My turn ;) - critique this hs plan

[Matryoshka]

This is for dd15 who is gung-ho to graduate in 3 years.  She knows that it will require her to do some work over the summers, and that she'd be taking more courses at the CC at a time than I'd find ideal.  But I'm working it so that at least one CC course is an art course, and I think keeping math at home (assuming she likes DO, which she hasn't quite started yet but is about to) which will give her wiggle room to adjust pace.  I can't remember what the exact number of credits is the minimum to graduate high school, but I'm pretty sure this plan exceeds it, so she could also drop a class here and there as long as it's not in the critical path and still pull it off.  And I guess worst case scenario is she takes the full 4 years to graduate...

 

Her current idea is that she'd go to a state U, which would allow her to skip all their Gen Eds (we'd make sure she took the right mix of CC classes), and if she sticks with her current idea to major/minor or double major in some mix of Marketing/Multimedia Design, many of these courses would count toward those majors.  Or if she hates the courses, she can know to adjust course earlier... 

 

She is a smart kid, but in spite of her ambitious goals is the antithesis of those kids on the work/life balance thread.  With her current load she has lots of free time, even with Robotics taking up 36 hrs/week during build season, which is Jan/Feb.  Plus 6 hours weekly commute time.  Build season is just winding down, which is why I thought adding Algebra 2 shouldn't be too taxing to add at this point...

 

And, if anyone has any idea what to call the two at-home English classes, which are not a certain kind of lit (British, American, World), but also aren't easy to assign a grade level to (Eng9, Eng10) because of the compressed schedule and that one will only be a semester long, please share!!

 

@ ps in fall she did:

(.5) Health

(.5) Video Game Programming

 

Right now she's doing:

(1) English (Center for Lit semester + what she did at ps 1st half of year) + some MCT stuff

(1) Geometry (Wilson Hill)

(1) Algebra II (Derek Owens - she's just starting this, the plan is to start now and have it finished up by the end of the summer)

(1) World History (this is bare bones - just reading Spielvogel and answering the chapter/section questions; plus what she did at ps 1st half of yr)

@CC:

(2) German 3/4 (she's planning to finish both levels in one semester; it's a self-paced course and so far she's on track)

(1) Zoology

 

Summer:

finish Algebra II

(1) Drawing I (in June only @ CC)

 

Next year fall semester:

(.5) English: Homemade Lit (5 books we choose together that she listens to on audio and we'll discuss.  She hates to read; this is a compromise),

              plus 2 Braverwriter classes and some more MCT

(1) Precalculus (DO - the plan would be for her to start this whenever she's finished with Alg2, then continue till done, hopefully by spring, then CLEP)

@CC:

(1) Chemistry (not sure which level yet)

(1) US History 1

(1) Computer Graphics

 

Next year spring semester:

Precalc (continues)

(1) Physics (DO - start in spring and hopefully finish by end of summer)

@CC:

(1) English 101

(1) US History 2

(1) Intro to Business

(1) Photoshop

 

Summer:

finish Physics

(1) Drawing II @ CC

 

Final year fall semester:

(1) Calculus AB (DO - start now through spring; take either AP exam or CLEP at end)

@CC:

(1) English (Web Content writing if they offer it that semester or Short Stories or Science Fiction)

(1) Macroeconomics

(1) Typography

(1) Web Programming (if they offer it that semester) or Financial Accounting

 

Final Year spring semester:

Calc (continues)

@CC:

(1) English 102 (intro Lit)

(1) Statistics or Financial Accounting or Microeconomics

(1) Sociology

(1) Color and Design

 

 

(4) She also took Algebra 1 (AoPS), Intro Chem (Mr Q/outside labs), and German 1 and 2 (I figure no one will bat an eye at that if she did 3/4 at the CC?) in middle school - I could tack those on to her transcript as well.

 

I know there is no PE.  She is a potato (but very skinny).  I am trying to get her to try yoga, but I'll probably never get enough together for a real PE credit.  It doesn't seem like the colleges require PE, it's more the high schools that require it for graduation???

