<p>I’ve never had the impression that colleges put much stock in those AP Scholar, etc. awards.</p>
<p>^ Agreed. It’s a nice honor, but not worth putting too much stress on your kid over.</p>
<p>I found out that there are new requirements for the class of 2014. They must have a economics/financial literacy class for graduation. The regular class is government/economics but if you take AP Government you have to take a semester class- regular economics. Because there is the state requirement part, I don’t think he could fullfill this with a community college class or AP Econ. class.
He is planning on AP Euro as a junior so will actually have 1.5 social study credits for the year.
I wish they would offer it as a mini summer school class.</p>
<p>happymom - Our school is integrating the requirement for the class of 2015 so we just missed it. Our kids have to surrender two classes to take AP Chem (typically in Jr year). There isn’t much more room for these kids to give really. Our hs is the county magnet for IT so any student participating in that has to figure out how to meet requirements plus their 6 credits within IT (it’s hard if your student also wants to take AP and FL and get the adv diploma!!).</p>
<p>I agree, it’s too bad they don’t offer a summer session to cover this credit. I would check about the cc class counting. Our kids can fill some state requirements at the local cc. It’s a new objective so they may be willing to work with you. He’d actually be taking more, not less.</p>
<p>Is that financial literacy a state thing? I have not heard anything about it yet.</p>
<p>I’m not sure. We are VA and as we missed the requirement I didn’t pay much attention. I am worried enough about getting in the maze of requirements in time for S3! Sequential electives anyone?! That’s fine if they have room for electives every year!! We thought we had everything mapped out and they changed the requirement on a couple of things last year changing the game…I am SO glad this is my last kid in this school system!</p>
<p>Thanks AvonHSdad - that is a good idea about running for an officer position, I will suggest it.</p>
<p>I too am concerned with the schedule overload. DS has a sport and 3 ECs - I don’t want him to overload on the APs. He took 1 each freshman and sophomore years and is scheduled to take 3 junior year, but one of them is AP Psych, which colleges don’t consider a tough one. He is going to take Hon. Physics and put off AP Chem until senior year. With the SATs and Subject Matter SATs, there will be a lot going on next year.</p>
<p>A lot of college mail piling up on the kitchen table.</p>
<p>Thank you, ordinarylives, for your perspective on summer activities. My H shares your view, having worked construction through his high school summers. We’re in the burbs, so we can’t introduce him to the wonders of detasselling (sp?), but I love the idea. </p>
<p>In Virginia, I believe the econ/personal finance requirement is a state requirement. Our county requires it beginning with the 2015 class, but it can be taken online and over the summer. I will have to learn more about it for my 2017D, but I’m thinking it may be sort of like whatever they call home economics these days except that it focuses on finances. I’m thinking it may be a good thing for kids to get reinforcement of what we try to teach at home about how to live within your means, balance a checkbook, etc, but I wonder about how that fills an entire semester. It occurs to me that I might encourage my 2014S to take home economics so he can have a break from all the APs and honors and learn how to take care of himself when he leaves home.</p>
<p>I called the new state requirement the wrong name, it is called “financial literacy” and they are taking care of the mandate by offering it in the course economics. I am fine with the subject matter, I agree students should learn about compound interest and balancing a checkbook, etc. He took required health during the summer online and I wish this was offered the same way. Or that there was an honors class available. </p>
<p>I also have a son Class of 2016 and I will definitely question what the future plans are. I looked it up in the course guide and it is only available to juniors and seniors so my DS16 can’t get it over with fresh or soph. year. : (</p>
<p>Still waiting for a guidance counselor to answer if PSEO economics would take care of credit. (I am guessing no)</p>
<p>Right now his shedule is
AP Lang
AP Euro
AP Stats
H. Pre-calc.
Chemistry<br>
Art/Econ</p>
<p>Hi this is my first post on CC. I’ve been a lurker for a couple weeks and decided it’s time for me to start posting. My S’2014 is interested in pursuing a music major in college. He’s not doing as well academically as he could. He does not put any effort at all into studying or doing homework. He LOVES playing his instruments but don’t really practice at home either. He’s very talented and thinks that he can get by without really trying too hard which (to him) is justified by the fact that he is first chair in his HS advanced band and praised by his teachers and visiting musicians. If he puts in a quarter of the effort he needed in studying he would make straight A’s which is very frustrating. I told him yesterday if he doesn’t get all A’s at the end of this semester he will lose his cell phone and face book privileges. This might sound harsh but he makes A’s, B’s and the occasional C without trying AT ALL. I just don’t know what else to do with him.
