My son is a new lower and is having a hard time switching math from mth330 to mth380. The math chair won’t let him try it. He said 330 is a repeat of his summer work. Any advice? He also tried to add a second language and they wouldn’t let him. He is very frustrated. I’m a little surprised he’s having this experience.
Too little information provided.
What does this mean? That he knows the material in 330, or that he knows all the material in the 330/340/350/360 sequence? 380 is not for the faint of heart; it’s for the relatively high powered math students who till then move to Math 580 and placement is determined by the placement exam with secondary consideration given to prior performance and SSAT scores.
What is the second language in lieu of? With 5 classes, a new lower already has blocked out :
English 200
Math
Science
Foreign Language
History 201/Phys Ed 200/Art
If he’s trying to add a sixth course and the adviser won’t let him, then there’s a reason that you’re not sharing.
I’ll also add that adding classes/changing classes is subject to space being available and that the change does not require changing the entire schedule to accommodate schedule conflicts.
He was in the double accelerated math in our public school and moved down a level at his private middle school because that was the highest level they offered. He did so well in 8th that they asked him if he wanted to double up and take two math classes in 9th grade; Honors Geometry and Honors Algebra 2. He declined because he wanted to take two languages instead; Greek and Latin. He then took Algebra 2 at our local high school over the summer hoping that would give him enough background to move into Mth380. He has always been a strong math student. My question is why won’t they just give him a chance and if it’s too hard, he can switch back to the 330/340/350/350 sequence?
Sorry I meant 330/340/350/360 sequence.
Also, is 380 a continuation? I think his summer program probably covered 330 & maybe some 340.
Although @skieurope has given you a reliable answer, your son can ask this question directly of his advisor and get the student-specific answer. The school is aware of his preparation and the preparation of all the students around him and decided accordingly. If he is not satisfied with the advisor’s answer, he can pursue with the math department and he might be allowed to move up, but that may not be in his best interest. The short answer is that there is more to participating in an Andover math classroom than basic proficiency with concepts.
Several times I’ve posted our son’s experience trying to jump ahead in math at Choate, but will repeat for others who may also wonder about these decisions:
I will emphasize: Do not discount the part about learning how to participate in a BS math classroom. You will NOT be memorizing formulas. You will be taught first to clearly understand the problem you are trying to solve. You will learn to think mathematically about approaches to solving the problem without delving first into any formulaic toolkit. After that, you will learn some methods for crafting solutions. You will understand and own how to derive formulas so that you will know not only which to apply but also why, the same way a carpenter knows when to use a hammer over a saw. I remember one Parents Weekend watching three kids go to the board and correctly solve the same problem three very different ways. The rest of the class time was spent discussing those various approaches and why each worked. Very different from the match-the-equation-pattern-to-the-one-right-formula method I was taught in school.
It’s far more important that a student learn to think like this than at what level math course s/he starts or ends. There are no prizes for accelerating in math. You can trust your BS to place you into the stream at the right point and expertly guide your progression.
Yeah, I had a feeling it was going to be similar to our private school’s way of teaching math. He did enjoy the method more then the double accelerated public school approach of memorizing formulas. I do think he should trust the math chair’s placement.
Another student from his local private high school who did end up taking the two math classes in 9th was placed in BC Calculus as a lower and is comparing.
Thank you so much for the insight! I will pass it along to my son!
I don’t know if any of you can answer this question, but I have been wondering, for Andover admissions, what SAT score do they like to see for applicants for 11th grade? I scored a 1420 which I’m proud of but I feel like my SAT score needs to make up for other parts of my application which are lacking. Should I retake it, and if so, what score would be in the range for Andover?
No;it’s precalc jammed into two terms. Technically the course are 380A and 380B
While @choatiemom is correct, I think the kid probably did get a specific answer and either chose not to share with the parent. or else “heard” instead of “listened.” IME, the advisers will give very specific reasons, and not just say “No, it’s not possible” I will further tell you that, again from experience, that the adviser is almost always right in the reason, although the kid may not realize it until later. Incoming students need to look at the 4-year picture (or in this case, 3-year). As an entering student, I was unhappy about the fact that a couple of my schedule requests were denied. One of which, I’m still pissed about, particularly the reason given (policy; that’s the way it’s always been).But life goes on.
@ChoatieMom is also correct that the math class/method of instruction is unlike that at the former school.
If Greek is the second language he’s trying to add, it requires 3rd year Latin as a corequisite.
Does Andover stream athletic events so parents can watch? If so, what system/technology do they use?
Hello,
I’m new to this forum. I’ve been on reddit in the past, and just recently a friend of mine referred me to this forum.
From my research, I don’t think Andover live streams its athletics games (they might make an exception with A/E though). However, I think they might live-stream (or at least post) speeches and such on media.andover.edu.