 

Her main extracurricular is obviously Robotics.  She's positioning herself to be the Business Team co-lead and Systems Lead (coordination and website) for next year.

 

ETA: I put all the CC classes in blue so it was clearer which ones they were.

 

Edited March 4, 2016 by Matryoshka

[Penguin]

For the English, how about:

Literature and Composition I and II

 

I doubt that many colleges care about PE, but she already has a half credit of Health. If you could manage to get a half credit of PE out of her, her transcript would align with many standard transcripts (0.5 Health, 0.5 PE).

 

Had to chuckle a bit as I am well acquainted with skinny potatoes.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Penguin

[MarkT]

Is "Photoshop"  a home grown course?   Recommend new title like "Digital Graphic Arts" and beef it up somewhat.

Application specific classes (trade classes) don't look good for regular college admission.  I would not take these at CC either.

 

I assume English 101 and 102 are CC classes.

Edited March 4, 2016 by MarkT

[Matryoshka]

For the English, how about:

Literature and Composition I and II

 

Thank you - that sounds much better! 

 

I doubt that many colleges care about PE, but she already has a half credit of Health. If you could manage to get a half credit of PE out of her, her transcript would align with many standard transcripts (0.5 Health, 0.5 PE).

 

Maybe if I counted all the years together I could come up with a .5 PE credit. :lol:  Maybe...

 

Had to chuckle a bit as I am well acquainted with skinny potatoes.

 

I've got two of them.  :001_rolleyes:  My third is a dancer, and dances 3-4x a week.  One of my potatoes wouldn't mind figure skating for exercise, but it's almost impossible to do that as you get older without private coaches and paying for ice time, and since she just wants to do it for fun and exercise, it doesn't make sense.  Wish I could convince her to roller blade, but she's scared of the pavement outside and learning to brake properly (so different than ice skates).  And at least that one gets a tiny bit of exercise in PE at school (that's my one ps kid).  This skinny potato is very happy in potato-land, unfortunately.  The last time she did any real exercise was on a low-level gymnastics team, where there was bullying, and she hasn't wanted to do anything since...  :glare: 

[Matryoshka]

Is "Photoshop"  a home grown course?   Recommend new title like "Digital Graphic Arts" and beef it up somewhat.

Application specific classes (trade classes) don't look good for regular college admission.  I would not take these at CC either.

 

I assume English 101 and 102 are CC classes.

 

They're all CC classes - I apparently didn't label them clearly enough! ;)  I'll go back and highlight all the CC classes in some color.   The actual title of the CC Photoshop class is Electronic Imaging/Photoshop

 

ETA:  Okay, they're blue now. :)  I'm phasing out homegrown classes as quickly as possible.  She does not do well being accountable to me.  This is one strong-willed kid (understatement) who needs to do it her way or else.  The only reason I'm okay with the DO/self-paced is that math is one of her favorite subjects and she wants to finish early, so if it takes her a bit longer, it doesn't really bother me.

 

Outside of the house, though, she does great - all her teachers think she's delightful. So that's why so much CC (we tried ps, but the relentless high school schedule was too much for her).  Even with so many CC classes it's many classes less at a time than at the ps, and only every other day - and a whole month off in January.

 

Edited March 4, 2016 by Matryoshka

[Matryoshka]

Is "Photoshop"  a home grown course?   Recommend new title like "Digital Graphic Arts" and beef it up somewhat.

Application specific classes (trade classes) don't look good for regular college admission.  I would not take these at CC either.

 

Somehow I missed this line in the first read-through. :)  The Electronic Imaging/Photoshop class will transfer to the State U as "Introduction to Electronic Media", which is a required course for both their Multimedia Design and Graphic Design majors, so it seemed like a fairly easy elective that she'd also get possible major credit for...

[JanetC]

Three thoughts:

 

1. You are not only compressing high school to three years with this plan, but her college degree time is shortened as well with all the transferable credits. Is she going to be ready for the workforce two years younger than her peers? Have you thought about any implications of this?

