No math senior year: would that have a negative impact on application to top schools?

<p>My daughter finished AP Calc. as a Junior (last year). The only thing left was AP Stats. The trouble was it conflicted with AP Physics and AP German. She had to choose two of those three classes (all three only offered 2nd and 3rd period). Since she doesn't really like math even though she is decent at it, she chose Physics and German. She then asked her counselor to mention in her rec. letters that she had signed up for Stats, but it wouldn't fit in her schedule. The counselor told her she could take math at the local CC, but like the original posters son she didn't want to. She ended up with Philosophy/Sociology in that math slot. She is enjoying those classes, but I hope it doesn't look bad. We will know by April!</p>

<p>Thank you for the feedback. Kelsmom and PackMom, after reading your posts, my daughter and I checked out the websites of some of the schools that she's interested in, to see what they're looking for, as far as high school coursework. (Since she's still a sophomore, at this point, these are just schools that she's planning to visit this coming summer and during her junior year.) The schools, themselves, are a mix of selective(matches/reaches) and less selective. While some of them did mention that three years (or "units", as they worded it)of math classes would be sufficient, some of the more selective schools explicitly state(Oberlin) or strongly imply (Middlebury, Carleton, etc.)that four years of math classes are desired in an admissions candidate. So it's looking like she may need to bite the bullet and plan on taking Calc. during her senior year.</p>

<p>You should contact the school and ask them your question. I really can't believe they would prefer your daughter take an online course or have to sacrifice more interesting material in order to get so far ahead of the curve it wouldn't even matter (many top schools with requirements like that won't place you out of certain higher-level classes).</p>

<p>My son only took two years of math in HS (highest Geo, and barely passing Algebra). Since he graduated a year early, we thought he had some wiggle room to decide on which course of action to take (get an AA at CC then transfer, or apply as a freshman someplace, etc.), we knew he would not necesssarily qualify for a UC or anything prestiguous...But now he's decided he wants to apply to Evergreen State college in WA. He's taking courses at CC, and the math assessment place in him pre-Algebra! Is he doomed? He wants to apply to Evergreen for spring '09, Should he get some serious tutoring and take higher math classes at CC between now and applying anywhere? Is he doomed for the SAT (he's taking in June 08)</p>

<p>Might as well jack on to this thread.</p>

<p>I have taken AP Stat and AP Calc AB in soph year and Math 253 the summer after(after integral calc). I am a junior. Should I take Math 254 fall of senior year? If not, I won't have had math since summer before soph year. Will that make a difference?</p>

<p>Please look at your son's high school transcript to see what is listed there. My son is a freshman in high school, and already has two credits of high school math on his transcript, the result of skipping algebra I in middle school (for which they gave him credit) and taking geometry. By the time he graduates from high school, he'll have at least six high school math credits.</p>

<p>I'd bet your son has at least four credits already, and probably more. I can't believe Oberlin would look at your son's transcript and say, "Well, no math class his senior year; out with him!" considering his current math level, but perhaps you could call them to find out for sure.</p>

<p>With your son having already gotten through MV/DiffEq, I see no problem with taking courses your S is passionate about senior year and having the GC explain that he had exhausted what the school has to offer.</p>

<p>MT5678, I honestly don't know the answer to your question. I would suggest that you pick a couple schools you think you might be interested in & call/email their admissions departments to ask that question.</p>

<p>MT5678, I think you've taken enough math to make any college happy. The real question is, do you really want to stop there, or would you like to continue? Are there other courses at the high school you'd prefer to take? Or are you just looking to slack off senior year? If you are planning to take math in college you might want to take a course just so you don't forget what you've learned. I know that I forgot calculus completely after two years without any math.</p>

<p>My daughter topped out of all math course in 11th grade that our school had to offer. We are on a block schedule, so it allows kids to double up each year. She did this with lang, and sciences. Took all AP courses her schedule would allow. Applied this year to top schools. One top school contacted her wondering why she did not take Math in her sr year. When she explained the sitution to the school they were like... "OH wow. I have to note that on your app." I was like " hello... did you read the transcript???" or do they really just look at sr year? I was concerned that if this school wondered, how many others would? I contacted our GC and was told they will be sure to note it on her mid grade report why there was no math... Our experience...</p>

<p>Question for Marian (can't PM you :-),who wrote:

[quote]
My daughter took no math her senior year after taking BC Calculus as a junior, despite the fact that her high school offered two math courses she could have taken as a senior -- AP Statistics or multivariable calculus/differential equations. She did have a challenging courseload in her senior year, though (all the courses she needed to complete the IB diploma plus one extra AP course).

