I am trying to find out what is impact of having a gap in schedule (and doing study hall) in high school freshman year.
I did not find any specific post of it. My son will have study hall if he wants two mathematics in freshman year.
He does have 35 credits because he is doing music. Guidance counselors are not recommending it. They are saying it will look bad on college application. I am leaning towards taking extra mathematics as it will enhance college application and allow him to take more AP courses in later year.
Many schools require it, including some elite private schools. They believe that students should always have a period free for make-up work, consultations with teachers or advisers, and simply to breathe between classes. My son had to get special permission for an “overload” as a sophomore. His school didn’t allow it for freshmen or upperclassmen enrolled, as he was, in the IB program.
If his course load is otherwise very challenging, then a study hall won’t look bad on college apps. it’ll probably help him keep up with his work load.
My kids had study halls every semester in high school. They really, really help keep your kid’s grades up, especially if they have ECs that take a lot of time. I think if I read you right, the GCs are saying not to double up on math. I am going to agree with that… a ton of APs and very advanced math isn’t really the ticket to top college admissions that many parents think it is going to be. He would be MUCH better off developing some strong ECs. If his school’s routine math path can get him to BC AP Calc by senior year, that is plenty. Also, some math builds on previous classes – you can’t just take them at the same time if one is a predecessor of the other.
You sound like maybe English is not your first language? If your kid happens to be Asian, he is going to be awash in peers that have great math skills, and maybe music ECs. His chances will be better if he can swim against that stereotype and gain skills in some ECs that aren’t typical for that group of students.
Thank you very much for all responses. Based on responses I got so far, I am concluding that there should not be any negative impact on college application.
One more follow up question.
Does study hall show up on transcript?
qailah,
Right now my plan for him is to take Geometry and Algebra II this year. Then Pre-calc, AP Calc and AP Stat in each subsequent year. He will have to drop elective and Spanish I for this year. Taking Algebra II this year might qualify him for AP-Chem next year if he can take Chemistry during summer.This way not too many AP courses in one year.
I hope this answer your question.
Intparent,
Thank you very much for your reply.
You are correct about English being my second language.
We are not aiming for top colleges. I know how brutal the competition is and I am not sure if I want to spend more than 200k on undergraduate education. Taking more APs (and hopefully getting 4 or 5) will save some time at any public university.
I don’t think the curriculum at school is very challenging so I am trying to make course work little more challenging. School does allow to double up on Mathematics but not many students do it. As far as pre-requisite for two Mathematics, I don’t think he will have any trouble taking Geometry and Algebra II together. He did study most of the Geometry topic during summer and had finished most of the Algebra II topics at Kumon.
How will schools know? They don’t get the schedule they just get the transcript. The transcript wouldn’t list "Study Hall’. Is the GC suggesting that he is missing a class he should be taking?
JustOneDad,
all other classes are full and only way to take Algebra II is by dropping elective and Spanish I. He also missed on AP World History because late enrollment.
Intparent,
thank you for your opinion. GCs are not saying anything about four years of Foreign Language. They said it depend upon what major my son will choose in college. We are open to other foreign languages.
My main concern is having a gap in schedule as GCs are not recommending it. (They are leaving final decision up to us.).
Many colleges want to see the foreign language study, no matter what his planned major. If he doesn’t start in ninth grade, he won’t have 4 years. Listen to the GCs, the math acceleration just isn’t necessary and will not give him any edge.