 

2. You seem to be assuming that drawing/art are "lighter" courses compared to the more academic ones. This may not be the case. My DD's CC art classes did not require reading or papers, but they did require lots of time to make art, and that required scheduling. A textbook can be tossed in a backpack and read here and there. A drawing board, a still life set-up, and a set of charcoals: not so much. Do not assume that just because they're art, these classes are automatically less time consuming or less rigorous in their own way.

 

3. My DD found the CC work so overwhelming that everything else we planned to do on the side fell behind at some point or another. You've packed work into your summers. Where are the catch-up periods and the breaks? My DD "lost" her Christmas break this year to filling out college apps and writing essays. Not getting the necessary downtime made her energy level going into winter quarter much lower. If her college app season is just applying for transfer, that may not be an issue in your case, but the need for occasional downtime will still be there.

 

Edited March 4, 2016 by JanetC

[Matryoshka]

Three thoughts:

 

1. You are not only compressing high school to three years with this plan, but her college degree time is shortened as well with all the transferable credits. Is she going to be ready for the workforce two years younger than her peers? Have you thought about any implications of this?

 

With this plan, she will be 17.5  when she graduates high school, which isn't super-young at all; in some states (NY is one) she would have made the cut-off to graduate then.  But she also plans to take the full four years of college; this just gives her room to take a double major (which she wants to do), or change majors if she changes her mind, or take electives that wouldn't otherwise fit in, or even lower her course load some semesters.  She's actually quite adamant that she wants a four years at 'real' college.  So she shouldn't be any more than a few months younger than her peers when she graduates.

 

But honestly, I'd prefer she take an extra year for high school and take less CC courses per semester.  And it may turn out that way.  But she is absolutely firm (at the moment) that she wants to graduate in three years, and for me to suggest otherwise means I "don't believe in her".  Siiiigh.  One cannot tell this girl anything.  So I figured I should at least make a plan - if she doesn't stick to it, that will be on her.

 

2. You seem to be assuming that drawing/art are "lighter" courses compared to the more academic ones. This may not be the case. My DD's CC art classes did not require reading or papers, but they did require lots of time to make art, and that required scheduling. A textbook can be tossed in a backpack and read here and there. A drawing board, a still life set-up, and a set of charcoals: not so much. Do not assume that just because they're art, these classes are automatically less time consuming or less rigorous in their own way.

 

Yes, we'll have to see how this turns out. I have no idea how much 'homework' these art classes might require; the one I took in college had none, but I hear others are different.  Right now, she spends a huge chunk of her spare time drawing, with pencil/charcoal or with computer programs, both at home and at Robotics.  So she might not mind that kind of 'extra work'?  The two non-electronic art classes will be over the summer, but that really means just June.  July/August will be free except for what's left of the DO stuff (which she can pace however she likes).  And no school in January. 

 

3. My DD found the CC work so overwhelming that everything else we planned to do on the side fell behind at some point or another. You've packed work into your summers. Where are the catch-up periods and the breaks? My DD "lost" her Christmas break this year to filling out college apps and writing essays. Not getting the necessary downtime made her energy level going into winter quarter much lower. If her college app season is just applying for transfer, that may not be an issue in your case, but the need for occasional downtime will still be there.

 

 

She's the one who wanted to do math over the summer to 'catch up'.  She basically 'lost' a year of math due to the ps flirtation, so she wants to get 'back on track'.  If she needs a break or takes longer, she just won't get as far as fast in math; or she could take Calc at the CC in one semester instead of taking a year with DO  This is why I thought leaving math self-paced would be a good idea.  Or she could just take four years after all... I think she's feeling 'left behind' as her twin sisters are both leaving for college this year.

 

And I know what you mean about CC classes taking over everything else - that's why the only 'everything else' is math, which she likes and she says she wants to accelerate (but I don't care if she does or not).

 

As for college apps, she'll likely only apply to State U (which has a really high acceptance rate and is test-optional, but don't tell her that...) and perhaps Flagship U, which was her first choice till she found out it doesn't have any kind of Graphic Design major (which left me gobsmacked, honestly - it has a huge art department, but it's all 'fine arts', not practical stuff). 

Edited March 4, 2016 by Matryoshka