Hope this helps!
Hi everyone
I’m currently a freshman at PA, and I came back to this website to give some tips to future applicants because I remember how anxious I felt when applying.
- Do realise that this forum’s data is quite skewed so when you see people’s exceptional profiles, don’t feel like you are not good enough to apply- you never know until you try.
2a) YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE EXCEPTIONAL - this is something I can’t stress enough. Yes, there are piano prodigies, math whizzes, and junior olympic athletes here. But there are average people too (case in point: me XD).
2b) Even though you do not need to be exceptional, you still have to have strong extracurriculars and grades. SSAT should be over 95% (most people I know ranged from 96-99).
- The coarse load is tough- I’ve been here for 4 weeks now and the homework load takes up to 7 hours a day depending on the classes. Do not come in expecting that you can manage your homework and get a lot of sleep (curfew is at 10.45 so I have to wake up at 4-5 the next day to finish).
I don’t really know what else to say, but if anyone has any questions about my applicant profile, applications, or life here, feel free to comment below!
(I’m not even sure anyone will see this post lol~)
A few questions…for both students and parents!
- What is the average homework load? Andoverkid257 (above) says the post " up to 7 hours a day".
Is that typical?
How is it even possible to do 7 hours in one day?
Andoverkid257 says he or she wakes up at 4-5 am and goes to sleep at 11:00-- that’s just 5 or 6 hours of sleep.
Is that what most of the students are doing?
- How often do you communicate with your student/parent? Do you text once a day? Do you text a few times a week? Do you video chat once a week?
No. IME, it’s 45-60 minutes per course per day, and for a freshman it’s generally on the lower side. Note that not every course will meet every day. Even as a Senior taking all AP-equivalent or beyond courses, I never had 7 hours/night. You also need to know how to fit projects into the day. If you wait until after dinner to start assignments, you will have issues. If you use some of the free time you have between classes (since you will not have a class every single period), you’ll find it more manageable.
No. Few get up any earlier than they need to. Freshman will generally go to sleep at 11, since they have mandatory lights out. Older students generally will go to sleep between 11 and 12 .
Now, the poster is a 9th grader who has 3+ weeks of classes in. I don’t know the person, so I cannot say that this is his/her issue, but many new students, particularly 9th graders, require adjustment to their time management and study skills.
Once a week, more or less, via voice. Email/SMS is not scheduled; it’s more like when needed, so for me it’s close to never. 
My brother texts them a bit more often.
Parent here. DC is in 9th. Communication in our family is student-driven and more than I expected. Usually a couple of quick calls a day while walking to Paresky or elsewhere on campus. Family group text a few times a week. DC is not a social media participant, so I’m thrilled to be gifted the direct contact. Workload seems light, judging by the amount of phone calls we receive. ?
Hi there,
Does anyone know of the Snyder Center is handicap accessible? Trying to plan for family weekend!
It is.
Homework load depends greatly on the courses. Certain courses have way more than 45 minutes a day of homework so if you are taking really hard stuff (even in 9th), you can have hours of homework daily. If you are taking easier math and science, you may not have quite so much. How fast you write, how well you write, and how well you use any free time during the day impacts how much homework there is at night. Some kids take an additional course (6 vs 5) and this means both more homework and less time during the day to do it. There are many different experiences possible at Andover. And although my student has spent a lot of time on homework, I promise you that there was never a 4 or 5 a.m. wakeup. My child would be incapable of getting up that early.
In 9th, I talked to my kid at least a few times per week, often during breaks while walking from one activity to another. In 12th, we chat less frequently.
I think everyone works at a different pace and has various tolerances for what grades they are receiving. My son has been spending many early mornings in his common area studying but he’s not great with time management. I think they catch up on sleep on the weekends. As long as your child is happy, I’m sure it’s fine.
I was wondering if anyone knows anything about Andover’s girls cross country team. I’m reapplying this year and I haven’t seem much on this website about it.
- What is the average homework load? Andoverkid257 (above) says the post " up to 7 hours a day".
There is a lot of homework but I don’t think it’s 7 hours a day, unless the student in question is bound and determined to get 6s in every class. Still, my daughter is buried under a lot of work most of the time. It’s a very challenging curriculum.
- How often do you communicate with your student/parent? Do you text once a day? Do you text a few times a week? Do you video chat once a week?
My daughter is a lower and since she’s been at Andover we facetime at least once a day. If we don’t facetime I at least get a text as to why.
When she went off at 14 I made it clear to her that she wasn’t an adult and that I wanted that much contact, and though there was a bit of resistance she is used to it now and even values it. I may be in a minority, though, and my daughter is 1200 miles away, not a few hours.
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