<p>Doing what you love is one thing, planning your courses in advance is still valid. And figuring out questions such as, if you want to take two languages, should you take 3-2 or is 2 years of each okay (the former preferred in most cases if you're thinking of applying to the most competitive colleges). If you love doing band/orchestra, how many class slots will that leave you? It's a non-trivial consideration, at least at my D's high school. She entered 9th grade with about a one course room to maneuver if she was to accomplish everything she wanted over four years.</p>
<p>The other thing that 9th grade is not too early for is to get your student thinking about colleges. Not forcing in any direction but at least giving them a conceptual map to contemplate over the next three years. The summer before 9th grade, I sat down with a couple of the mega college guides and came up with a list of questions for D: urban/rural? university or LAC? how competitive? geography? Not too much more than that, kept it general, and nothing was carved in stone. But it got her thinking about things. Spring of 9th grade, we were visiting TheMom's family in St. Louis and then spending a couple of vacation days in Chicago, where we took a few hours to visit Northwestern, which met D's criteria. It was just a toe in the water. Next year, when she visited Georgetown/George Washington/American/Gettysburg, she had something to compare it to. By 11th grade, she hit the college visits in her prime target area, the Boston to New York death march, with confidence and assurance.</p>
<p>The long process may not work for everyone but it helped my D a lot.</p>
<p>I don't think there is anything wrong with looking ahead with a 9th grader. As other posters have pointed out, it's important to be aware of the prerequistes for the upper level classes. Better to keep all the doors open so there are lots of choices in colleges.</p>
<p>I have a 9th grader as well as a recent college grad and a college sophmore. I think it was good for our youngest to be aware of the college search of his older siblings and to see that it can be sort of fun. To me, the idea that you can start over in a new area of the country is quite exciting. I've tried to get the message across that the whole point of college is to discover your passion and then figure out how to support yourself doing what you love. To that end how cool is it to be able to find a college to help you do that?</p>
<p>mamabear - How funny that your HS wanted to make earth science mandatory. Biology is required for all 9th graders in my sons PA HS. Earth Science is an option for juniors or seniors but many opt for physics and then AP physics. I'm suprised that hasn't changed if what you say is true about the PSSA's. They certainly seem to drive curriculum changes here.</p>
<p>Some general advice to parents of 9th graders, in no particular order:</p>
<ol>
<li>Sure, plan ahead in certain areas, such as your child's strongest subjects. For example, if your child is strong in math, make sure they get to Calculus AP by senior year (they may have been put ahead even in middle school). If they're really strong, take the AP sooner, then try to get them into a college course nearby during the year or further away during the summer. Silly to plan out all courses, including electives, for the next four years--that is extreme. Too much pressure and lack of freedom for the child.</li>
<li>Take responsibility for your child's college preparation, don't rely on the college counselor. My son's school didn't push the SATII's properly. He needed one in Chem and the school taught Chem sophomore year (without recommending SATII at the end), then biology junior year, and he ended up taking the Chem SATII in the fall of his senior year, long after he should have (should have taken it at the end of sophomore year when the material was fresh in his mind). College counselors also frequently talk about being realistic about colleges, but often try too hard to lower expectations. Son is now attending what they called for him a "far reach" school, and is doing just great. He was perfectly qualified, in fact a good match (as one of their admissions folks later told me).</li>
<li>Don't let your child spend his/her summer doing nothing. Job, volunteer work, course, etc. are all better than vegetating.</li>
<li>As said before in this thread, help them find a passion and be supportive.</li>
<li>Be flexible and adaptable. Roll with the punches and don't be afraid to change direction. Have a general four-year plan, but worry most about what needs to happen during the next year or so. Make summer plans early in the year.</li>
<li>Don't push too hard--with mine we found it almost always had the opposite effect from what was desired (reverse psychology). Teenagers rebel--it's preprogrammed in them. Encourage them to think for themselves, discuss the implications of decisions they might make.</li>
</ol>
<p>These were relevant to us. Hope they're helpful to others too.</p>
<p>I have not read the whole thread. However, I like to comment that by the time my kid is in 7th or 8th grade she is pretty much know what she likes and doesn't like. For example, for EC, D2 does the same thing since kindergarten. She also knows what academic subject she likes. She has been winning awards in both her EC and academic subject for a few years. She has expressed trying a few new things, but that is on top of what she is already enjoy doing, not dropping what she is doing.</p>
<p>I also have a "gifted" (whatever) eighth grader and being a typical CC/type A mom, have given some passing thought to his future high school path. However, as the mom of a college sophomore and high school senior, I have come to find truth in the old quote..."the best laid plans of mice and men..."
