Academic requirements and MT programs

<p>OK, guys, here's one I have not seen discussed since I came onto this board about a year ago:</p>

<p>Among my D's "big list" of schools that interest her (for BFA in MT) are those that require applicants to have at least three years of science to be considered. </p>

<p>My D is a jr at an arts high school that splits the day, essentially, between her academic and theater classes. Thus, the selection of academic classes available to her is sometimes limited by the fact that she is in, say, an acting class at 2 p.m. and that is the only time that the AP English course meets. (That happened this year. She also has to eat lunch at 10:30 a.m. in order to be able to take Spanish at her level. But that's another story. Some kids eat an hour earlier ... can you imagine? Sigh, well, I guess they suffer for their art .... :))</p>

<p>Anyway, if my D enrolls in a science class next year (and she is going to have to, because it would be her third year of science and that's required), it may prohibit her from taking either the language or the AP English course, and that will be her last chance to do the AP English. (And she is far more a language arts kinda gal than she is science or math! :))</p>

<p>Have any of your kids taken an online course (either thru a community college or elsewhere) to fulfill those science or math requirements? If so, did the colleges accept this? How did it work out?</p>

<p>I apologize if this has been asked and answered. I couldn't find it. </p>

<p>NMR</p>

<p>NMR, write me on this.</p>

<p>On the topic of three years of science, does that just mean three courses?</p>

<p>I'm currently in high school (sophomore) and have taken a year of science (biology) but am planning on taking two science courses at once next year (Environmental Science AP & Chemistry); after reading this thread I'm curious if that would be sufficient. :]</p>

<p>Hollylove, my daughter also went to a California high school and AP Env. Science was only a one semester course. This only counts as a half. You need to take the equivalent of 6 semesters of science for the colleges that require 3 years.</p>

<p>My kids did not take online courses to satisfy requirements. However, both my kids have taken Long Distance courses through Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) for other reasons. My older daughter took AP Calculus BC through JHU-CTY because she had completed AP Calculus in her junior year which is as high as our math curriculum goes (she was accelerated...both my kids did Calculus in junior year which nobody here does). She wanted more math senior year, so took it through JHU. She didn't NEED the credits to graduate or for college. Howver, her HS granted credit and the course and grade went on her transcript and was documented from JHU/CTY. My younger daughter took a college level writing course long distance through JHU/CTY in 8th grade for the necessary challenge for her learning needs. Again, it wasn't required for school and it didn't take the place of her English credits. But again, it was put on her transcript (documented where she took it) and the grade. This was part of her high school transcript actually, as she took many HS courses also in middle school. Many students also take college courses while in high school but that was not viable for my kids as we don't live that close to any colleges and they could not fit that in after school or at night due to their myriad of extracurricular activities. Their online courses were figured into periods in their school day (or in your case, could be done solely at home). I recommend CTY. However, for your D to qualify, she would have to have SAT scores. But I think you could see what local colleges offer but if that is not workable, see what long distance online courses you can find. I had sent MTMommy some links to various math courses online from a search I had done. I'm sure she could share that list with you too. </p>

<p>Is every single science class she could take offered when AP English takes place? Wow, that is odd. What is a senior supposed to do to get English AND Science if an Honors/AP level student? </p>

<p>I have one other suggestion. In my younger D's junior year (which was her last year of high school), she was up to AP Calculus. But here, the only kids who take AP Calculus are accelerated seniors. But she had accelerated an additional year. There was only one class section for AP Calculus and it took place during the highest level English/History class (an integrated Honors class) for juniors which also only had one section and that was her level. I understood it because normally the highest level juniors wouldn't ALSO be in Calculus. So, she had a problem. So, she was able to line up AP Calculus as an Independent Study with the Math dept. head one period per day. She never attended a class, but was given the notes and assignments and tests and had to do it on her own and ask for help as necessary. Both she and her sister had done independent studies in both middle and high school, including other math courses, and do well in that learning mode. (ironically, my older D JUST lined up an indep. study for a course in college because she could not take an actual class in the subject) My youger one got credit and grades for the AP Calculus course. Might your daughter be able to line up an independent study in math or in foreign language if there is a schedule conflict? One of my kids did French independent studies too (one year due to schedule conflict again due to acceleration in that subject, and again senior year because she had gone as far as French goes at our high school, French 5, as a junior). Just an idea. Worked well here. Same with the online option. All for different reasons and they didn't HAVE to have these courses to get into college. Solutions would work in your D's case, as well.</p>

