Did AP Classes cut into your kids summer of boating?

[Tia Bu]

I graduated from (and even taught at) some of the most prestigious universities in the U.S. While I enjoy keeping up with my network of old college chums, I question how relevant those connections have really been to my career.

This may sound strange, but the vibe I get from teaching at a community college is-- that's where the future of our society lies. While a few of the students are attending "the 13th grade", the overwhelming majority are more mature adults or even advanced high school students taking a different route through higher education than I and my college chums took 35 years ago. And, unlike my college chums and I, the community college students aren't just looking to join the same social class and pursue the same careers their parents had.

The world changes. The economy changes. Educational institutions, and the mindsets of parents and students, change much more slowly.

I disagree that the people on this discussion board are predominately hippies. Hippies lived in the 1960's. That was two-- count 'em-- two generations ago. We're people who are pursuing (or thinking about pursuing) an alternative lifestyle that values freedom, travel, relationships, time, and creativity more than income, prestige, and social status. Many, if not most of us, have gotten to this point after high-achieving careers in more traditional walks of life. But those careers and achievements aren't necessarily important to us nowadays. We value the company and input of the 22-year old doing this as a lark on a micro-budget just as much as we value the company of the retired multi-millionaire.

Times change. This discussion board strikes me as another place that has the vibe of the future to it. And (I really, really don't mean this as an attack) expensive private schools, Ivy League universities, and jobs on Wall Street don't really give me that vibe.

[F15EWSO]

To OP,
"you're doing it wrong". AP should be an opportunity to take the "lower end-required" college courses during the normal school year to have the credits when you go to a 4 yr university. Both my kids "banked" these English, History, Algebra, Psychology etc courses to permit something less than 15 hr/semester once in College. ALL these AP courses terminated with the standard AP test in early may (mimicking standard university calendar) and there was no summer school. Who's driving the summer school? Just say no. Does it matter if in 1-2 years she goes to college with 3-6 hrs less of the credit? What if she blows the AP exam, what if the school does not accept the course credit? Then what did she reap after the months spent on the course.

My oldest is graduating from Grad School this summer, the youngest is going to UT Business Honors Program this fall; the latter was told he was accepted based partially on his "essay" lambasting the high-school and college entrance experience from an education perspective--he shredded it. It has all become a business and keeping your kiddo "at task" benefits them, not you. Time to take control and get your daughter back before she is gone for good.

[tartansail]

Originally Posted by Tia Bu

I graduated from (and even taught at) some of the most prestigious universities in the U.S. While I enjoy keeping up with my network of old college chums, I question how relevant those connections have really been to my career.

This may sound strange, but the vibe I get from teaching at a community college is-- that's where the future of our society lies. While a few of the students are attending "the 13th grade", the overwhelming majority are more mature adults or even advanced high school students taking a different route through higher education than I and my college chums took 35 years ago. And, unlike my college chums and I, the community college students aren't just looking to join the same social class and pursue the same careers their parents had.

The world changes. The economy changes. Educational institutions, and the mindsets of parents and students, change much more slowly.

I disagree that the people on this discussion board are predominately hippies. Hippies lived in the 1960's. That was two-- count 'em-- two generations ago. We're people who are pursuing (or thinking about pursuing) an alternative lifestyle that values freedom, travel, relationships, time, and creativity more than income, prestige, and social status. Many, if not most of us, have gotten to this point after high-achieving careers in more traditional walks of life. But those careers and achievements aren't necessarily important to us nowadays. We value the company and input of the 22-year old doing this as a lark on a micro-budget just as much as we value the company of the retired multi-millionaire.

Times change. This discussion board strikes me as another place that has the vibe of the future to it. And (I really, really don't mean this as an attack) expensive private schools, Ivy League universities, and jobs on Wall Street don't really give me that vibe.

So, are you saying that these are all "peas in a pod" or, separately, things that you don't see as part of the future? As the parent of two children who graduated from Stanford and Harvard, neither of whom have the slightest interest in Wall Street, I certainly don't see the connection. There is no doubt that there are plenty of schools with comparably talented students. Interestingly, one of the biggest advantages to the top-rated schools is that their endowment allows them to attract a student body that is more economically and culturally diverse than most other schools can afford. Harvard caps the obligation for any student's costs at 10% of family income up to something $180K/year before they even apply financial aid. The net result is that one of the biggest advantages of the school is that students graduate without the kind of debt that can drive people to the highest paying job they can find.

Tarring the alums of prestigious schools as soulless automatons who will continue their miserable lives as Wall St. drones is as much a fantasy as the belief of the helicopter parents that getting their children into one of these places will make them happy and successful.

[zeehag]

some places actually had school year round for smart kids. even when i was a kid, ap was a year round experience. so what is wrong?/ kid is smart?? dang--big problem. go for it--might just interfere with your summer plans, but the kid will grow up to be something instead of a know nothing lump. go figger.
because of his ethnicity, my son was denied ap status despite having had big brains. i wished for year round school for him so he WOULD become something in his life--but, that was not to happen.
rejoice and be happy you have the opportunity to show off your kids's brains.
summer vacations will come along in time--earn em. just like we had to do. good luck and may your children become just what they wish to be.

[Snore]

Originally Posted by Free Agent

Daughter had AP classes and it seemed like she had school work all summer vacation long.
Brutal.

She'd be doing school work between pulls on the wakeboard, and would bust it out in the boat when beached at the sandbars.

Wondering if it was just her school, or do all AP classes require hours of daily school work during summer vacation?

Now our 12 year old is entering AP classes from a top rated school and we're not looking forward to that academic grind if it's a re-peat of our daughters experiences.
He has a head for it, but a kid needs a vacation too don't they?

Any tips, tales or takes?

As a now 57 y/o kid who took summer classes for advancement in HS and college, it is not the amount of time off that counts. It is the quality of the time. Their time off need not be at exotic locales (mine wasn't) but they need time off from everything including chores. As a parent you need to support reasonable endeavors that THEY want, if you do the kids will be fine.

Yes they are kids only once, but they need to know that if they may make an intelligent choice, like trying to better themselves, you as parent will support them.

Bill

[anotherT34C]

FWIW, I basically goofed off in public HS and went to state university. After graduation, I went to Columbia for grad school (MUCH easier to get into an ivy as a grad student). Guess what? Nobody cares a bit what I did in HS or as an undergrad. Nobody. All anyone cares about is the last school from which you graduate. In other words, I didn't pull it together until my 20's, and it turned out okay. Just a data point to consider.