I have come to the conclusion now that my kids will need to take control of their own futures. You can lead a kid to the most "optimal" high school schedule for admission to the most elite colleges but you cannot internally motivate him to want it as much as you do. So be it.<br>
After one long evening of frustration with my son over his work habits (waits to start homework until after supper then is up to 11 doing it....this is only eighth grade for goodness sake. He is taking two high school classes/honors geometry and Spanish 2 that give massive amounts of homework though) I told him that his future is all in his hands. His father and I will send him to the best college that HE can get himself into. I no longer nag or direct him and he no longer fights me. We are all happier. </p>
<p>BTW-
UCF in Orlando has a major Game Design program on both the undergraduate and graduate level.</p>
<p>I think the best thing you can do for your 9th grader is encouraging independent reading. It builds the knowledge base, increases literacy, produces an interesting, engaged scholar and will help your child more than anything else to figure out his/her interests and perspective. Subscribe to several newspapers, spend absurd amounts on Amazon, have a load of magazines in the home, surround your kid with the written word. Test scores will benefit, high school teachers will recognize the real deal scholar in their classroom, college app essays will be literate and in the voice of a true scholar. I think the super busy EC-rich high schooler often loses out on this aspect of their education. In fact, I'd go so far as to say the actual high school coursework -- including APs -- play a secondary role to the self-education that should be taking place right now for a ninth grader.</p>
<p>There seems to be a feeling in this thread that there are two mutually exclusive approaches to helping a 9th grader: encouraging personal development vs. making a four-year plan.</p>
<p>Actually, there is no contradiction between the two approaches. Ninth graders do indeed need to explore and develop their interests. But at the same time, they also need to be protected from making choices that will harm them later (such as, for example, dropping their foreign language prematurely). Having a tentative four-year academic plan for high school helps in this regard. </p>
<p>Parents who find out what's going to be needed later can help their kids to avoid making mistakes that will limit their future choices and thus their ability to develop whatever interests they have. The two approaches can be complementary rather than contradictory.</p>
<p>You really don't know, as the parent of an early ninth grader, the twists and turns that will take you to the spot you sit in as the parent of a 12th grader. Our very high functioning math/science student, who looked to be headed to MIT when he was an early teen, ended up with his own plans.</p>
<p>It's been an interesting road for us, but let's just say that had we overplanned in eighth or ninth grade, it would have been for naught. Our son started making noises about music school when he was 14, but we didn't really listen that carefully. However, he was persistent, and we began to have some objective indications that he had not only the drive, but the talent as well. So, we have let things unfold, which has been an interesting process, to say the least. Had we controlled too much, it is unlikely that he would have had the freedom to pursue his own dreams, and not ours.</p>
<p>I realize that this is an unorthodox approach on CC, but I thought I would share it anyway.</p>
<p>For us, the "4 year plan" was not so much a plan as a guide, and one that was designed to preserve as much choice as possible without inadvertently creating dead ends. When changes were made in the actual course selections (and there were changes), using The Plan as a contextual tool made it much easier to anticipate the consequences.</p>
<p>(Then the HS switched to trimesters, but that is another story altogether!)</p>
<p>Agree with all. Feel it is too early in son's academics (eighth grade here) to know whether or not he will be academically motivated in high school to put in the time to excel in the math/sciences (his current strength) or if the music bug will infect him (his other talent). Just hoping he can keep his "inner gamer" in check. At this point, he only plays Halo 3 and guitar hero and runescape AFTER schoolwork is finished. Will definitely monitor the high school classes so that he has maximum options and on advice of CC'ers, will have him take SAT2s (daughters didn't bother with those) immediataly after each subject. When should he take Math 2 (after algebra 2 honors next year or after precalculus sophomore year)?</p>
<p>I'll second -Allmusic-'s take. Let your kid find their passion. Guide, don't push. How many of us are or know countless friends and coworkers unhappy with what they do? </p>
<p>Let your child find their talent, their raison d^etre. It may not be your choice, but you cannot live their lives. </p>
<p>Give them every opportunity to explore and participate in the educational experiences that fulfill them. </p>
<p>If you're lucky, you'll find out early where their focus will be. S knew from middle school his life would be in music, my daughter has an uncanny ability to work with dogs. Neither are conventional career choices. We did nothing to dissuade either one.</p>
<p>Educate yourself about their passions, and their options, and their goals. Show interest, not displeasure. They may not end up wealthy, but they'll in all probability end up happy.</p>
<p>Do not equate success with wealth, or potential earning power. Success is self fulfillment.</p>
<p>I have kids in 11th, 9th and 6th grade and have been visiting CC since about August. Here is one thing I wish I would have known earlier: Have your child take the SATII as she finishes the corresponding course. My son took AP World History in 10th grade. I wish I had known about the SATIIs last year, so he could have taken the corresponding SATII when he was already prepping for the AP test. </p>
