<p>jkiwmom–exactly! I went to Robinson Secondary in Fairfax and the advanced/gifted students take Algebra I and a foreign language I in 8th grade. If you DON’T do this, you will not be in the IB Diploma track. If you’re not in the IB Diploma track, your chances at elite universities like UVA are very slim. That is why if parents/students are misinformed/ignore that fact, they might be at a disadvantage.</p>