# WWYD - 15 y.o. and local community college



## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

It has been suggested that my 15 y.o. take pre-calc at the local community college. WWYD?

Cindyc.


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## Kris in MI (May 30, 2002)

Is there no pre-calc/trig class available elsewhere? My high schoolers go to public school, and they take trig and calc there, with the calc class offered actually being an AP Calc course that substitutes for Calc1 in college if they score high enough on the AP exam.

Even if you don't ps, they should be willing to work with you; my kids go to a private christian school through 8th grade, and my ds took geometry at the public school this 8th grade year because his school did not offer math that high. The public school was very willing to have him that one hour a day because they *got funding for him* even though he was only in their building for one class period and not the entire day.

I took a college class at 16 and my son started taking college classes last fall when he was still 16, and both of us did fine there. I think I would be a little leery of sending a 15yo, guess it would depend on where the class is located and how large of a class it would be.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

I would search the www.hslda.com site to see if there was a home school group in my area that had this class.
If it was not available, I would go to a private tutor.


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## Beingthatgirlme (Mar 20, 2010)

I'd let your child go for it. It's credits that later could towards college and being under 18 he/she could go pretty much for free. If you are worried about him going for any reason, possibly find one with on line classes, or find a local Christian college. I live near a Mennonite college with tons of Christians, and many home school families who I didn't even know, but they have lived in this same area for the past 10 years. Now we know each other and as it turns out, we are even in the same home school group and never knew it!! It can be a great experience if taken care of properly. JMO


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

Why not? What are your concerns? What does your son think? 

Can he audit the class rather than take it for a "real" grade? Obviously he still learns and there is a record of taking the class, just can't use the college credit. But if you're concerned he might not do that great, it could be a good "intro" by telling him that YOU want him to try, and HE should do his best, but in the end, it's just another class and no grade is officially registered anyway. 

In my area, a lot of homeschooled high schoolers take classes at community colleges. But every child is different. I would probably lean toward putting my eldest into a "first" college course that I thought she probably would ace, just because I think it would boost her confidence rather than add anxiety. 

Good luck!


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

offthegrid said:


> Why not? What are your concerns? What does your son think?
> 
> Can he audit the class rather than take it for a "real" grade? Obviously he still learns and there is a record of taking the class, just can't use the college credit. But if you're concerned he might not do that great, it could be a good "intro" by telling him that YOU want him to try, and HE should do his best, but in the end, it's just another class and no grade is officially registered anyway.
> 
> ...


He'll ace it. He scored "post high school" on his standardized test in math in the 6th grade. Honestly, the Algebra 2 and 3 (yes, 3 - a class that is not even offered most places) that he is taking now is harder than the pre-calc at the community college. That is sort of the crux of my problem. He will get a better math education continuing on in the classes he is in. However, he is a small fish in a very large pond of kids who are very, very good at math. So he'll make a B or C in the pre-calc class if he does it through the same organization online that we use now and he will have a very, very good math education at that level. However, the local community college class is easy (for pre-calc). He will make an A. The really maddening thing is that from the perspective of the college admissions (and scholarships) system, it doesn't matter that he got a B in a better class and that this is better for him in the long run, it brings his GPA down. So, on paper, it is better for him to do the community college class, but in real life (if he goes into a mathematics, engineering, or technology field -which is likely), it is better for him to do the other one and have a better calculus foundation. Unfortunately, we really need him to be able to get scholarships, for any of it to matter anyway. So the fact that "started community college at age 15, taking pre-calc, and making an A" looks so much better on a transcript than does "took pre-calc on line with other gifted math kids and made a B" really does matter. But it makes me crazy. And sad. Neither choice really serves the need of the child. Grump.

Does any of that make any sense? L! 