<p>Also, don't wait for the school guidance counsel to tell you stuff. Our school has one counselor per class of 600+, so the kids get precious little guidance. Even though the school rates quite high in the various academic rankings, we have WAY too many kids taking the SAT for the first time their Senior year. My son took the SAT for the first time in December (of his junior year) but the counselors have not breathed an official word about the SATs to the junior class yet. (Much less talking about SATIIs.)</p>
<p>I appreciate the support of CC parents on this forum. Thanks to those who offered advice on gaming. Son would probably love to go to CMU, as it is close to home and he has done some gaming camps there. I just showed him my husband's alumni magazine that reported how selective their engineering department is, turning down kids with perfect SAT's, etc, hoping he will file it in his memory. Who knows what will finally motivate him to put forth some effort?</p>
<p>And yes, it is odd that our school district is requiring Earth Science for freshman for the PSSA's they will take in their junior year! First they start a "pre-AP" program for 8th and 9th grade in English and Social Studies, then do this with science. Wacky! I am going to look into having my youngest take Earth Science next year as an 8th grader to get it out of the way. Our middle school science is a waste of time anyway.</p>
<p>Speaking as a junior who wished he had paid more attention to the classes he took, I would say make sure she is taking classes that she will enjoy and will challenge her. Don't so much focus on what looks good to colleges, but don't let her take "Exploratory Art I" or some class like that. But as I said, make sure she enjoys the classes that she is taking, and make them challenging enough.</p>
<p>Thought I'd update everyone and again thank you for your input. I have, in the past three weeks:</p>
<ul>
<li>read two books: The Gatekeepers, and Harvard Schmarvard</li>
<li>thumbed through two guides: Fisk and The Student's Guide</li>
<li>spent at an hour per day on this Board absorbing everything I can</li>
<li>spent about another half hour per day in the guidebooks along with the princetonreview.com website getting to know the top 50 or so top colleges and universities, plus another 25 or so that are UC, Cal St., and private colleges in Socal.</li>
<li>quickly popped into the College Counseling office at the local high school just to get a feel for what they do, but not yet introducing myself</li>
<li>finally discussed with my 9th grader that she should keep her grades up this year even though she does not yet have an appreciation for how important that will be in 2.5 years. More importantly, that she should have pride in her hard work, even if some of her friends don't yet seem to be taking academics that seriously. That next year and the year after, if she decides that a competitive college may be a good place for her, she will have preserved that option by her good classwork.</li>
<li>reviewed her PSAT results from the test she somehow was signed up for in October. She did not prepare, tried in fact to blow it off but ultimately took the test without maximum effort. Results lower than I expected. She in fact skipped about 20% of the questions not yet having a strategy for when to skip and when to guess. Out of curiosity I took the test cold on Saturday. I got about 90% on the math (some of the notation I did not recognize... one was a half filled moon symbol) and 95% on the verbal sections.</li>
<li>been told by my lovely daughter that I am an obsessed idiot -- in the most loving way. (can't argue there -- my style in any new area is to immerse myself, absorb, it, then move on to make some practical use of my newfound knowledge)</li>
</ul>
<p>So for now, I feel like I've come up to speed on the options that may be available for her.</p>
<p>I agree it comes back to the advice from the first page -- read a lot of good books, work hard in tough courses, and continue to get deeper into the ECs she already enjoys (dance, softball, photography and church).</p>
<p>I'm also confident she will, four years from now, be in an environment just right for her -- whether that be a hightly ranked school, a UC, a Cal State, or a smaller liberal arts college.... or maybe will not be in college at all, having started her own business :)</p>
<p>I am howling with laughter that you subjected yourself to a full PSAT test-taking session. You will have a happy four years on CC with other dedicated and slightly nutty parents.
Here's a book I loved this week, which is aimed at parents of middle school and 9th grade students:
What High Schools Don't Tell You (300 Secrets to Make Your Kid Irresistible to Colleges by Senior Year) by Elizabeth Wisnner-Gross. (Don't confuse this with her previous book, What Colleges Don't Tell You, which is aimed at parents of older students.)
It was reviewed in the Wall Street Journal last week and I thought it sounded interesting, so I've just read it. The big point she makes is that you are not early in thinking about this now.</p>
<p>I have one more suggestion. Get a hard copy of the common application and a few common app supplements of a variety of schools. Read them through with your daughter. Get a sense of the framework you will have to work within to express who she is and what she has accomplished. </p>
<p>And don't forget to have fun along the way. There will be moments of upset and anger and sadness and moments of great joy and laughter. It's a fantastic bonding experience with your child. My favorite moment was last fall telling her to cut down her essays to fit the word limits. We screamed at each other like maniacs, pounded walls, slammed doors. Now we laugh about it. She got so angry she got in her car and drove away, only to call me a half hour later on her cell phone to tell me she had run out of gas. Enjoy!</p>