<p>D is in school until June 17. We don’t have AP or the like at our school, put it’s all project-based learning so the final projects are under way. D is also on a team with an upper classmate for a state science fair, which takes place over the last weekend of May. The day they get back they have a final. Not good planning! We have a very, very busy summer coming up because D likes to sign up for every thing coming her way. The only downtime will be the lat 2 weeks before school starts back up. A sophomore! Eeep!</p>
<p>Hello! DS14 just graduated from high school yesterday so I will be starting to think about my DD17’s college plans. I am glad to find this thread and look forward to the next three years of smooth (or not-so-smooth) sailing with you all.
I just signed up DD for her summer driver’s ed. Yikes!</p>
<p>@4beardolls - I know the driver’s ed feeling. DS17 will be starting his in June. It seemed the right time with DS14, I’m not sure DS17 is quite as mature. It’s going to be a long summer as he’s already told me he’s driving me to every soccer practice (daily) and then I can drive home. </p>
<p>Yikes. I did the same with S17… Drivers Ed class in June. D15 was so much more mature than S17 when she got her permit. We are trying to figure out ways to sloooww the process down with S</p>
<p>DS17 drivers ed starts next Thursday… DH has been really busy at work so it looks like I will be the one that does the required road hours… I really had hoped DH would have been able to do that. :-S </p>
<p>My daughter won’t even be eligible for her permit until next summer. Our state makes kids wait until 15 and 9 months, plus she has a late August birthday, so she’s one of the youngest in her grade. We’re still working on teaching her older sister to drive (last in-car lesson - tomorrow!), so I’ll be glad for a little break before we start it all over again.</p>
<p>You can get a permit at 15.5 here, I think. D won’t be 15 until next October so we have a ways to go. She’s always been the youngest but the other kids don’t seem to care. As she goes to school in another district, we’re hoping she will want to drive to school at least some of the time, since there are no good bus or light rail options.</p>
<p>Hello, new to this forum. My S just started driving with permit. Boy is it nerve wrecking. They need to learn how to anticipate and react quickly. I am sure it will improve with time.<br>
So I am hoping to get some perspective. What is a reasonable load of classes for a sophomore to take to get in to a highly selective school. Next year(sophomore) my S is scheduled to take AP World History, AP Environmental, Honors Algebra 2, Spanish 3 and English. Last two are not honors. In addition, he will take a music elective). Should I be concerned that two of his classes are not honors? The only other AP available to him is Comp Sci. He has no desire for that. Is this schedule good enough for top 20 schools, or does he need to push more? He has sports and Student government as classes/extra curricula’s? I am trying to balance a busy schedule with the demands that these schools look for… Comments and advise? </p>
<p>@BigPapiofthree – that would be considered a very competitive schedule at our HS as AP courses are rarely taken before Jr year. (A couple of exceptions such as CS and Econ for the very advanced.) So, it is difficult to answer your question w/o knowing the context of your own HS. Honors Alg 2 is a year ahead, but in our HS there are students taking that course in 9th grade, but there may not be in your school. Almost every student takes Chem in 10th grade, be it regular or honors, and APES is not taken until 11th or 12th grade, mostly by those trying to avoid Physics. </p>
<p>I am providing these examples to illustrate that schools vary widely in their curriculum tracks. Will he be able to take AP Chem, Bio or Physics in 11th or 12th after taking APES? Our school requires students to take either regular or honors Bio, Chem or Physics before enrolling in AP. </p>
<p>I can’t believe there are freshmen starting driver’s ed! My older son didn’t start until fall of Jr year as our state requires students to be 16 in order to take the permit test.</p>
<p>CT1417,
Thanks for your comments. California permits kids at 15 1/2. License at 16.
