OK, here is the story, recently i just got back from a big lan party and my mom hands me this letter saying the following word for word.

Quote: Originally Posted by LETTER Dear parent/Guardian, Your student has earned an A or B in Biology first semester and has excelled in 8th grade CSAP tests, which has enabled your son or daughter to be registered for CP Chemistry (College Prep) next year. The science department would like to make sure this choice is clear and open up a forum for questions you may still have. First, we were pleased to have your excellent, hard working student in our Biology class. It is an honor to be ableto skip the required Chemistry class and go on to CP Chemistry. This option was extended to all 9th grade Biology studends who were able to earn a high "B" or better* on all assesments throughout the course. Your student also did well on the Math and Reading sections of their 8th grade CSAP which shows a high correlation to what they can be expected to achieve in our CP Chemistry. They will take CP Chemistry with 11th and 12th grade students. Our early sampling has shown that 10th graders in CP Chemistry do as well or better than the older students. Adams 12 School District highly encourages college boung students to take three or four science courses prior to graduation from high school. Your student will now be taking an additional college prep science course which will adequately prepare him/her for college application. In closing, we commend your student. Please contact me at ***-***-**** if you have any further questionsa. Thank you for your time and support of Legacy High School. Sincerely, Legacy Biology Department *Second semester biology students with hich CSAP scores are also being recommended for CP Chemistry in their sophomore year. despite their short time in biology to date.

My question to you folks is, SHOULD I DO IT!????
I cannot make the decision myself and everyone my house hasn't answered the question.
Im considering it, but my schedule for next year is already busy enough.

Man it's your choice, do what you want. Pick your choice. Choose your pick. Choip your hoose.

Go for it. Never pass on an educational opportunity, even if you know it's going to be pretty damn tough.

Rob

Quote: Originally Posted by Rob Go for it. Never pass on an educational opportunity, even if you know it's going to be pretty damn tough. Rob

Darn straight!

fb: i'm 35 and about to go back to school precisely because i didn't make the right academic choices. Learn from my mistakes, and don't make 'em yourself.

BTW congrats on the excellent grades

Thanks Rob and Droeblek for the compliments, i really enjoy science class, but i would be skipping a class that is required.
In order to do this, i have to go out of way and talk to the consolers (Spelling?) and request that it be taken next year.

Go for it its easier to drop the class then it is to get it past the line. Try it if its too much for you drop it.

Quote: college boung students

Do it and tell whoever wrote that letter to use spellcheck next time.

wow yr in 8th man! i really thopught you were older, like >27. i wanna congrat ya on being mature and inteligent.

i say go for it, im in the middle of dropping hs and going to college early, but i think being in that kinda class so early would have been a reason to stay(and keep my sanity).

Do it. If you need to lighten up your schedule I'm sure there is something less important you could drop. You only get one shot at high school. Make it count.

I don't know about you, but here College Prep is basicly no different from regular. Regular and college prep receive the same credit and GPA, 4.0. Honors classes receive 4.5 and Advanced Placement, the only classes that actually have anything to do with college credit are 5.0's. I would find out more, see if this is the best your school offers. Always take the highest classes you are offered, if you can do well in such classes.

ok where to begin.

I made a spelling error there, the letter was correct.

Im actually in 9th grade and thanks for calling me mature.

If i need, i will drop orchestra next year because im just taking it because it is an extra 1 credit a year.
I dont need the credits that badly.

And spec, these classes are just more of a challange, just harder stuff.
The classes that earn me college credit are the AP classes.
AP for advanced placement.

I advise you ask someone who's doing the program now. If it was AP, I'd highly recommend you not do it, cause I know I would die if I took AP chem before 1st year chem. But, I don't know your abilities so I don't think I or anyone else here could say. Ask your teachers, ask people who've done the program, but don't ask people who have no idea of your academic capabilities.

Take the highest version of the class Chem A < CP Chem A < Honors Chem A. Don't be lazy, leave that for senior year, and even that, after you've been accepted to your college of choice. Only you really know your ability, so sleep this over. If you find yourself overwhelmed later, you can always drop down.

1. As many others have said: You know where your interests lie, you should know how much time/effort you are willing to invest into the subject. Even if it isn't something you see yourself majoring in at college, its going to provide a good foundation for when you do make it to "whomevers" hallowed halls.

2. Never shirk a challenge. You may or may not be ready for it, but you won't know until you give 100% to make it succeed. Computer modding/tweaking/OC'ing/whatever takes a degree of brass hanging under the belt, make sure that you accept (academic) challenges with the same degree of excitement/eagerness.

(the next two are simply my opinions)

3. High School (and to a great degree, college) is about 30% learning the material, 30% learning how to learn, 20% learning how to manage time/effort , and 20% how to deal with those people/opportunities who come your way. Taking this class will speak as much as to how you will approach the challenge of the material as it does of your learning the material itself.

4. (Personal bias alert) Don't drop Orchestra. Everyone needs that one class that forces you think in a different way. Plus, Orchestra encourages (or is supposed to encourage) individual improvement to contribute to group success, whereas other academic classes are all about individual achievements. I always found music classes to be a welcome oasis in the middle of an academic day. Encouraging your artistic side will also round out your character -- which is always a good thing.

Graa.... (stepping off of soapbox)

You just about hit every question or doubt i had about the classes next year with that speech.
I will likely talk to my counsoler this thursday and talk about the class.
Thanks all for the oppinions.
I think im gonna give this thing a try.
I have always enjoyed me some good science.

Oh, I highly advise you stick with orchestra. Colleges love it that you stayed with one thing all four years. Plus, music's good for the soul and one relaxing class a day is a luxury a lot of kids don't get.

Quote: Originally Posted by jcarkeys Oh, I highly advise you stick with orchestra. Colleges love it that you stayed with one thing all four years. Plus, music's good for the soul and one relaxing class a day is a luxury a lot of kids don't get.

I was about to say the same thing, as nice as advanced science classes are, one of the best things i did was stay in music all through high school.

Ok, i think i will stick with music through out high school unless something really forces me out of it.
The sad thing is that i dont have a violin of my own.
I have rented a violin from the schools since i started in 6th grade.

Bob, I dunno how lenient the school you are in is, but for me I only had to make the choice between my music and a course once . . . and because of the teachers (who both kicked much ass as teachers and as friends), I didn't have to make a choice at all.

I took Physics my senior year and it directly interfered with my music course . . . The real bummer is that year the band was prepped to take a trip into Montreal, play at a baseball game (which didn't happen due to the strikes in '94-'95, so we played a mall instead) and all that goodness . . . Put me in a hard place cause I'd worked my ass off for four years fundraising to help get this trip . . . So, I sat down with both the physics teacher and our conductor and worked out a deal.

I attended physics for three of the 5 days of the week, and worked with the band the other two (the deal was for as long as my grades stayed up, but I never dropped below a 98%.) to practice for concerts, jazz band, pep band and our band competition on top of doing extra fundraising and general assitance through the year (including being asked to do orientation for an incoming group of youngsters that we were looking to get to sign up to band)

I worked my ass to the bone, but let me tell you , I never enjoyed school so much as I did that year.

Once again, things have changed a lot in 10 years, and I imagine you are going to a MUCH larger school than mine, but it can never hurt to ask if the situation comes up.

Hopefully you'll never be asked to make that kinda decision, but just keep how I handled it in mind.