<p>“Cordials and praline turtles until just before graduation”- ha ha, ChoatieMom that is so true! MomThree- the school will probably require you to follow its own science sequence. For example a lot of public schools teach earth science in 9th grade, but prep schools often start with freshman Physics. Most freshman start at Geometry, so if your DD has already had Algebra I and Geometry she could end up advanced by a year (although there are a scary few who come in taking Calculus!). Languages in private schools are often more advanced, as the students coming in from private feeder schools have had more advanced instruction. One of my children was very insulted to have been placed in “French 1” (not the language but you get the idea) when less able friends at the public school at home were in “French 3 Honors.” All of the placements are done through tests and detailed questionnaires filled out by the teacher at home. Hope that helps! I have a relative applying to be a repeat 9th grader, it is very common!</p>
<p>@MomThree: It doesn’t matter at which level your daughter enters (DS completed Algebra II with an “A” from our local community college before entering BS in 9th grade, but still had to start at Algebra II at Choate because they felt that their course set the best foundation for pre-calc), she will simply be placed in the appropriate course and continue from there. She won’t “run out” of any math, science, English, social studies/history courses, she’ll just have the appropriate level each year. Even if she starts with calculus, she’ll have four years of math; she’ll never “top out”. It may mean that she is able to take a “more interesting” core course as she progresses, but “down the line” will probably mean closer to senior year than freshman year.</p>
<p>You and your daughter should have this discussion with each school she is applying to so you know exactly how flexible the curriculum is at each school.</p>
<p>Perhaps some of the other parents have a different view/experience from their kids’ schools and would care to comment.</p>
<p>The great thing about most of these prep schools is the depth of curriculum available. Ideally, every kid would be able to have a high school experience where they learned every day for a full four years. In many public schools, however, if a kid is unlucky enough to be advanced, they won’t get it. They may find themselves tapping out the high school offerings at the same age many other kids are just starting prep school. For these kids, the opportunity to study at the appropriate level, while still in a high school setting, until they are a normal college, age is a real gift.</p>
<p>As the above posters have described, repeating - even when it means a do over of similarly labeled coursework - is not always repeating. Freshman English at local public school does not equal Freshman English at XYZ Academy. The only exceptions to this that I can think of would possibly be the math/science AP courses because those curricula are prescribed by College Board. The English/History APs are a little more loosey goosey. But not many 14 year olds have multiple APs under their belts. </p>
<p>Even when a prep school only requires “Math through pre-calc” for instance, most colleges want to see math every year. I doubt schools would allow a student to fill their transcript with humanities courses junior and senior year just because they did the minimum required math. It wouldn’t look good to colleges. </p>
<p>I am sure that every prep school handles transfer credits differently. If I were you, I would take the time at revisits to get transfer credits nailed down. Since your daughter is only repeating ninth, it probably won’t be much of an issue and I imagine she’ll probably start from scratch, so to speak. If she is coming in with multiple AP credits, on the other hand, it might be worth looking into which would be included on the final high school transcript. Basically, they will see what her baseline is and start from there. Again, the beauty of these places is that they have the ability to take a kid from where they are and “let 'em at it.” </p>
<p>MomThree, I wish your dear daughter the best. The need for FA will be an obstacle, but it is not impossible. Hope for the best and plan for the worst.</p>
<p>Thank you (all) for all of your insight and advice. </p>
<p>Our local public HS has been wonderful in doing everything they can to acommodate, but they have neither the depth or breadth of courses that BSs can offer. </p>
<p>At our local HS DD will run out of 3 major academic subjects before her senior year. </p>
<p>Last year she was waitlisted at two acronym schools but accepted nowhere. This time around she was willing to cast a much wider net. </p>
<p>We are hopeful, and I am prepared for the worst, but I know DD isn’t really.</p>