<p>Ironically, I just interviewed a candidate from my region (different high school) for admissions to my alma mater, and he also had done the JHU-CTY courses in math and writing, as well as a course at Middlebury College which was close to where he lives. This is pretty common and students can get credit.</p>

<p>Susan</p>

<p>Susan,
I sent NMR your list. There is a good source of online high school courses that my daughter used, but I'm not sure if they take out-of-state students or not. It's UCCP: <a href="http://www.uccp.org/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.uccp.org/&lt;/a>
They offer AP courses, as well as regular courses. The courses are approved by the University of California system.</p>

<p>Thanks, everyone. I cannot be sure <em>right now</em> that her theater classes (which are taken in a big block -- from about 12:30 p.m. to dismissal at 4:15 p.m.) will interfere with her ability to take either AP English or the language she wants, but that is what happened this year. She had to take that early early lunch and forgo AP English (even though she was recommended for it) because she needed to continue her language class, which met when AP English would meet. They figured she can take AP English next year. There was nothing we could do about that. Thanks for the help. It might come in handy if the same situation arises next year.</p>

<p>My son took a distance course through Brigham Young University. They have a special homeschool and high school division. Their courses were approved by our local school and therefore once the class was passed, it was added to the local high school transcript. Very slick. This option was made available to students who couldn't fit enough elective or college prep classes into their schedule due to sports or arts (my son was in both). </p>

<p>I was quite impressed with the BYU courses. The quality was good, materials reasonable, internet piece was well developed, and tech support was good. The price was around $300 if I recall correctly.</p>

<p>NMR-
My D is also at an arts achool and we ahev had a variety of scheduling issues since 7th grade. One thing she gave up at that time was lunch. She is a dance major and dances on a short day for 2 hours but more tyipcally 3 and up to 6 and she has managed to survive not eating. We had to submit a note to the school agreeing that we were knowingly taking her out of lunch. This has opened up one more academic bell for her. She has found kind teachers who let her snack in class each year.</p>

<p>She took algebra by correspondence one year and that was OK, but I have a strong math background and could do the "instruction" which she needed. In terms of science, you may want to check if schools require "lab" science. Our state is moving towards this and this is a difficult part to deal with in the on-line and correspondecne world, although I am sure there are systems that have figured it out.</p>

<p>We have also come to realize that it is just not possible to do everything within the school day. This year we had to pull her out of the honors track for science since the class was only offered during dance time. At D's school classes that are taken as correspondence or on-line show up as transfer credits into her school, so a college doesn't know if they are taken via correspondence or not.</p>

<p>keepingcalm, you are right: it often is not possible to do everything within a school day, especially at these arts schools, apparently! Giving up lunch is an idea, though it is her only free period and she often dances <em>after</em> school until as late as 6:30 or 7, so I am not sure how her blood sugar would hold out! :) (I wonder now how the dancers can stand eating at 9:30 and then dancing for hours and hours .... I cannot imagine it!) Thank you to everyone for your suggestions. It seems an online course if not out of the question. (Susan, CTY is another option for us, and one I stupidly did not think of when I should have. Thanks for reminding me. It's a terrific program.) NMR</p>

<p>I think that taking an online course is a great option! I'd check it out with the universities that are on your D's list as well as the guidance department at her school.</p>

<p>My D did the state required Health class on line this past summer, because, since religion is mandatory at her school, she would have had to drop out of Show Choir and there was NO WAY that was going to happen! We had to absorb the etire cost for it which I don't think was fair, but bought her textbook on <a href="http://www.half.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.half.com&lt;/a> for $3.50 as opposed to the $65 for a new edition!</p>

<p>Thanks for that link, Lulu'sMomma. You know, show choir is a new concept for me. As far as I know, no schools in my area offer such a thing. I learned about it here on this list and when I met another CC mom during a college visit this fall, she filled me in on what it is. Sounds like fun.</p>