I am looking for an algebra 2 and geometry book for my D20 to do in the summer. Is there any good book out there? Thanks.
We love Aleks for math prep
Thanks @VickiSoCal
ALEKS (online, self paced, monthly fee). Art of Problem Solving (AOPS) has books and online classes. Khan Academy is free online. Each one is a little different.
Thanks @MA2012. I will check into AOPS.
My 8th grader is doing AoPS after school. It is a very rigorous Algebra series. D is very slow with it, no online class. She does it by herself but a great big time suck.
Coming late to this thread and still catching up old posts (great info) - will appreciate if you can critique/comment DS’s (Class of 2020) course load - current and proposed.
Background: he goes to a large public school with decent course selection, clubs and sports teams. He completed middle school in a charter with a bit more rigorous science/math curriculum - completed Geometry, Algebra 2 and Physical Sciences by end of middle school. One issue with current high school is that not much interaction with guidance counselor - in fact neither student nor parents had a meeting with her yet (she never even responded to emails and no advice on course plan in freshman year). Glad to see this forum to share some ideas - big relief in absence of professional advice.
Current courses in 9th grade: AP World History, Pre-Calculus(H), Biology(H), Chemistry(H), English1(H), Spanish2 and a Mandatory Writing course for all freshmen. He is doing fine with straight A’s so far.
Proposed courses in 10th grade (the max credits are 8): 2-credit AP Calculus AB, 1-credit Pre-AP English2(H), 1-credit Spanish3, 2-credit AP Govt and politics, 1-credit AP Physics1 and 1-credit AP Physics 2. (he is still debating if it’s better to take only physics1 course in 10th grade and take another class in place of physics2 - possibly computers/programming or a 1credit BioTech).
Plan for Junior year: English Language and composition AP, Micro Economics AP, Chemistry AP, Statistics AP, BioTechnology(h), and possibly Spanish4 or Computer Science AP.
Plan for Senior year: English Lit AP, Calculus BC AP, Physics C AP, Biology AP, Computer Sci AP or Spanish 4.
Any comments/suggestions/changes you recommend? He is mainly confused about when to take computers ap, spanish and biology ap courses - how to time them between junior/senior years - viz. if he plan to go for CS major in college, is it better to take it early in junior year? (if so he has to take a prereq programming class in sophomore or in summer). Also, does Spanish 4 add any more value to his resume if he is not interested in that subject and is taking only to complete admission requirement to some colleges (am not aware what those colleges are but he got this tip from one of his senior friends/mentor).
(student is strong in math/sciences - qualified to AIME as a middle schooler and won couple state level competitions in math/science; part of multiple clubs at school like debate, robotics, biotech, science-olympiad etc; JV tennis player - though not very strong is ‘hoping’ to be part of varsity team by senior year and will continue; was part of band but is dropping off of it from next year as it takes too much of his time; he dont know the field/college he wants to go yet - but is sure it will be in one of STEM fields with math/science being his strong subjects that come more naturally to him than language arts)
thanks in advance and sorry for the long post.
I would never take a year off a language, you lose too much, so if in Spanish 2 as a freshman, I would take 3 as sophomore, 4 as junior, and be done. At most schools 4 is also AP.
Unless a kid really struggles with languages I would do 4 years. It really is expected these days.
Check into your school’s curriculum and requirements for AP CAL AB and AP CAL BC at our school CAL BC covers AB first semester ans BC second semester CAL AB just goes at a much slower pace and stretches the AB material out through the entire year. Student here either take AB or BC they don’t take both.
I’d talk with the Physics teacher to see what she recommends about the sequence of physics classes. Here AP Physics 1 and 2 are taught as one class so we never had to worry about that.
At our school high school kids on the STEM track take lots of computer classes. All three of mine took AP Comp Sci in 9th grade. The “core” comp sci classes at our school seem to be:
AP Comp Sci -> Comp Sci Advanced -> Comp Sci Independent Study 1 -> Comp Sci Independent Study 2
What about looking at some comp sci electives? Does your school offer any of these?
AP Comp Sci Principles, Digital Art and Media 1-4, BIM, Interactive Media, Digital Graphics I-2, Video Game Design, Robotics I-4, 3D CAD Engineering Design & Presentation
I would not recommend a year break between Calc AB and BC. Material builds so best to keep going. Also calc BC and physics C at same time would be a lot. Take stats AP senior year instead.
