<p>In NY State, Math is currently taught in two 18 month segments. Math A is an early version of algebra, trig and geometry with a regents taken in January. Math B starts right after that and is a more rigorous program involving the same three math topics. My son was always a solid B math student and got an 86 on the Math A regents. He had trouble from the start with Math B. The teacher was moving very fast, and since he had a full schedule of eight classes, he couldn't switch into another class. I spoke to the chairman of the math department who told me that Math B is the hardest class in the school and that many students switch to a two year Math B program. I felt that I was caught between a rock and a hard place - having him fail math B or put him in this slower math class which wouldn't allow him to take Pre-calculus (algebra II). His guidance counselor and the math chairman assured me that he didn't need pre-calc for college. Now I'm finding out differently. Schools such as West Virginia University, which was a safety, want this math class. What should I do? Do you think if my son explains his circumstance to admissions it would help. NY state has since gone back to the one year, one subject method of math, but my son's year is the last year. I feel very guilty that I made the wrong choice. Any ideas from my fellow cc'ers on how to handle this situation?</p>
<p>Not really an answer to your questions, but does he have the Barron’s book, “Let’s Review: Math B”? Maybe a tutor or parent can help him?</p>
<p>I’m a NY resident, so I feel your pain. We went through the same thing with older daughter and made the same choice you did. She was accepted as a bio major to ten perfectly fine, although not elite colleges, (and I think she could have reached higher and had success) and the absence of pre-calc was only a problem because she wasn’t as prepared math-wise as she could have been for the SAT. So, in my opinion, the choice we made was a problem, but not because of her transcript.</p>
<p>For D2, we learned our lesson and made absolutely sure she’ll complete Math B as a junior, which was a bit of a problem because she came out of a small parochial school. But she’s in it and is doing fine, thank heavens.</p>
<p>What major is your son applying for? Is he looking at really elite colleges? If so, then your guidance counselor should definitely address this issue in the recommendation. Also, can he take pre-calc at a community college this summer? If you’re in NYC, the College Now program at CUNY allows this and it’s free.</p>
<p>There are many ways out of this maze. You’ll need to drop the guilt in order to choose a path appropriate for your son. What would you recommend if it was the neighbor kid instead of your son?</p>
<p>What grade is he in now?</p>
<p>My son is in the 11th grade. At this point, going back to the original Math B class and taking the regents in June is not an option. I was completely blown away when I heard a school like WVU wanted algebra II - they only require a 2.5 GPA to get in. I do have a math tutor for him for the SAT.</p>
<p>I forgot to answer the question about majors - he is between business (possibly marketing) and communications. His real love is social studies - I’m trying to talk to him into majoring in education and becoming a high school ss teacher - but he doesn’t want that. He may also take pre=calc at a community college the summer between hs and college - but that wouldn’t help with college admission requirements.</p>
<p>
Saying in his applications that he plans to do this might help–although then, of course, he’d really have to do it.</p>
<p>Schools make exceptions all the time for their requirements. However, I think you might be confused, Math B IS what most school systems call Algebra 2. Math A and B together cover the material of Algebra 1 and 2 and Geometry. Pre-calculus and Trigonometry are what is covered in the course after Math B. So I think you have nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>Mathmom hit it right on the head. Your son is fine with requirements up through Algebra 2 if he takes Math B. So darn confusing, isn’t it? Gotta love New York, they pay people to create this confusion.</p>
<p>Another NY Mom here.</p>
<p>Yes, the kids are blown away at how hard Math B is. (We all did fine growing up with “sequential math” so I don’t know why they ever had to change it.) </p>
<p>S2 is graduating this year and we didn’t know he needed some courses until it was too late. Had we known, I would have made sure S took Chemistry this (senior) year, like it or not. We had no clue that he would need it for Engineering. Didn’t know our schools or their requirements at the time. You are one up in that regard.</p>
<p>He has not been denied acceptance anywhere for this. I assume Chem will be required everywhere and will be part of the curriculum. Some of the engineering schools wanted it in HS, but accepted him anyway. At one school he’ll have to take it over the summer (at our local community college). The other school accepted him but requires Linear Algebra and Calc (son took Intro to Calc this year not AP Calc) and a year of Chem and also 2 other courses before switching to engineering major. The courses can be taken over the summer here (well at least a couple anyway). All the "non-engineering/tech schools did not mention his absence of Calc or Chem.</p>
