{{SIGH}} 11th Grade Schedule Complications for Son

Parents Social Lounge
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<p>Wow, thanks again everyone. </p>

<p>I just emailed the GC to find out when AP Psych is held during the upcoming school year. I mentioned we might seek an all-out waiver for the pre-req so he can take it as a junior. Of course this may get us nowhere if it, too, conflicts with French. </p>

<p>Some of you mentioned putting French at a higher priority than Psych. Absolutely. That's been our strategy all along. </p>

<p>JustAMomOf4's post concerns me a wee bit. Mainly because Son chose to drop AP Physics and keep AP World. (No science this year.) I'm not concerned <em>a lot</em> because he already has 4 sciences behind him: Conceptual Physics, Honors Bio, Honors Chem I, Honors Chem II. AP Bio and AP Chem are off the table because he HATES them, he has exceeded graduation requirements, and is not heading toward "hard" science in college. AP Physics really would have been a good fit.</p>

<p>The self-study psych and French immersion camp are good ideas as last resorts. School credit and $$$ may be issues, but we won't rule them out. Thanks Midwest.</p>

<p>At the risk of boring you all to death, here's what we're working with for the total course load...</p>

<p>DEFINITE
Honors French 3
Honors French 4
Honors Am Lit
Honors Trig OR Honors Pre-Calc (depends on how things shake out)
AP World
Percussion</p>

<p>MAYBE
Audit Academic Psych while doing Honors Psych assignments
Drop French 4 and take Honors Psych (boooo)
AP Prob & Stat to fill a hole if dropping psych
Computer lab to self-study psych
French 4 self study/immersion camp next summer ($$$ unfavorable, but possible)</p>

<p>FILLERS GC suggests for the holes left behind (all below honors level)
Keyboarding
Issues of Society
Weight Training (already took it/met PE req)
Individual & Dual Sports (already met PE req)
Healht 2
Am Revolution & Civil War (boring, considering he already took APUSH)</p>

<p>Oh, and yes, I realize our woes are very common. And it's reassuring to read that AOs understand. The trickle down/domino effect of one course affecting many really does wear one out, though, doesn't it?</p>

<p>Thanks, all.</p>

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<p>DougBetsy - if your son has no interest in engineering or another technical major he will be fine w/out AP Physics. He already had some physics and he took both Chem and Bio Honors so he is good. Use that spot to take something really interesting.</p>

<p>BTW - after the core courses are filled it is quite ok for kids to fill in with electives - Art, Music - even Tech Ed. </p>

<p>also - just make sure AP Stats is augmenting his math not replacing a course that progresses toward Calculus. Sometimes kids and parents make the mistake of taking AP Stats instead of pre-calc. bad move, mostly- IMO.</p>

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<p>Yale has an Open Courseware package for Intro to Psych from Spring 2007. You could have your son go through the videos to see what a college Intro to Psych course looks like and pick up a textbook to read along with watching the classes.</p>

<p>Berkeley also has course videos - see their Fall 2007 selection for Psych 1.</p>

<p>The Yale videos can be downloaded. The Berkeley videos are streamed via RealPlayer.</p>

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<p>If I am correct, you live in Maryland. Check this out first...</p>

<p>Maryland Virtual Learning Opportunities. Just drop it in Google.</p>

<p>It might offer some answers for you. When I lived in Maryland three years ago, I remember the Department of Education first going to online classes.</p>

<p>Now, you could also ask your school if it would be willing to allow your son to take AP Psych through Virtual Virginia, which has an excellent program. I had three students take the class this spring and they loved it. In Virginia, students do not pay for the class/AP exam. You would have to investigate what an out of state student would do. I am a huge fan of Virtual VA. So is my son, who has taken three classes with the program and will add three more in August. The teachers are certified. They are fair. They know the material. They also communicate well with school officials and students.</p>

<p>Worth looking into. If it's any comfort, we understand in my household. My son ran out of classes before his junior year. That's why he loves the online classes -- lots of variety and challenging.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Both of the high schools that my kids attended did not have the prereq. of psych before AP Psych. It is usually the same teacher doing both. Has your son talked to the teacher about forgoing regular psych and take AP as a SR.? I really never understood the reasons behind AP Euro. History--I think that it would be better for him to take AP Econ, if it is available. Take the AP Physics, and French 4 to get ready for AP French.</p>

