advanced Algebra II - Pre-Calc or Algebra III - College Algebra, Pre-Calc, or Calculus (this track takes Algebra I in 8th grade)

 

It'd be good to check out a few potential colleges and see what their entrance requirements are.

[Mom22ns]

Most non-competitive college require 3 years of math Algebra 1 and above, so Algebra 1, 2 and geometry. That said, they all like to see 4 years of math which adds college algebra, precalculus or statistics. 

 

A community college will take a student no matter what their math level. They typically offer beginning algebra = algebra 1 and intermediate algebra = algebra 2 if students aren't ready for college algebra when they get there.

 

Psychology isn't a math heavy field. It is in the humanities. They will probably need a semester of Statistics in addition to whatever the general education requirement is for math. However a Psychiatrist is an MD and pre-med may include math up through calculus. 

[lea_lpz]

Most non-competitive college require 3 years of math Algebra 1 and above, so Algebra 1, 2 and geometry. That said, they all like to see 4 years of math which adds college algebra, precalculus or statistics.

 

A community college will take a student no matter what their math level. They typically offer beginning algebra = algebra 1 and intermediate algebra = algebra 2 if students aren't ready for college algebra when they get there.

 

Psychology isn't a math heavy field. It is in the humanities. They will probably need a semester of Statistics in addition to whatever the general education requirement is for math. However a Psychiatrist is an MD and pre-med may include math up through calculus.

If she is not planning to pursue a stem career and not planning to apply to a super competitive school, or to do community college and transfer, I would say Alg 1, Geometry, and Alg 2 would be fine. That means you could do Alg 1 over 2 years if need be. If she completes it in one year, I would recommend stats for her if she's leaning towards social sciences or humanities.

[Guest]

I don't know what to recommend as far as how advanced the math needs to be, but I do know that colleges really really like to see 4 YEARS of math.  So starting algebra in 9th, then algebra 2 and geometry (whatever order the next two years) and then SOMETHING the senior year...it can be "Math Topics."  It doesn't have to be an advancement (unless the program or college requires it).  Even at my son's cream-skimmer school, they offered a "Math Topics" class for seniors who were just ... not ... mathy but wanted to have the best possible transcript for college apps. My son turned down two colleges to take a gap year and BOTH of them recommended that even in his gap year, he take a math class in the community college ... they said the loss over one year is hard to bridge in college.  

 

FWIW. 

 

[Holly]

My DD will (hopefully) be doing Algebra for 9th grade.  She is behind in math, but keeps making progress.  I'm hoping to have her caught up before next fall, but she has a ways to go.  My plans for her high school years are Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and either MUS Stewardship or a statistics course.  I don't plan on covering Trig. or Calc. with her.  She will also probably go to a community college so I'm not overly concerned with college admissions.  I also don't see her going into a science heavy career, but I think this course sequence will still leave that option open for her if she changes her mind.    

[Gwenny]

I'm liking the idea of statistics after algebra II.  Although, personally, I think a consumer math or money management class would be more useful in life. 

 

We are still years away, but it makes me feel better to have at least a vague idea where we are headed.  Math is something we do lightly through the summer, so I feel certain she can at least tackle algebra by 9th.  If she gets ambitious along the way, she should be able to accelerate it more.  At least I've read of people accelerating CLE without too much difficulty.  Her being behind in math is more my fault than her lack of math ability.  To end battles of when math is over, I've just set a timer and let her work for the set amount of time.  She'd just dawdle, and in the end, progressed through the book at a snail's pace.

 

[foxbridgeacademy]

DD 12 (also 7th grade) is also interested in Psychology, although she's thinking more toward research not treatment. She's currently doing Pre-Algebra and will start Alg. in 8th grade but we'll stretch in out into 9th when we add in Geometry.  Geometry will be continued through 10th with Alg. II. We'll do only Alg II through 11th grade and then Statistics and Probability in 12th, as that's what most Psychology majors are required to take. 

 

I would not do Consumer Math, but money management is a great idea.  I'll be designing a course we'll call Practical Arts that will be an elective.  I'm thinking to include money management (credit, budgeting, shopping, among other non-money things).

[lea_lpz]

DD 12 (also 7th grade) is also interested in Psychology, although she's thinking more toward research not treatment. She's currently doing Pre-Algebra and will start Alg. in 8th grade but we'll stretch in out into 9th when we add in Geometry. Geometry will be continued through 10th with Alg. II. We'll do only Alg II through 11th grade and then Statistics and Probability in 12th, as that's what most Psychology majors are required to take.

 

I would not do Consumer Math, but money management is a great idea. I'll be designing a course we'll call Practical Arts that will be an elective. I'm thinking to include money management (credit, budgeting, shopping, among other non-money things).

