What is more important to you for your child in H.S. a student getting top grades or being placed in classes that appropriately challenge them?
For me, the appropriate challenge is more important. Unlike HK, I am not terribly concerned that my kids absolutely need this in order to not sink in college - I don't disagree with HK on this, just don't see it as a large issue. Instead, the issue I see is boredom and missed opportunity re what the transcript will look like to the universities and programs our kids apply too. I suspect that the more difficult classes always look better - once you get past any GPA-filter where the college admissions people might not ever look at the actual transcript and courses taken. Most importantly, when our children were younger, we were always looking to keep them challenged intellectually in school - that was the challenge as parents of intellectually capable kids. High school offers a lot more of that in terms of the more difficult courses - so why wouldn't we want our kids to have that intellectual challenge? My ds still wants it.
Obviously, the goal would be both but I'm dealing with a 2e kid and these don't always go hand in hand.
As you know, I have a 2e kid in high school also and yep, they don't always go hand in hand. OTOH, fwiw, I also know a lot of non-2e kids in high school and they have the same issue. Re my ds, I don't believe the issue is so much a 2e issue really - he's doing well with accommodations to the point I feel that for the most part, in most classes, his 2nd e is a non-issue. That said, he has a counselor who actually warns students about taking difficult classes or extra classes that aren't weighted etc to avoid bumping down your GPA with low grades or with non-weighted grades etc. My ds who really only wants to take interesting classes in school is already, in 9th grade, very aware of his class standing and what it will take to be in the top 10% of his graduating class and is hyper-focused on grades. Not because of anything we have pushed as parents and not because of any internal obsession on his part - but because of the push from his school program. There are some kids in his class who are already worried they aren't getting into an Ivy League school like their parents and their siblings etc.
because grades affecting college entrance it looks like I have to compromise.
I think this really depends on where your student applies. And fwiw, I believe that SAT/ACT scores play an equally important role. If your ds already has an idea of the type of program he wants to pursue in post-secondary - take a look at the colleges/universities he might apply to and see what their websites have to say about what is weighted in admissions. Go to college fairs and talk to the admissions folks about what is important. We've already done that - in ninth grade, and I found it helpful.
We have to decided between AB vs. BC Calc for next year. I'm coming to the realization that I should stop pushing Calc BC. I know he can pull an "A" on Calc AB and doubt he can get better than a B in Calc BC as taught at his H.S. (Many kids get 5 of Calc BC test but only get B's in the class.) An A on AB Calculus is going to look a LOT better on College Applications and he really needs the GPA boost rather than putting him in the class that will best challenge him.
I think this is ok reasoning as long as - it's your ds' choice. If he wanted to take BC, I'd have him take BC. Also is he planning to go into a STEM program? If he is, having taken BC might be the better option.
He is currently in a U.S. History class where he gets only so-so grades because he has a teacher who has a uncommon grading/teaching style. It is a class that if he had a different teacher at the same school he could get an A.
This is a situation that I think most students will find themselves in at one time or another and one that's usually entirely out of our hands in terms of making course selections. My ds has one of these teachers this year and I don't think he could make an A in the class if he did everything 100% correct and perfect and all that. His teacher has even told the class she considers that she's done her job well if the entire class gets a B or less on exams - she doesn't want to make the class easy. In some ways, I'm glad he's had this class because it's forced him to let go of any hope of getting straight As in high school early on lol.
Anyway, I don't mean to make light of your question, and I'm looking forward to reading what others think about this. It's a very real and frustrating issue for us.
Best wishes,
polarbear