Cindyc.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

rose2005 said:


> Yes it does make sense. I would let him take the community college class either online or in person.
> 
> It would depend on his maturity in taking it in person, some 15 year old boys are very immature, and some are young men.
> 
> Rose


The unfortunate reality is that this is probably what we will have to do for financial reasons. :-( I find it utterly stupid that giving my child a better education in a subject area than he can get at the local community college will hurt him because of what it says about a "grade" on a "transcript". The two classes are just not even in the same league. But I am not going to be able to change the system just because I don't like it. GRUMP.

Cindyc.


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

What is the next class in the course sequence? Calculus instead of pre-calculus? What about that?

It also depends on the community college. We have two in our immediate area - one is extremely open to homeschooled students and the other isn't. At the one that is, it would be reasonable to call the math department chair and ask his/her advice for courses. If you had that sort of option, I'd do that first. 

I'm personally not positive that colleges won't be as receptive to alternative education....I'm sure it all depends, but I agree with you - taking him out of a better program to put him in a lesser program is stupid. If he's doing this math at this level at 15, colleges should be thrilled to enroll him no matter where he got the education. And if not...I might keep looking until I found one that was, but I realize that may not easy.

Good luck.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

cindy-e said:


> It has been suggested that my 15 y.o. take pre-calc at the local community college. WWYD?
> 
> Cindyc.


why not? 

It was quite common in my high school (pre-distance learning, remember) for kids to take college classes at our local four-year. 
Most took math/science classes in junior and senior year of high school, but occasionally you'd see sophomores, too. 

So far as 15 and community college, my little brother HAD to get his driver's license as soon as he turned 16 because he was TEACHING classes at our local community college, 30 miles away and Mom was tired of driving him. lol


In my current community, _most_ of the home schooled kids in the area take a few college classes before they officially "graduate" high school.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

rose2005 said:


> What about AP courses?


I thought about AP. I think we can do that through PA homeschoolers. But again, the perception thing comes into play. Some colleges are now refusing to accept AP, and are saying that it is not *really* equal to college level work. It just depends on what colleges you apply to. 

Cindyc.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

rose2005 said:


> What AP does is that it shows the colleges and universities that you are a motivated student.
> 
> What does he want to do? Is he mature enough for CC?
> 
> Rose


I don't think he really cares as long as he gets to do the math.  He's mature, but he's also the "absent minded professor" type... Parts of it would be a challenge for him - oraganization for example - but they are areas in which he needs to be challenged. 

Cindyc.


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## lisa's garden (Apr 1, 2010)

I think a lot of it depends on what your son wants to do. Give him all of the information and ask him what he thinks. He is probably ready to start making decisions like this. If he is overwhelmed or you really feel that you need to make the final decision, maybe you could consider having him take the gifted class first and then sign up for the college class. Would that be an option?

He if does take the college level class, I would suggest paring down the other school work that you give him so that he can concentrate on the math class. It would also be a good idea to give him some lessons on taking notes in class. 

My son is 14 and is taking Spanish at the community college. He is doing very well in class, but he is also somewhat 'absent minded' and we don't think that he will be ready for the higher level (college credit) math for at least another year. I really don't want him to be turned off to college by getting started too early in a subject that is more difficult for him.

So much of this depends on your son, but it sounds like he loves math...so he will do well no matter which direction he goes.


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

I would talk to the math departments in both the community college and a college that your son might be interested in attending after graduation. If your son is going to go into a science field where he will need a good foundation in math, the community college may or may not prepare him well enough for that. The head of a math department in a large college nearby would probably know how well a student going to a particular school or using a particular curriculum will be prepared. I did this with my first son, and it's one of the reasons I changed math curriculum, as the professors in all three of the colleges that I talked to did not feel that the curriculum that I had recently changed to prepared students for college math. Precal is a very important foundation for Calculus, which will be required for most degrees in science. Also taking pre-cal at a college around here would not count as credits towards college graduation except in a junior college. I often tutor in Calculus, and I usually have to go back to the Pre-cal to bring students up to speed.

Dawn


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