My DS16 did just fine with engineering admissions with 3 years Latin and 1 of Mandarin. AP level language was not necessary. He did do AP computer science.
I wish my D20’s high school had all of the selection of courses/activities/clubs that people list on these forums. The lack of availability (AP’s, competitive/academic clubs, etc.) makes me wonder if my D will be at a disadvantage in applying to colleges. We are in a small town that is all about sports, sports, and more sports. Not much for an artsy/non-sporty but high-achieving kid to choose from. Thank goodness that D’s school at least has band and drama.
@vineyardview - colleges compare what kids take with what is available to them. HS send a profile sheet so it puts your kid’s application in context.
@dadmathgeek - I would check on the AB/BC calc too. For a strong math student AB might not be necessary. S17 took BC calc only. The BC AP exam has an AB subscore. Does your school offer anything past BC Calc? That could be an option for senior year.
@VickiSoCal, - thanks for the comments. Agree - taking a longish break from language might affect. He is currently on spanish 2 - maybe go with spanish 3 and 4 in sophomore and junior years. In their school, spanish 4 is not AP - it’s a required course before they are allowed to take spanish AP. He is not that strong (did fine in middle school and spanish2 in 1st semester of freshman year - but dont really enjoys the subject) and may not do AP.
@3scoutsmom, thanks for the detailed comments. AFAIK they dont have the option of Calculus AB and BC in single year. AB is a 2 semester course and is required for BC - but I will ask him to talk with Calculus teacher (same teacher for both courses) and find out if this is possible. About physics 1 and 2 - he has a meeting with teacher today - hope he get more info on this. About computer science - school is a bit weak in this area - they have AP computer science A and these courses (1 course in each area) CAD, Digital Media, video game programming, web page development and java programming. For AP course - java is a prereq - he took a java course outside school and they waived the prereq. But I was not sure if he can handle AP course in sophomore - so considered taking a half credit advanced programming course in soph and AP in junior. Your school seems to have very strong CS courses.
@Cheeringsection - thanks for the comments. About BC - most common practice in his school is to do AB and stats; not many kids do BC. But son thinks - that BC or multivariable calculus is useful for him as he consider math as a potential major in college. I have to educate myself on this - if BC is needed/major-positive for math major at college.
thanks @MA2012
@MA2012 - thanks. No, the school does not have anything beyond BC (and that is the reason, he wants to take BC; as its most challenging math courses at school). They have a tie-up with a local community college which offer multi-variable calculus - they do admit advanced math kids based on AB and competition math scores but it’s a logistical pain to go there for one class and come back. So BC may end up the highest math course in his resume. He will talk to the AB/BC teacher if it’s possible to somehow take them in the same year.
@dadmathgeek - S17 is going to be a math major so we have been looking at this recently (he took BC in 10th, then multivariable/linear algebra in 11th at his school). I would suggest BC since that is available at his school and he enjoys math, but if college to take Multivariable is logistically difficult don’t worry about it. Look at a some college websites to see what they say about placement for math majors. I found a few that went into detail beyond calculus, but at that point it is mostly case by case. Many just talk about calculus for placement, so he should be fine.
Hi. Just stopping in because I have a D20. Just wanted to suggest @dadmathgeek that you also consider when you son will be taking SAT Subject Tests, so that you get those lined up well with S’s class schedule. Especially since it looks like S may take BC Calc kind of early. Test early and often, I always say.
Yay! S20 just got his accommodations from the College Board! He got one on one testing, extra time, a computer for writing, extra breaks. etc.
Boo because my son is with an independent study school and he does not actually attend a campus, our local schools are unwilling to provide a proctor for his accommodations. This means there is a good chance he will not be allowed to take any accommodated AP tests, at all. For all four years.
Our independent study charter is working on getting our high school counselor permission to be a proctor otherwise he will not be able to take any AP or PSAT at all, ever. They are not sure what can be done, because they work out of an office building not a school site, and he needs a computer to be on a school site…
Disabilities suck and this kid just keep getting doors slammed in his face.
@LKnomad Oh, how utterly frustrating! My fingers are crossed that everything works out for him. You would think that he isn’t the first student at an online school that needs testing accommodations. Please keep us updated.