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Didn't she have to take IB Math her Senior year?</p>

<p>My daughter has no math in senior year. However, she took AP BC calculus in 10th grade and multivariable calculus and Linear algebra in 11th grade. She did very well in these math courses as she loves math from early childhood. She has done very well in math but wanted to explore other things. She also exhausted all AP Science by 11th grade.
She could have taken a higher level math course that was available in the high school but was interested to pursue different academic field.</p>

<p>In 12 th grade, she took English only for a semester. She has to drop it in final semester as she was taking courses in AP economics, science research, economic research where she published a paper with a very reputable journal. She also took classes’ towards studying in depth American Constitution and foreign language. She has to devote rest of the available class slot time to graduation requirement of physical education, art, and philosophy.</p>

<p>She applied to only Harvard and Yale was admitted to both places. Most of the people on CC told us that dropping English was a bad idea, but I think if someone has a genuine reason, and want to pursue different things, it is okay to not have math or even English in 12th grade.</p>

<p>At some IB programs, SL courses are one year long -- so a student could take SL Math junior year and be done with the IB math requirement at the end of junior year.</p>

<p>My S will take the SL Math Studies and AP Calc AB exams junior year. His IB program doesn't require a HL math exam. He thinks he'll take AP Stat senior year, but is not required to do so.</p>

<p>Am going through this with my daughter right now- she'll finish what she calls "serious" math this year - there's no ready opportunity for university coursework due to scheduling difficulties- so she'll take AP Stats her senior year. Now she's worried her senior year schedule won't appear difficult enough to colleges - is it typical for the junior year to be more challenging than the senior?</p>

<p>Kelowna: My daughter did not have to take IB Math her senior year because she had taken the IB SL Math test as a junior. (At that point, she had also completed AP BC Calculus, so she took that test, too.) She also did not have to take IB Spanish her senior year because she had taken the IB SL Spanish test as a junior. She would have been required to continue in these subjects only if she was taking them HL.</p>

<p>Different IB schools work things in different ways. What worked for my daughter might not work at another IB school.</p>

<p>Sabaray:It is not uncommon for junior year to be more challenging than senior year.</p>

<p>Sometimes, senior year is the only chance that students have to take elective courses that interest them. Those electives may be not quite as impressive as the courses they took earlier.</p>

<p>For example, in his senior year, my son took a sociology elective that was not even honors level, let alone AP (there is no such thing as AP sociology). But he was interested in the subject matter, so he took it. It turned out to be a great course that he thoroughly enjoyed. He also took a course called Digital Art, even though he knew that he had little background in art and therefore would be unlikely to get an A. He wanted the computer graphics skills that this course would provide, and that was more important to him than the grade. (And in fact he did get a B and the world did not come to an end.)</p>

<p>My daughter finished her "serious" math in 11th grade and could have taken AP Statistics as a senior just to have a math course in her schedule. However, she chose to take no math that year to give her room in her schedule for an extra AP course in another subject. This turned out to be a good decision (the subject in which she took the AP course is now her college major). And it didn't seem to affect her college admissions prospects.</p>

<p>Marian, thank you. That is very helpful. I do not think she has much to be concerned with as she'll have 4 AP courses next year but she doesn't perceive them to be as difficult as courses of those she took previously. She is interested in genomics and epidemiology so I have no doubt statistics will be helpful at some point.</p>

<p>"My daughter did not have to take IB Math her senior year because she had taken the IB SL Math test as a junior. (At that point, she had also completed AP BC Calculus, so she took that test, too.) She also did not have to take IB Spanish her senior year because she had taken the IB SL Spanish test as a junior. She would have been required to continue in these subjects only if she was taking them HL."</p>

<p>My son is a junior at the same school, and he is in exactly the same situation (except he's taking French). He will take Math and French SL tests this year, as well as B/C. He has decided that he'd rather take another year of French than another year of math (with his schedule, he really couldn't do both).</p>

<p>I have a similar problem...I'm a junior in the IB program at my school. I took AP Stats as a freshman and Math Analysis Honors (IB Math SL) as a sophomore and I am currently taking IB Math HL (AP Calc BC) I will be taking the SL test and the AP BC test this year (although I'm in HL, I can't take that test because I'm a junior....argh..IB rules) </p>

<p>That's the highest math our school offers. I'm thinking about:
a. taking one semester course at CC
b. IB Math Studies (my GC discourages this, saying it's too easy.)
c. IB Further Math
d. taking AP Physics
e. not taking math at all (naturally, this is my favorite choice, though I don't think colleges will like it...)</p>

<p>What should I do?!!!
Please help me! I am the only one at my school with this problem, and the IB coordinator doesn't even know what I should do! Argh.</p>

<p>I think since you're already taking Calculus B/C, you have as much math as any college would expect you to have. You've already taken statistics. I would say that your schedule would look stronger with Physics, if you haven't had any physics at all. But who really knows?</p>

<p>lesmislove, be careful.</p>

<p>I vaguely remember a student at my daughter's school being told that you MUST be taking a course in a subject during the year in which you take an IB exam in that subject. Thus, it may be necessary for you to take IB Further Math as a senior just to be eligible to take the HL math test.</p>

<p>I may have misunderstood this. I didn't pay full attention to it since it didn't apply to my kid. But it's something that your IB coordinator should definitely check out with IB North America.</p>