<p>I think the majority of (math/science) kids start at Algebra 2 as freshmen. So PreCalc as Sophomores then BC Calc as Juniors. Afterward one could do AP Stat, Calculus 3, Diff. Eqs, or Complex variables, etc.
Some kids do start at PreCalc (at our local high school) or do PreCalc over the freshman summer then take BC Calc as Sophomores.</p>
<p>More kids (than those taking PreCalc) take Geometry or Algebra 1 as freshmen (at our local high and at my nephew’s BS) and are unlikely to take BC Calc in their high school career. </p>
<p>At the interviews, my kids who are into math and science were asked what math they are taking as 8th graders and the AOs generally gave approval (?) when answering Proof Geometry - meaning my kids would be ready for Algebra 2.</p>
<p>Having middle schoolers take BC Calc? I’d call it child abuse. Being a mathematical scientist, I believe it’s totally unnecessary and inappropriate except for one in a million. If the kid is a math whiz, there are plenty of math programs much better than blazing through school curriculum such as competition math, Math Olympiad, computer programming, robotics, AI, etc. </p>
<p>As a purely anecdotal report, I recently sat in on my 10th grade son’s PreCalc class at Parents’ Weekend. The class seemed to be composed of 10th, 11th, and 12th graders in fairly even numbers, and no 9th graders. This particular PreCalc class would typically lead to taking AB Calc, there’s an honors PreCalc class that leads to BC Calc. My son has a friend in that honors PreCalc class, and said that it’s mostly 11th graders, and a few 10th graders. </p>
<p>Guess I was bored this morning, so I looked up all the enrollment so for this year’s upper level math classes at Deerfield. Here’s what I found:
For the non- calculus track (post-Algebra II):
Functions, stats & trig: 5 seniors, 6 juniors, 1 sophomore
Discrete math and pre-calc: 13 seniors
For the calculus track:
Pre-calc (expected to go into either Calc AB or AP calc AB next year): 18 sophomores, 47 Jrs., 21 Seniors
Honors pre-calc (go into AP Calc BC by Spring of this year): 4 Freshmen, 23 sophomores, 22 Juniors
Calc AB: 11 seniors
AP calc AB: 62 seniors, 23 juniors
AP calc BC: 28 seniors, 19 juniors, 2 sophomores
AP Stats: 26 seniors, 1 junior, 2 sophomores
Advanced calc and diff. equations: 19 seniors, 6 juniors (this class is known as “God Math”)
Advanced Math Tutorial (beyond “God Math”): 1 sophomore, 5 seniors</p>
<p>I am taking Honors Geometry I as an 8th grader this year if I followed the normal track would I do Algebra II in 9th Grade and then Pre-Calc. Can someone please clarify the math class progression.</p>
<p>@bschoolsearcher Yes, that’s basically it.
8: Geometry, 9: Algebra 2, 10: PreCalc, 11: AP Calc BC or AP Calc AB,
12: choice of AP Stat or Advanced Calc/Diff Eq. or both (double up math)</p>
<p>Wow, I’m impressed. My DS didn’t have the option of Geometry in 8th grade. He was in Algebra and that was the highest math available and only for specific kids chosen for it. This shows the big difference between public schools. He is currently in Geometry at his BS as a ninth grader.</p>
<p>Same for us, Momto4kids. Last year our son was in what we believe to be a district that is advanced in math offerings in the state, and he was in the “advanced” track, and that still only meant Algebra in 8th grade. Variance is great. </p>
<p>The variance in public schools is great. We are at a K-12 public charter school. Geometry is offered in “high school” part of the building. The students in Geometry class range from 7th to 10th grade.
At a local K-8 school, kids go to high school for Algebra 2 or upper level Spanish classes. School bus ride is offered to take kids back from the high school to the K-8 school after first period. </p>
<p>At my school a K-9 which I am very lucky to go to. The normal 8th grade math is Algebra I there is conceptual Algebra for those who aren’t as good and the normal honors class is doing Algebra I & Geometry I. Then my class is doing Geometry I. Last year my class did Algebra I while the other classes did Pre-Algebra. I didn’t realize this was not normal.</p>
<p>Radical acceleration (2 grade levels or more) in math is becoming more commonplace.</p>
<p>We purposefully slowed down our D so she could avoid university math classes once we decided to have her stay in high school. (she had completed honors pre-calc at the high school while in 8th grade, honors geometry at the high school in 7th, and tested out of algebra 1 after CTY/Thinkwell in 6th grade).</p>
<p>Exeter transitions these types of students into a combined albegra/geometry/trig/functions problem solving class as new freshman, before beginning calculus, to get the problem solving going strong and get an accurate feel for their level and potential. Calculus through BC is then a 2 year sequence.</p>
<p>More than half her current multivariable calculus class are 10th graders, who came in with sufficient calculus to test out of one year of the BC calculus track as new 9th graders. These students have the opportunity to complete 3 additional years of math after BC calc, through graduate level proofs, available to them in HS. Many are IMO level mathematicians.</p>
<p>For some additional perspective, the competitive math club numbers about 40 students, most of whom are very advanced. My D is not one of them. There are about 1000 students in the school. </p>
<p>Math is definitely changing. Junior Daughter in Trig/PreCalc fall term at Choate; she is on BC Calc track.
Her class though is mostly made up of sophomores. A lot of kids skipped or did not take Honors Geometry which she took as a 9th grader. Some Sophomores ended up accelerating and taking Algebra II over the summer on their own. The trend is to take harder math sooner and do more on your own, or with a tutor to get to more advanced math sooner. </p>
<p>With all the math acceleration, I have to wonder how much math is appropriate/ necessary for “non-mathy” kids. My kids have always been put in the most advanced math classes, which puts them on a track to take much more advanced math than they will ever want or need (if they take the four years of math that are recommended for college-bound students). At what point is it OK to jump off the track? I guess they can take statistics after calculus, but why not just take that in college? </p>
On a somewhat related note, the University of California now requires a year of geometry - skipping ahead without the credit is not an option. I only bring this to the table since I have read a lot of posts in High School Life where the kids are asking how to accelerate their math sequence.</p>
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