Algebra 2 honors is the advance track at our high school for sophomores. We take AP or Honors Chem in Junior year. Honors Bio was a frosh. course. I guess it does depend on your school system. So I guess the ultimate question is how many AP classes should one hope to take thru high school. Is 6-7 enough for highly competitive schools? Any other thoughts as to what is needed?</p>
<p>@BigPapiofthree it really depends on how many AP classes your school offers, etc. Our school only offers 3 right now but is adding a few more for next year. DS14 only took 2 of the 3 (no interest in 3rd) and counselor marked most rigorous course load taken. That’s what matters, which box is checked. They just need to show they did well with the hardest classes offered.</p>
<p>DS13 took 8 AP’s but could he have taken more yes. Not sure what top 20 colleges you are looking at DS13 goes to Georgia Tech which isn’t a top 20 college but is ranked high for engineering.However there is a point where the counselor will check that box. I would ask the your school counselor where that cut off is. IMO you want your kid to enjoy High School not just spend all their time studying. BTW DS17 is only taking AP World next year and I’m pretty sure he will end up taking less total APs than his brother did. I doubt he will get that top box checked because he’s not on the highest math track. No BC Calc for him. </p>
<p>I have a senior graduating in two weeks so I have a little insight into the process now. Each school varies in their class offerings and honors track. And every kid has different strengths and weaknesses. My recommendation is for your son to take the most rigorous classes available that fit into his study patterns and lifestyle.</p>
<p>For instance if he has a year round sport and is strong in English and History but weak in math then go for Honors or AP English and History but regular math, and not too many time consuming classes if he’s getting home at 10 p.m. four nights a week. GPA does matter. A lot. So choose wisely. But also be sure he has downtime with friends and has time to enjoy clubs & activities.</p>
<p>Spykid hasn’t received his final schedule yet. He’s on the honors track, plays a spring sport and is currently active in one club. He has one major EC outside of school that is the most active in spring and summer. His school also requires 20 hours of community service per year.</p>
<p>Honors English 2
Honors Physics
Honors Pre-Calculus
French 2 (no honors available)
Wellness/PE
Religion
Elective </p>
<p>He’s the second youngest in his class so he won’t be 15 until mid September - the age one can take the permit test in Oregon. He’s been driving a tractor since he was about 10 so he has some skills, but being on the road is a whole different experience.</p>
<p>I have to agree with Agentninetynine. A student should take the most rigorous course load that he can handle while still living the life he wants to live. Our guidance counselors tell the kids to take the most rigorous course that they can handle and still get A/Bs. Even though a C in an AP class counts the same as an A in a regular class for weighted GPA the GCs tell the kids that the colleges want to see a transcript with all good grades. They caution the kids against taking classes where they cannot do well and still do what they want to do outside of school.</p>
<p>All schools are different. At our school kids must take Bio/Chem at the high school level before they are permitted to take AP. Honors level classes are not available for some Fine Arts classes.</p>
<p>The young patriot is taking:</p>
<p>Honors English
Honors Spanish 4
AP World History
Honors Chem
Honors Precalculus
Honors Constitutional Law
Film as Literature (honors not available)</p>
<p>In FL kids can get a permit at age 15 but must have their permit for at least 12 months before they can get a license. The young patriot just got his permit yesterday!</p>
<p>@Agentninetynine thanks for you in put regarding study abroad. We are now looking at a summer program which would allow study in the other country but not involve missing school here at home. Still a lot to research etc.</p>
<p>Seven more days of school for S! Then, off to a six week ballet intensive. When will he learn to drive? In our state they have to have one year of driving with a permit to get their license. At this rate, it will never happen. </p>
<p>S17 is “accompanying” (being dragged along with) his sister who is D15 to look at colleges in the southeast (TN, NC, and VA). His interests are very different than hers, but he is being a good sport. He finished Freshman year mid May. He has a classroom only drivers ed class scheduled for mid June. Then he can apply for his permit. ~X( He is certainly looking forward to getting his permit </p>
<p>Today was the first day of Driver’s Ed. They had a parent meeting at the beginning. The instructor said the kids would forget a lot of what he taught them and that they would complain about having to write all the laws down and know all the different signs. He said that some of the parents don’t know all the rules and the colors of the signs. Then he asked us what color a Yield sign was and 1 guy yelled out “Yellow”!.. The instructor then said well back until 1972 we had yellow yield signs…However now they are red and white. 
</p>
<p>Who yields? Just kidding. I would’ve said yellow, too! But ours are definitely red and white.</p>
<p>I thought yellow, too. I might have to read the booklet now.</p>