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<p>I don't get the 2 years of high school psych either. My daughter took 1 semester of a AP Psych, as she came into the class mid-year after a semester abroad, and she scored 5 on the AP Psych exam -- so I can't imagine what another year would have done. She went into an advanced psych course her first semester of college, so she certainly had all the grounding she needed.</p>

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<p>Most schools teach AP Psych with no prerequisite.</p>

<p>However, in a school where it does have a prerequisite, keeping up with a class that has already completed that prerequisite might be difficult.</p>

<p>If your son does succeed in getting the prerequisite waived, perhaps the school would allow him to borrow the book(s) for the prerequisite course to read over the summer so that he wouldn't be entirely unprepared.</p>

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<p>AP Euro was my favorite course in high school, but for Mathson who never much cared for history it was more fun to take AP Econ. I don't think it much matters what APs you take - take the ones that interest you. </p>

<p>As for the OP, I'd take the French and see what other ways there are to tackle the interest in psychology. Independent study or MIT's open sourceware are more possibilities. (I never took a course, but I did read all my mother's psych. textbooks when she got her elem. ed. degree.) </p>

<p>I do think he has enough science that it is not a big deal if he doesn't take an AP Science.</p>

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<p>I find the AP Psych pre-req puzzling as well... AP Psych, while interesting, isn't usually considered that hard, and I've never heard of an AP Psych pre-req before. Also, I AP'ed out of Intro to Psych (5 on the exam) and took a 300-level psych class the first semester--it was literally the best class I've taken in college, and I regard being able to AP into that class one of the best decisions I've made in college/high school! Also, AP Psych provided me with adequate prep to make A's in all my psych classes tus far and impress many of my professors.</p>

<p>Also, if you're son does want to be a psych major, I'd suggest getting involved in a research lab ASAP in college--not only is it interesting and absolutely vital for getting into PhD programs, but knowing grad students (if his school has them) can give valuable insight into just how freakishly hard grad school is...</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>OK - take the French in class - you need the listening and the speaking. You can self-study AP Psych and take the test. College Board rules will prevail over local rules. College Board has no prereqs and anyone can take the test. Good luck!</p>

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<p>AP language is a heavy weight on the transcript. As for loving Psych, can he take it over the summer or evening? Which physics is he planning to take, B or C?</p>

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<p>This is a great idea.


</p>

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<p>UPDATE - RESOLVED </p>

<p>Long story short: I had dealt with the GC and VP and was preparing to go to the principal, when the principal offered to waive the pre-req for AP Psych. </p>

<p>I was going to request the waiver anyway when I eventually took the "case" to the principal. But when he heard about son's dilemma from the vp and checked son's grade record, he suggested it first. Nice. </p>

<p>So, no psych as a junior, but definitely in AP as a senior. </p>

<p>Crisis averted. Much ado about nothing. </p>

<p>(After 11 years in the school system, this was my first time advocating for one of the kids. Now I'm left wondering if I came on too strong. But I won't lose any sleep over it.) :)</p>

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<p>What a satisfying, appropriate resolution - hooray!</p>

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<p>Yes, glad you got the solution you were hoping for - sometimes those in charge do have common sense.</p>

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<p>Great resolution -- make sure you get confirmation in writing, since this is something you may have to remind folks about next summer/fall when scheduling takes place. Principals and GCs leave... the confirm can be an email from the principal or you sending the P a confirmation of the discussion you had over the telephone regarding this issue.</p>

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<p>Glad it turned out well. If your son is interested in psychology there are a wealth of books he can read.</p>

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<p>^^ totally agree w/getting it in writing. Personnel can turnover b/w years. And congrats on a good solution!</p>

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<p>Yes, I got the waiver in writing via email within 10 mins of the end of our conference call.</p>

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<p>In our district there was no prereq for AP Psych. In fact I dont think any other psych class was offerred. DougBetsy, check with your hs to see if this is the same for your son.</p>