How many AP classes to pick in 9th grade

[vludmilla]

Please consider no AP classes for 9th grade. It is rushing things that don't need to be rushed and reducing the time available for optimal adolescent development.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Please consider no AP classes for 9th grade. It is rushing things that don't need to be rushed and reducing the time available for optimal adolescent development.

I know it’s super hard for some parents not to push their kids to do everything academically possible but sometimes that instinct needs to be tamped down- and to remember that school isn’t just about academics and maximizing the GPA. Plenty of time for that. Ease into hs, like I said above. Try activities, sports, just for fun electives.


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[essnce629]

Another vote for for zero!

The transition from middle to high school is difficult enough.

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[DualvansMommy]

My oldest will have 2 years left of middle school after this year, and there’s still so much adjustment period. I’ll be saying no to AP during his freshman year, I still remember how much it felt like for my own 9th grade years ago.


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[georgiegirl]

DS1 (8th grade) registered for 9th grade classes today. Next year will be the first year that our district will offer an AP class in 9th grade (Human Geo). Ds said he thought about it because he really loves social studies, but he decided not to. Thank goodness because he’s not quite that level. DD would have been fine with an AP class in 9th grade, but definitely not DS1.


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[anonomom]

I'm gonna be the nerd/tiger mom who pushes back on the "No APs in 9th" thing.

9th grade is as low stakes as high school gets -- some colleges literally don't consider freshman grades at all. If you have a kid who has been doing well academically and getting good grades without having to work too hard, I would encourage them to try for the AP. The worst that happens is they learn that the AP class is more difficult than they care to handle, and that can inform their decisions in the future. But at least they'll have challenged themselves to see what they're capable of.

I feel like my kids' schools really err on the side of discouraging kids from challenging themselves. When my eldest was registering for 9th grade, the counselors told the kids to take it easy, not to register for honors or AP classes, and even to avoid taking any kind of world language in 9th grade, because languages are "hard." The college-prep info they provided was only to list the bare minimum requirements to get into the State university system here, without making it clear that out-of-state schools and/or private schools might have more stringent curriculum requirements. Given that many kids don't even meet their counselor individually until second semester Junior year (when it's far too late to reverse course), this advice seems limiting to the point of malpractice.

[anonomom]

deleting the double post. I'm not sure why that keeps happening.

[georgiegirl]

I'm gonna be the nerd/tiger mom who pushes back on the "No APs in 9th" thing.

9th grade is as low stakes as high school gets -- some colleges literally don't consider freshman grades at all. If you have a kid who has been doing well academically and getting good grades without having to work too hard, I would encourage them to try for the AP. The worst that happens is they learn that the AP class is more difficult than they care to handle, and that can inform their decisions in the future. But at least they'll have challenged themselves to see what they're capable of.

I feel like my kids' schools really err on the side of discouraging kids from challenging themselves. When my eldest was registering for 9th grade, the counselors told the kids to take it easy, not to register for honors or AP classes, and even to avoid taking any kind of world language in 9th grade, because languages are "hard." The college-prep info they provided was only to list the bare minimum requirements to get into the State university system here, without making it clear that out-of-state schools and/or private schools might have more stringent curriculum requirements. Given that many kids don't even meet their counselor individually until second semester Junior year (when it's far too late to reverse course), this advice seems limiting to the point of malpractice.

My kids’ school is like that too. I watched a registration video and they discouraged kids from doubling up on science and taking too many APs and academic classes. DD of course didn’t listen and is taking 5APs this year (two of which are science.) if your kid is motivated and wants to take one AP class in 9th grade, go for it. (But not any of the AP English classes.) DS1 isn’t motivated academically, so I’m not encouraging him to take any APs until maybe junior year (he will be eligible for AP Calc then.) And since DD went through APs at the high school, I can guide him towards those with better teachers and lighter work loads (since it varies from school to school.)

[zukeypur]

DD took one in 9th grade, but I don't remember what it was. AP Geography maybe? She got a 5 after staying home the whole year due to COVID. She studies the Princeton Review book and took the practice tests for the week before the AP exam. She did another exam sophomore year...I think it was world history. Another 5 from Princeton Review practice. This year she is taking 3 (junior year), Chemistry, English Language and Composition, and US History. We've had good luck with Princeton Review, so I ordered three more. She is doing on-ramps for PreCalculus instead of AP (if they even offer that, IDK). This is all after a discussion with her HS counselor. I didn't have AP exams, so I don't really know anything about them except that they are recommended and she gets a big "I made a 5 on my AP exam" sign that magically appears in the front yard mid-summer.

[diamond]

DD took one in 9th grade, but I don't remember what it was. AP Geography maybe? She got a 5 after staying home the whole year due to COVID. She studies the Princeton Review book and took the practice tests for the week before the AP exam. She did another exam sophomore year...I think it was world history. Another 5 from Princeton Review practice. This year she is taking 3 (junior year), Chemistry, English Language and Composition, and US History. We've had good luck with Princeton Review, so I ordered three more. She is doing on-ramps for PreCalculus instead of AP (if they even offer that, IDK). This is all after a discussion with her HS counselor. I didn't have AP exams, so I don't really know anything about them except that they are recommended and she gets a big "I made a 5 on my AP exam" sign that magically appears in the front yard mid-summer.

Thanks for the tip about Princeton review, Will keep in mind for the future. I love that you talked about the yard sign I've seen some in the neighborhood past years and didn't realize what it meant till now 😇