I only went through Alg 2 in HS. Math just didn't click for me. I took stats in community college and it was a struggle for me but with going to the math pans for homework help I got a B. I transferred to UC Berkeley and only had to take 1 class for my major, Polical Science, that involved stats. It was a poli sci but used stats to do methodology and research. Again difficult to pass for me but i did it. On the brighter side most of my classmates struggled with it. Most of us were not math people. I ended up going to grad school for counseling. Same deal. One methodology course involving stats. Clicked a lot better this time.

 

Anyhow, I think that most colleges look at majors and most applicants in non stem careers do not do as well in math and it doesn't impact their success in these majors so much. Most of the students I knew in humanities and social sciences at UCB only did the required math and science and nothing more. I graduated 6 years ago so not that long ago.

[texasmama]

I've now updated my signature to reflect what we are doing now.  I sadly neglected it for 3 years. 

 

My daughter is in 7th grade now, but she is just starting CLE 600.  We used Strayer-Upton before and are moving to CLE for the spiral review.   I think she will be able to get back up to grade level by 9th grade, but I seriously doubt she will get to algebra before then.  She's actually not bad at math, but has a serious mental block.  I'm hoping that going back a grade will give her back her confidence in math and also catch her up on the geometry and algebra concepts that CLE incorporates in the earlier grades.  Strayer-Upton has none of these. 

 

At this point, my daughter wants to be a psychiatrist or psychologist.  She's young, so I know that will likely change as she matures.  She is fascinated by mental disorders and drug abuse, and reads about them constantly. 

 

I doubt she will be looking to attend a competitive college, and in reality, may have to attend community college for the first 2 years as she'll likely be financing this herself.  I am certain, however, that she will not be going into a technology or engineering field.  And of course, I do realize that psychiatry in particular does involve math and technology.    â€‹

Being a psychiatrist requires an M.D., which is very math-heavy.  Psychology requires a good grasp of statistics.

 

I have a master's degree in a mental health profession.  My undergraduate degree required pre-calculus, which I thought was odd.  I also had to take a year of chemistry (a math-heavy science).  For my graduate degree, I was required to take statistics prior to entry into the program.  In other words, it was an undergraduate level course which was a prerequisite to graduate school.

 

I found it easier to take the math-focused courses at the CC, as math was a significant relative weakness of mine, beginning in elementary school.  However, it did not deter me from my goal of a master's degree in a mental health profession.  I could have obtained a Ph.D. in psychology, but I am not at all certain I could have obtained an M.D. or become a psychiatrist.  Psychiatric nurse practitioner is another field which combines medical and mental health.  Just some thoughts for your dd.   :)

[wapiti]

Wouldn't psychology require calc-based statistics?  I can't wrap my mind around any other alternative for a profession making such use of stats.  Accordingly, I'd be looking at continuing the path toward calc, with precalc in high school.

[Lanny]

My DD has just begun 9th grade and she has just begun Algebra 1. She is excellent with Math. I did not want to push her into Algebra 1 in an earlier grade, because I want her to be as solid with Algebra 1 as is possible. She will have 4 years of Math in High School, including Pre Calc. I would prefer that she take Calc in university, especially if she is going to be a STEM major.    I believe to get into a good university, Pre Calc is probably the minimum, but that will vary from school to school and if the school is public, depend upon the state laws.  GL

[littlebug42]

Math is not my daughter's strong suit.  She is in 9th grade this year and we are doing Lial's Basic college math/pre-algebra this year.  Then, it will be algebra 1 in 10th and geometry in 11th.  Then, the goal is to get her to take the Math Excursions class at the CC in 12th grade.  She wants to be a musical theatre major and that is the only math class required for her college major.  I am also planning on taking the ACT rather than the SAT as it has less math requirements.  If we make it through this plan without complete meltdown, it will be a miracle but this is the path I feel will work the best for her.  would it get her into a super competitive college?  Probably not? But, I think it will be sufficient for the BFA programs she is looking at. 

[mom2att]

My dd took Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II as a high schooler. She then took College Algebra and Statistics as dual enrollment courses, earning both high school and college credit. She was thrilled to learn these fulfilled her math requirement at the state U she attends. She gets good grades in math, but she doesn't like it--she's all humanities, all the time.  Her college isn't super competitive, but it's a great state school. Her math sequence was not a problem for admission.

 

 

[carriede]

I have a BS in Psych. Had to take Stat 1 and 2 in college. I'm not sure what the pre requisite was, but cal 1 was not needed. Not sure about pre calc.

 

But that's just for the undergrad. A master's or higher might need more.

[texasmama]

I have a BS in Psych. Had to take Stat 1 and 2 in college. I'm not sure what the pre requisite was, but cal 1 was not needed. Not sure about pre calc.

 

But that's just for the undergrad. A master's or higher might need more.