<p>Since you are so ahead of the game, call WVU. Call any other schools you may be interested in. This may be less of a problem than you think. </p>
<p>West Virginia may not know that in NY, Algebra 2 is not taken by the kids in the regular math sequence or honors math sequence. It is lower level, easier math. Algebra is part of Math A and Math B in NY. You may get around this. (We took Algebra in 10th grade, so my guess is WVU expects state students to have it.)</p>
<p>The math chairman at your school may need to contact WVU for you.</p>
<p>I pulled out my program guide of courses from last year. The chart flow shows what the kids are to take and in what order. The only kids to take Algebra 2 are the kids in Math A2 (after 2 years of Math A) or after B1 (if these kids don’t go on to the second year of Math B, Math B2). The booklet also has all the course descriptions.</p>
<p>See if you find a flow chart in your book. I can mail you a copy if you want. PM me with your address if you need it.</p>
<p>I think you will be OK with this. You have plenty of time to work it out. I think it’s just a matter of curriculum in different states. Try not to worry. I think they’ll waive the requirement and have likely done this before for kids in NY, Michigan and wherever else using MathA and B. </p>
<p>(Also, try the ACT. My sons took it without a course or studying and did phenomenally well on it. If your son does poorly, just don’t send it. No one will know he took it.) I think Math B is beyond the SAT and ACT anyway. </p>
<p>(Also, read post above before sending- According to our course catalog “extensive study of trig, geometry, probability and statistics, polynomial functions, regression analysis”)</p>
<p>Really - I feel better now. I don’t know why the school district can’t explain this in simple terms! I always thought algebra II was the same as pre-calculus.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Full employment for bureaucrats.</p>
<p>Just saw this thread on Parents Forum:
“Help me plan math route”</p>
<p>Check it out. It’s definitely part of sequential math. NYS incorporates it in Math A and Math B. Would be surprised that anyone in rural WV is taking (required) higher math than in the NYS required curriculum.</p>
<p>another nys parent here – too late for my kids but i cheered when they finally got rid of the lunacy of math a & b. (i swear the math a&b curriculum made me feel as if they’d taken 3 years of math curriculum, threw them up in the air, and randomly picked them up so that nothing flowed logically from anything else!!!)</p>
<p>talk to your guidance counselor – remember the math a/b thing was unique to nys (i think?) so a school in virginia may just need an explanation of what is covered by the curriculum. i also don’t think “algebra II” is the same as pre-calc - i think its part of what is replacing math a and math b ([HS</a> Math](<a href=“http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/hsmath.html]HS”>http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/hsmath.html)). but your guidance counselor should be able to help you.</p>
<p>Another idea for you-</p>
<p>Read or post a thread on the WVU forum about this. There must be other kids from other states who have not taken sequential math. I believe Michigan is one.</p>
<p>Another NYer here: </p>
<p>What’s done is done so don’t fret about it. By the time he graduates, he will have completed Math A and Math B. The completion of Math B with give him the minimum required Math sequence for many schools. The important thing now is to let him know that he needs to be very careful when he makes up his college wish list—Reaches, Matches, Safeties. </p>
<p>You could call WVA and talk with an admissions counselor. Explain the circumstances and ask what they recommend for student’s in your son’s position.</p>
<p>Tutor - find the good one with the record of proven results. Math is not hard when basics are fully understood. Good tutor will identify where a kid missing and he will be just fine.</p>
<p>S has a tutor for the math portion of the SAT that also works with S for tests. His regular math teacher has been absent for quite a few days. S has had a hard time understanding her - her teaching methods are difficult to understand - even though she is teaching a slower version of Math b. Yesterday he had a different teacher in the department covering her classes. S came home all happy, saying that he finally understands everything. It’s amazing how much bad luck (because of bad teachers) he has had this past year in math. I truly believe if he had a different math teacher this year, he wouldn’t be in this mess. But I can’t go back in time - just do the best to help him succeed.</p>
<p>To make this situation even worse, son’s HS just announced they are laying off numerous HS teachers - including most of the teachers he would have liked to have his senior year. Seems a bad decision by the school superintendent and school board to use up the reserve money to decrease the tax burden last year combined with a severe decrease in state aid is to blame. I can’t believe the superintendent and school board would use up so much of the reserve money - I guess that’s what happens when nobody goes to school board meetings!</p>