His schedule this semester is: Honors US History, Honors English II, Spanish II, Biology, Wind Symphony (Advanced band), Jazz, Algebra II, PE and an English grammar class at the community college for college credits (This is usually reserved for juniors and seniors but the professor made an exception because he thinks S can easily pass the class). His EC are Marching band, Concert band, Pit orchestra for all the plays at school, Jazz band and volunteering at the local community center helping elementary kids with their homework and reading. S is also thinking about auditioning for the city youth symphony orchestra.</p>
<p>This summer he will take another college course at the community college and is going to a summer music camp on a scholarship. He also wants to get a summer job. I don’t know how he’s going to do it all but we’ll see. </p>
<p>We’re in the process of course selection for next year. His schedule will be: Honors Civic, PE, Honors English III or AP English, Math SAT prep, Pre-Calc, Chemistry, Wind symphony, Jazz, Spanish III, Music Theory, Honors music Theory. EC will most like be the same as this year as well as auditioning for regionals and state (music related).</p>
<p>His science teacher ****ed me off. When S gave her his course selection paper on Friday to sign she asked him why he was taking so many music classes. He told her his interest/plans for college. She then proceeded to tell him that he really should cross one off his list and take an extra science because her son majored in music and couldn’t find work so he had to fall back on his science minor and found a great job. Instead of just signing the damn paper she signed off on TWO science classes. S told her that he will be crossing one off and she told him to think about it before he did. I will definitely be calling his counselor tomorrow and dealing with it. I understand that her heart was in the right place but I think she went too far. Am I wrong in my thinking?</p>
<p>I didn’t plan on writing this much but I got carried away, LOL. Thanks for reading and I look forward to getting to know you all.</p>
<p>JHclarinetmom- Welcome! And yes, the science teacher went too far. She’s free to make suggestions, but she shouldn’t be writing in classes for him to take!</p>
<p>Dpr2-d’14 took home ec as a freshman. She couldn’t get art into schedule and was looking for any academic class that would fill her schedule and get her out of PE. Anywho-- one of the best, most useful classes she’s had to date. She took culinary arts. She makes things for us pretty regularly now, and she’ll try things that I won’t (real whipped cream anyone?)</p>
<p>You look at schedules for most kids on cc and you don’t see uh variation–AP this, honors that, but high schools have some pretty cool offerings outside the core. Family and consumer sciences have some fun-looking options.</p>
<p>I agree that it makes more sense for a student to do what he really feels passionate about. I don’t think colleges are looking so much for the well rounded kid as the carefully selected class of students. It makes sense for a student to stand out in the way that is best for him. If it is music, that’s great!</p>
<p>I just re-read my post and think that I need to clarify. The only reason I told S I will take his phone if he doesn’t make all A’s is because I KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that he can do it if he wanted to. If he was trying his best, I would be completely happy with his current grades. All of his classes are actually his choice and I support him. I would not try to make him take a class that he would be miserable in unless of course it’s required then he’ll just have to suck it up :-).</p>
<p>pacnwmomof2 Thank you for responding.</p>
<p>ordinarylives It’s a bit intimidating when you read about the courses most cc kids take. It makes you wonder if your child should be doing more in order to compete. In the end I think it all depends on the child and if they’re happy.</p>
<p>Apollo6 I completely agree.</p>
<p>JHclarinetmom: While I know that the science teacher overstepped her bounds, she also had his best interest at heart. Another science class could be seen by some colleges and universities as a more rigorous schedule. Remember, an admissions person may not be as schooled in music as the music department is, and as a result, he or she may downgrade an application if it does not have what he or she deems as “rigor.” </p>
<p>ordinarylives is right about course offerings outside of AP/honors. My youngest son (the 2014 kid) fell in love with his sports marketing class. Plans to take the advanced version in the fall. This class, combined with a love of math, makes for a really nice schedule for him. Our school also offers numerous tech electives, including intro to engineering, CAD and athletic training.</p>
<p>My DS has curriculum fair today, and there is a parent version next week. He’s pretty set on what he’s taking next year though:</p>
<p>AP Calc AB
APUSH
AP Chem
Honors English
Honors Physics
Advanced Nature of Materials (Fall)
Prototype Development (Spring)
CAD (Fall)
One Spring semester elective TBD</p>
<p>I find the diversity of elective offerings so interesting among schools across the country. I would say adcoms have their hands full comparing one school to the next! It’s clear that 2014novamom’s kid is really a science kid just like JHclarinetmom’s son is a music kid. They will be in a unique position when they apply to really find schools that meet their passions. I think it’s harder for students who haven’t yet “found their calling.” As my daugher matures, I see that she seeks out the more rigorous classes because the teachers are notably better, the discussions are more interesting and the challenge feels like she’s not just slacking off to get the A. I do worry about the kids I read on CC who are only getting 2-3 hours of sleep a night. That makes absolutely no sense. I still want D to do her best work but her health is more important!</p>
<p>I’m not sure if I this post is going to show up where I think is going but I just wanted to say “hi” to all of the Class of 2014 parents. I’m one too! Before I share anymore information, I think I’ll hit “send” on this and see if it works!</p>
<p>Welcome college4many - If you were trying to post to other parents of kids graduating high schools in 2014, you got it totally right! 
Pretty easy, huh?</p>