<p>Has anyone else compared your prep school's core class requirements to your public high school's requirements? I was surprised when we were looking at schools earlier this year--some prep schools don't require as many core classes as our local public high school. At our public school, seniors have to have the following in order to graduate:</p>
<p> English Language Arts (ELA) 4 Years
Mathematics 4 Years
Science 3 Years
Social Studies 3 Years
Health/Physical Education 1/2 Year
Visual/Performing/Applied Arts 1/2 Year
Language Other Than English (LOTE) 3 Years
Online Learning Experience</p>
<p>Some of the schools we initially looked at, and ruled out, only required 2 years foreign language, 3 years math and 2 years of science. It was surprising to think the public high school had more stringent requirements than a prep school.</p>
<p>I don't know if any of the prep schools you looked at have block scheduling but it makes a difference. At my daughter's school, each class is twice as long as the local h.s. classes. So she may only take 2 or 3 math classes in her four years but they will be both more in-depth and wide-ranging than the public schools. There's also less getting settled time, getting ready to go time, and less messing around which can cut a 55 minutes class time down to 40 minutes learning time (all times approximate!) </p>
<p>Her friends who still go to the local school say they can't imagine sitting in a class for 1:10 or more every day but my d says she loves it. There's time for everybody's questions to be answered and the answers discussed. There's more time for experiments and for working in groups. She didn't like having to change gears 6 or 7 times a day...math to french to pe to english to lunch, etc., always in a hurry to get to the next class, always in a state of tension. Add in smaller class size and you've got my d's idea of heaven.</p>
<p>religion is required at most prep schools, along w/computer science</p>
<p>novelisto-- i agree- block scheduling is amazing, but very intense...
Yes, the requirements to graduate are a little less stringent at my school (i think we only need to have 2 foreign language credits and 3 math credits), but at the same time we have to take religion, speech, and a year of PE. Most kids go beyond the requirements anyway, because block scheduling limits the number of electives we can take and lets us "double up" on the subjects we're most interested in-- I already have 4.5 science credits and 5 math credits, and I'm a junior. Overall- it's less restrictive, but it basically forces students to go above the requirements in at least one subject.</p>
<p>My guess is the vast majority, being geared towards college, would exceed those requirements anyway. Also, some kids start boarding school at an advanced level. For example, 9th graders taking precalc.</p>
<p>Most college-prep bs have higher level courses than the public hs, though. While the public hs might require 4 years of math, some of those could be basic math, whereas the lowest level taught at a bs is most likely Algebra I. Our local public, for example, requires three years of math, at least through Algebra I.</p>
<p>Prep schools generally have more arts requirements and possibly a course in comparative religions. Also, the athletic requirements tend to be much stronger. </p>
<p>I don't know how many students graduate with the minimum. I suspect they are few. My son took Honors Algebra I and Honors Geometry in middle school. I wanted to understand how high school credits from his middle school are handled, so I asked the Dean of Academics at my son's school whether or not he could complete his math requirement after finishing Honors Algebra II in 9th grade. He said that in all his years at the school, no one had ever done that. However, he said that theoretically, it was possible but not at all recommended. </p>
<p>I think most will complete the requirements of your public school and then some. Another example, my son also did one year of his language in middle school. As an 11th grader, he will continue at the AP 4/5 level, although he is completing his 3rd year now which meets the requirement.</p>
<p>I agree that "stringent requirements" do not equal higher quality. Possibly the reverse!</p>
<p>A lot of elementary schools in poor performing urban districts have "core requirements" imposed on them in an attempt to "raise the standards." My kids who have been at schools with none of these standards or requirements have undoubtedly learned more.</p>
<p>I was wondering that myself when the requirements at my son's school will be:
English — Four years
History — Three years (including U.S. History)
Science — Three years with intensive laboratory work (including Biology)
Mathematics — Three years (Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2)
Foreign Language — Two years of the same language
Fine Arts — One course
Electives — Two years
Each year a student pursues a program of studies consisting of at least five classes, including at least four “core” subjects chosen from the following disciplines: English, history, mathematics, science, and foreign language.</p>
<p>At first glance, the "requirements" seem light. But, since you have to take at least 4 "core" subjects a year, you'd have to go over. It just gives flexibility for some kids to do 4 years of a language and 3 history, or maybe extra science or something.</p>
<p>Also, prep school is a lot more like college in terms of what courses are available to you. There is a much wider range than at almost any public school. You can see the course catalog on the websites.</p>