Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy honors algebra in 6th grade

I'm also with "do the right level now, and cross future bridges later". You do need some forward planning, but don't let future possibilities scare you out getting the right placement now.

And if MIT doesn't worry about high school diplomas, then neither will I.

One thing, though, is I don't think it's good to have a "gap year" in maths. You need to keep your maths thinking cap on to stay sharp. For someone finishing Calc BC in grade 10, while Stats and Comp Sci are perfectly decent courses to takes the next 2 years, it's still better to continue with actual maths courses. If you can get access to courses in Multivar Calc, Diff Eq, or Lin Alg (local uni or a rare high school) that is a good option. Or maybe instead then would be a good time to take those AoPS (or whoever) courses in Counting & Probability or Number Theory that you hadn't got to yet.

Thanks everyone... We are going to stick with doing what is right for her now (and that is definitely algebra) and just see how it goes. Her high school offers AP calculus AB and BC, which she would complete by 11th grade. For her senior year she would have to take AP statistics or take a college course, I guess.

Just for your information. One usually takes Calculus AB or Calculus BC. You can take AB first and then BC, but then there is a lot of repetition the 2nd year. Of course that depends on how the school teaches it.

"The Calculus BC exam covers the same differential and integral calculus topics that are included in the Calculus AB exam, plus additional topics in differential and integral calculus, and polynomial approximations and series. This is material that would be included in a two-semester calculus sequence at the college level. " -- quoted from the AP website.

I do agree taking Algebra now is probably the right decision.

By way of analogy, taking AP calculus AB in grade 10, and then taking AP calculus BC in grade 11, would be like taking the first half of Algebra I in grade 6, and then going back to the beginning again and taking all of Algebra I in grade 7.

Just wanted to add that the AP Calculus exams are offered as version AB and version BC in part to allow more students to participate. How a school district sets up their calculus curriculum can vary substantially. In my day (decades ago), Calculus AB was a one-semester course and Calculus BC was a two-semester course with the AB and BC courses set up sequentially so that there was no overlap (BC picks up where AB ended). At my children's school district, Calculus AB and Calculus BC are still sequential courses with no overlap but both courses are full one-year courses.

It is possible to cover varying numbers of topics in varying depths.

I know that MIT doesn't require a HS diploma, but I would be careful. If you have some great hook, then you are probably okay without the diploma. But absent national academic awards, published research, or something of equal worth, I would make sure my kid had a HS diploma.

If you are near a four year college, then you should not run out of math courses. Distance learning can also work, as well as taking courses such as AP Statistics and Linear Algebra. Absent those options, perhaps the kid can do an "independent study" project for math. There are always options.

Back to the original poster. DS completed GT Algebra I in 5th grade so similar enough to your situation. You already got really sound advice but ultimately you have to go with what feels right for your DD as well as yourself. I am with the flow of opinion to go with what works now so another vote for Algebra I in 6th grade.

However, I have to admit that I did choose against GT Algebra I in 4th grade even though DS was ready based on multiple assessments partly due to future considerations. My concern was that he may not be optimally ready to cover geometry and trigonometry in the depths that I wanted. It is likely that he would have been fine if we had chosen to accelerate another year but we don't regret holding back a year. His Pre-algebra curriculum was invaluable because it covered many geometry topics as well as basic trigonometry and it really solidified his foundation. Furthermore, his writing and computer skills are more advance now and more equal to the task of geometric proofs and mathematical software.

I'll just mention that I know quite a number of people (myself included) who have been admitted to and completed degrees at competitive four-year institutions, without high school diplomas. That being said, we're planning to transition ours into full-time university with community college coursework first, as a way of both maintaining challenge in strength areas and demonstrating college readiness without requiring a diploma.

Of course, I also don't believe that attending a flagship state university instead of an elite private will necessarily be shortchanging their educations.

Thanks for the info re: AP Calculus AB and BC.. I grew up and went to HS overseas, so all this AP stuff is alien to me!!

I know at the HS she will eventually attend they offer AB and BC sequentially and they are both one year courses... not sure if there is an overlap between the courses content wise.

Thanks for sharing your child's experience. I also worry a bit about some gaps she may have in geometry but was reassured by the middle school that is should not be a problem... I hope so!