These are my thoughts.  I did not have calculus prior to taking Stats 1. 

[J-rap]

One of my daughters took Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II in high school.  She got into every college she applied at, with the intent to major in communications.  She didn't apply at top tier schools, but applied at good, solid, private liberal arts colleges.  If she suddenly decided to change and go with a math-heavy major, she would need to catch up with her math, but she's already in college so I assume she would work it out with them.

 

With all of my kids, sometimes it would take us longer to get through math (in high school) -- sometimes we switched curriculum entirely, sometimes it took two years.  We didn't list how long it took us on transcripts, only that they did it and received the full credit.

 

 

[Twigs]

For psychiatry, she'll need a  medical degree. That will include chemistry for science majors, organic chemistry, and algebra-trig based physics. In order to keep on a good course schedule in college, she should have high school math through trig and good solid courses in chemistry and physics. Those are very difficult college classes and need that prep work in high school.

[Starr]

It's always best to look online or visit the admissions dept of a few colleges a student might be interested in before it's time to apply. Plan generally for high school by 8th grade.

[deerforest]

I was in a PhD program for neuro and cognitive psychology, and we were required to take several high-level statistics courses. It was a science-heavy research-focused PhD program, not counseling. For undergrad, I had AP calc credits from high school, and the only math I took in my competitive undergrad college was a couple years of statistics. 

 

I think an undergrad or masters terminating program in psychology would have significantly fewer math requirements than a research-based PhD or MD program in psychology or psychiatry.

 

ETA: Perhaps I should disclose that I entered college in 1987 and grad school in 1991 so my data might not apply to today's career paths!

[Mom22ns]

Wouldn't psychology require calc-based statistics?  I can't wrap my mind around any other alternative for a profession making such use of stats.  Accordingly, I'd be looking at continuing the path toward calc, with precalc in high school.

 

Just for grins, I looked at what an BS in Psychology requires at the college ds is attending. No calc. Just one stats course which is the stats course that AP Stats gives credit for. I checked the college where dd plans to attend, same story. Both of these colleges require Pre-Calc for everyone. Dd's perspective college requires that same level of stats for everyone too. 

[Spy Car]

My math-hating daughter will likely want to go to college.  What is the minimum amount of math that most colleges require?  It's been way too many years since I've last applied to college. 

 

With so many of her friends doing algebra in 6th grade, she is feeling terribly behind.  I want to assure her that starting algebra in 9th isn't going to hold her back.  I feel like waiting to cement basic math will make algebra more successful, so I don't want to rush her into it.

 

I took algebra in 9th, and was accepted into colleges without problem.  But with everyone now starting it so early, is 9th grade algebra now considered behind?  What if she doesn't get algebra in 9th and does it again in 10th?  What math is needed to do well on the SAT?  I do know that you need geometry.

 

I do know that I shouldn't stress over it and should progress in math at her own pace, but it would put my mind at ease to know that she was at least on the right path.  I don't know what she'll want to pursue after high school, so I don't want to limit her choices. 

 

Under the Common Core standards the "start" for CC Algebra 1 (remembering that CC Algebra 1 standards are higher than "old" standards for Algebra 1 in most places, so CC Algebra 1 is more like Algebra 1.5) has been pushed "back" to 8th Grade for most students, and 9th for some.

 

Under CC "accelerating" Algebra is considered (rightly or wrongly) a big no-no. Here in CA most school districts don't allow CC Algebra 1 prior to 8th Grade. My son is in one of the rare programs that allows for CC Algebra 1 in 7th, but that is now a rarity.

 

On the other hand, CC Algebra 1 is harder course than what used to be considered Algebra 1.

 

Bill

[Lanny]

@OP    This will obviously vary, from school to school and from state to state. Here are the minimum requirements for Tech (Texas Tech University)

 

High School Subjects

Units Required

English

4

Mathematics*

4

Laboratory Science+

4

Foreign Language^

2

 * Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II are the courses recommended for admission.

+ Biology I, Chemistry I, or Physics I are the courses recommended for admission.

^ If two years of the foreign language are not completed in high school, at least two semesters of a single foreign language will be required at the college level.

[lea_lpz]

I think calculus and lots if science is only going to be necessary of she plans to be a psychiatrist or psych nurse. Then you are going the pre-med route and so you need the same background as a medical doctor who specializes in mental health.

 

If she plans to obtain only a bachelors than I think 1-2 stats classed is all she'll be required to do in college. If she does it senior year she 'may not even have a college math class to take.

 

If she does a masters in psychology, such MFT or LPCC, then she might do one more in grad school.

 

Honestly she's only in 6th grade right? Who knows what she's really going to want to do as a career. If you are pretty sure she's not going STEM try to do stats senior year. If she doesn't get that far it's not the end of the world. She can apply to schools, see where she gets in and if she doesn't get into the school of her dreams, she can go to community college and transfer. It's a lot easier to get into top public schools as a transfer then out of high school actually.

