<p>Algebra I is critical for any further Math classes. A good foundation will help more in the future than any advanced math classes.</p>
<p>Focus on doing Algebra I well, not when.
If the textbook questions are organized into simple, intermediate, and challenging, the student should be able to complete all the intermediate problems correctly without breaking out into a sweat. Gently encourage trying the challenging problems with parent involvement as needed, but never to the point of frustration.</p>
<p>“If it isn’t challenging enough then they will be miserable, and the same goes for if they aren’t getting it.”</p>
<p>My son is on the same math track as the OP’s; he does fine; he is currently at the gym “working out”; probably spent an hour doing homework. Usually skirting an “A”, but missing a few assignments. He is far from “miserable.” (Perhaps THAT is the silver lining)…I, on the other hand…</p>
<p>When I was a freshman in high school, I thought this was the end of the world, but truth be told, it does not matter. I did well enough in alg2 honor to be allowed to skip precalculus, but could probably have used the extra year to prepare for calculus in college and as a result never got the hang of calculus, even though I took it twice. If he does well enough on his math SAT (not taking precalc by that point does not preclude him from doing well on it), has other advanced courses, and gets good grades, he will clearly show that he’s bright. The disadvantage would be if he takes courses over his head in high school and ends up drowning in upper-level course his freshman year of college because he was allowed to skip. As a side note, the guy who sat next to me in freshman year algebra is now at Dartmouth. I’m at NYU. Good luck to your son.</p>
<p>The math path differs at different schools/counties. At my boys hs, students take Alg 1, pre AP geo, Alg 11/Trig, Funct/trig OR Funct/Analy Geo. If you have taken F/Trig in 11th grade you can only take Calc AB as a sr. If you have taken F/AG you can take Calc AB or BC. If you do not start Alg until 9th grade you will not get to Calc which will not be a huge deal on the SAT’s but it will make a difference on the subject tests if you choose to take Math. A student that hasn’t had F/AG by 11th grade will have a hard time on Math 2 subject test. Weather or not you feel standardized tests are valid, it is something that is used by colleges and if you are going into engineering or science, then it will make a difference.
We don’t have a pre-calc class. S2’s gf is in a neighboring county, started in the same types of classes, didn’t skip anything and is in calc as a jr. All counties have their own programs. The same is true for science. Our students can not take AP chem without taking preAP chem first. Other schools you can go straight to AP chem. Our kids get held up a year, although they do much better in the class.
It does matter depending on the schools you apply to.</p>