My son will be going to HS next year and I want him to get the AICE diploma for bright futures. Wondering if anyone has a suggestion for the easiest path to his diploma? He will be taking sign language for his language so he will definitely have to take AICE English and of course the required Global Perspectives. What would be the easiest path for someone who doesn’t love math but absolutely loves social studies?
Each school is a bit different…but
Most of the “options” will be around the sciences…and swaping a few AICE classes for AP classes.
He likely will need to complete the math cycle up to AICE Math. It’s his senior year when he’ll be able to choose between AP Calc AB, BC, etc.
He’ll be taking the AICE English classes through 12th grade. They do a great job of preparing him for the SAT/ACT, and will earn him college credit at the public universities in Florida.
On the sciences. Other than the “pre-aice” classes, they will have an AICE Physics, Chemistry, Biology and maybe Marine Science. Marine science is by far the easiest. However, he’ll have to pick at least one of the others (and he should for college admission considerations). Based on how he does in the “pre” class, he should pick one. If he wants to apply to a very selective college, like UF, he should pick two out of the three (Physics, Chemistry or Biology).
AICE can be a rigorous program, but it will prepare him for college and the standardized test (ACT/SAT). It will also allow him to earn 30 to 45 credits at the Florida Public Universities. And of course, the full Bright Futures ($$$). Not bad. 
Both of my kids earned AICE diploma’s and got into UF. They both took a “study hall” like class (“leadership”, or some such thing) that was a “standard” classes and didn’t count toward admissions, but it didn’t hurt their applications. It’s ok to fit in a “standard” elective (my daughter took journalism and worked on the schools paper, my son had a “gifted” class), into the mix, to lighten the load a bit. They don’t have to take 100% AP/AICE/Pre-aice/honor classes.
Good Luck!
Thank you for such a detailed reply. He does plan on doing leadership as well. It’s only 7 classes total from what I have seen. (Minimum of one from each of the core 4 groups) Including the required global perspectives. So I don’t think he needs to do aice English all 4 years. I think just general paper and one English language class. Definitely going to do Marine and Business as well. I think math and science are lumped into the same group? I would assume that means he doesn’t even need to take an AICE math course. I really need to do some more research. Our school just started offering AICE diplomas.
General Paper first, AICE English jr+sr year, preferably AS+ALevel if offered for English Language, or AS Language, AS Literature - if he’s going to go into Social Science, a strong English background really helps.
bio/chem/physics as intro or AS AICE, total 4 sciences (AICE Marine Science and AICE Environmental Management are the easiest if he’s not into science, and Environmental Management may be the closest to his interests since it is science applied to society.)
4 history/social science classes including AICE US and AICE European OR International + (since he likes social science) Economics and/or Psychology. Since it’s his area of interest, he should be strongest and take more than the minimum required.
Math: through AICE Math (or through precalculus and/or AP statistics; statistics will be important for social science; if he’s thinking of economics/business, he’ll need to take Business calculus, which requires a good foundation in precalculus).
Foreign Language: Sign Language “counts” for UF but isn’t really foreign and thus doesn’t count at most highly selective private universities. He could take Sign Language 1+2 if he’s interested but should add 3 levels of a live and foreign language (he can take Spanish or French or Portuguese at a local community college, 3 semesters DE are all you need).
AICE Design&Technology, AICE Business can be good electives.
It’s not necessary to take all-AICE classes, but 7 over 3 years is a minimum. Most students can handle 3 AICE classes a year.
A good curriculum that isn’t too strenuous:
2-3 AICE English/General Paper, 1-2 AICE science (including Marine or Environmental Management), 3-4 AICE Social Science, Global Perspectives, AICE electives.
Along with: foreign language through level 3, math through precalculus and/or statistics/AP Stats, each of bio/chem/physics.
Make sure he has 6 academic classes fr, soph, jr years (including all 5 classes) and at least 5 academic classes senior year.
Leadership is a great 7th class to have (it doesnt really “count” but it’s better than study hall and can be fun.)
Thank you! I’m thinking Aice Marine, global perspectives, gen paper, English language, business, psych, travel and tourism. That should do it, no? If they get aice history at our school I’d switch out travel and tourism for some type of history.
If he wants to be competitive for UF and assuming AICE will be his most rigorous classes except for perhaps AP Stats, he needs to take more “traditional” AICE classes, especially in history - only 3 of his 7 AICE classes are in “core” subjects (even if they count for the 7). “Traditional”, “core” subjects are English, Math, History (+ Economics), Bio/chem/physics, and foreign language.
Environmental would be better for a future social scientist/business student, but Marine Science is the easiest science and a popular AICE choice - make sure he takes bio/chem/physics even if it’s at the regular level only - perhaps take AICE Marine Science as a junior after Bio and Chem, and keeping regular Physics for senior year. (Senior year grades don’t count unless they’re below C, but course rigor senior year counts a lot.)
Business is well-paired with Design&Technology or Accounting (depending on what direction he’s going - entrepreneurship or tech business, v. more traditional business or straight accounting).
I’m pretty certain he isn’t going to be a UF kid. But he will definitely take honors chem and Bio. I’m thinking FSU or UCF. I’m looking at the AICE diploma because he will get bright futures without worrying about SAT/ACT scores.
US History is easy if you can form an essay. Econ is not as easy, but I’ve found it infinitely useful for in-state credits. Geography was interesting and easy, and I also found environmental management and marine science to be easier science courses. Gen paper, from what I know, is not terribly useful. I took Lit as a class, but did not take the exam. Now, looking, back, that might’ve been the most useful credit to have had.
Yes, the AICE diploma takes the test scores out of the requirements for Bright Futures. But, that doesn’t take them out of the minimum requirements for acceptance / admission to the college or university of choice. B.F. covers tuition and fees associated with credit hours, plus an additional amount per semester towards books. It does not cover housing and meal plans, unless you have Fl Prepaid or additional scholarships, as they can ultimately be applied where needed. Ideally, its great to be thinking ahead and to take maybe 2 AICE classes in the freshman year, 3 sophomore year, 3 junior year and have it finished. Taking one extra AICE class leaves some wiggle room in case one isn’t passed. They can pass the class, even with a good grade, but if they don’t pass the exam, they will not get Cambridge credit. AICE test scores don’t come out for several weeks to months after the class is completed. They also need 100 community service hours logged. Hope this helps.