[lea_lpz]

 

@OP This will obviously vary, from school to school and from state to state. Here are the minimum requirements for Tech (Texas Tech University)

 

High School Subjects

Units Required

English

4

Mathematics*

4

Laboratory Science+

4

Foreign Language^

2

* Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II are the courses recommended for admission.

+ Biology I, Chemistry I, or Physics I are the courses recommended for admission.

^ If two years of the foreign language are not completed in high school, at least two semesters of a single foreign language will be required at the college level.

This is pretty universal. I have worked in admissions at UC Berkeley and with prospective transfer students and newly admitted transfers. Plenty of students get in with the required only without doing the recommended. What your major is heavy impacts where admissions wants your strong areas to be and were they are ok with seeing the minimum requirements met. So candidate wanting to major in social sciences with AP Lang and history but only 3 years of college math and 2-3 of science will still be a strong candidate.

 

Personally I feel some kids are not developmentally ready for alg at 13. I think some aren't ready until they are 15. It's sort of like reading to me. Most kids are ready at 5, some at 4, and some not until they are 6 or 7. In the end they all read and the late readers score no differently than the early ones by about 4-5th grade. I think the same can be said for math.

 

Work at your dd's pace.

[kiana]

Yeah, the appropriate time to decide about senior-year math is around junior-year time. By then she'll have a lot more narrowed down. If she gets algebra and geometry and algebra 2 finished, she can make up her mind and change it anytime up to and including the beginning of senior year. 

[LMCme]

Just to comment on career choices and what she needs -- you can be a psychiatrist (an MD) without doing Calc in high school, however admission to MD programs is highly competative so starting a community college would likely limit her in that regard; plenty of English majors go to medical school, though.  Psychology is a far more open field in some ways (i.e., many people who would be called popularly a psychologist don't have a Ph.D. in psychology, they have a masters in social work and are 'councellors').  Finally, psych nurse practitioner may be a good route for her as she would then have prescribing authority, but the career path is far more tolerant of the bumps that being self funded cause (i.e., you get your RN, you can work as an RN while getting your masters part time).

 

Either way, (1) the 'algebra' being done in 6th grade is often/usually not the same as high school algebra.  Remember that 1+x=6 is technically algebra, but would usually be in a 6th grade curriculum... we just used to call it '6th grade math' when we were in school and now the hoity-toities call it 'algebra'.  (2) no matter what her eventual goals are she can only do what she can do at this point developmentally and motivationally.  (3) Even MIT requires only 'math through Calculus'.  They go on to talk about AP tests and such, but no where is it required that you actually do those things.  That said, my guess is your average "I want to go to MIT" student is doing more than the minimum requirements.... but still, you can do math through Calc without doing Algebra before 9th grade if you are a STEM kind of person and interested in doing that sort of thing.

 

Best,

LMC

[Alessandra]

This is pretty universal. I have worked in admissions at UC Berkeley and with prospective transfer students and newly admitted transfers. Plenty of students get in with the required only without doing the recommended. What your major is heavy impacts where admissions wants your strong areas to be and were they are ok with seeing the minimum requirements met. So candidate wanting to major in social sciences with AP Lang and history but only 3 years of college math and 2-3 of science will still be a strong candidate.

 

Personally I feel some kids are not developmentally ready for alg at 13. I think some aren't ready until they are 15. It's sort of like reading to me. Most kids are ready at 5, some at 4, and some not until they are 6 or 7. In the end they all read and the late readers score no differently than the early ones by about 4-5th grade. I think the same can be said for math.

 

Work at your dd's pace.

That sounds familiar. Our schools do algebra typically in 8th grade, but also in 7th and 9th. The placement decision is based on scores on state tests AND an algebra readiness test. The school points out that even perfect scores on state tests and previous classes is not enough to qualify for early algebra if readiness test shows algebra would not be developmentally appropriate at the time.

[MerryAtHope]

I doubt she will be looking to attend a competitive college, and in reality, may have to attend community college for the first 2 years as she'll likely be financing this herself.  I am certain, however, that she will not be going into a technology or engineering field.  And of course, I do realize that psychiatry in particular does involve math and technology.    â€‹

 

If you have community college options, she can get in with very little math--they'll have her take remedial math if needed. I know a student who started having only gotten through Algebra 1 and Geometry in high school, students who got farther but didn't test well who retook classes etc... They'll meet her needs.

 

When we were looking at state schools and middle-of-the-road private schools, most wanted 3 years of high school math (Alg 1, Geometry, Alg 2). I wouldn't worry about how far you get if you have CC options, just try to give her a solid base of understanding and get as far as she is able. The brain develops at different rates.