Catholic School or Public School?

[hornedfrog]

I took 1 AP class my junior year and 4 my senior year (at a small private school - AP classes are certainly not limited to public schools!). My AP classes were absolutely not just the standard class with more homework. For example, the alternative to my AP Biology was Anatomy and Physiology, so even just the basic course topics were totally different. The alternative to AP Calculus was Algebra III. These classes required many independent projects (not something that you could just "not try" and wing your way through). There were several people who were removed from the AP classes and put in regular classes because they didn't pass muster. My school kept close watch as to how many in an AP class received 3's or higher. If the teacher or headmaster didn't think you were applying yourself enough to meet that standard, then you were put on probation and eventually removed if your efforts didn't improve.

I don't think that the AP classes alone helped me get into the very-competitive college that I went to, but they were a plus in my favor. Just like my diploma from a competitive college prep school was a plus. And as a perk for getting credit for all of the AP tests I took, at the end of my first semester I officially became a sophomore...which meant that I could park on campus!! (This was a huge deal)

Even if a high school graduate has no intentions of pursuing a college degree, the more rigorous his/her secondary education has been, the better off he/she will be. An employer might not care that the 19-year-old sitting across from her received an A in AP History, but the 19-year-old will be better off for it in terms of knowledge, confidence, etc. And those things will matter out in the 'real world'.

 

[Christine]

How did this mutate into a debate about the merit of AP classes?

For the record, I went to a Catholic high school that offered a number of AP classes along with the IB curriculum. Many Catholic high schools offer AP classes, that's not something that's limited to public high schools.

Thank you!!!! I have been reading the last few pages and realized that this thread is really no longer about different schools but how important (or not important) AP classes are.

For the record, my DD's Catholic High School offers AP in all the major subjects, as do the 2 other Catholic High Schools in our area. Again, I think it all comes down to where the Catholic School is located, what their resources are, and how hard they want to compete with the public schools to get their students. All 3 of our Catholic High Schools are located in affluent counties and, therefore, in order to keep their enrollment up, they need to offer what the public schools offer--and they seem to be able to do so here.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

How did this mutate into a debate about the merit of AP classes?

For the record, I went to a Catholic high school that offered a number of AP classes along with the IB curriculum. Many Catholic high schools offer AP classes, that's not something that's limited to public high schools.

sometimes i wonder how people even MAKE it into the AP classes. i know i still wonder how I got into my AP Spanish class. i barely remember any Spanish....and i didn't really know that much when i was in the class, either. i took some test in 8th grade and once 9th grade hit, i was taking 11th grade Spanish. i mean, i passed it and everything, but if you ask me now i think i can ask you how you are, and where's the bathroom, in Spanish and that's about it lol.

 

[CPM]

If this is Florida--she could have also done dual enrollment, still gotten Bright Futures and still be studying on the state's dime. She would have also had an actual GPA as opposed to just credits exempting her from coursewokr and she would have been done just as well.

Just my $.02.

.

Yup, your $.02
Yes, to all of above. But, it's a fact, I know at least with UF, it really did matter if you had AP or IB classes. BTW, that wasn't the college my DD chose, although she was accepted to it. UF takes such a small amount of students out of those who apply, that for some it was well worth it to have a higher GPA.

I honestly don't care about whether people take AP or IB classes. It worked well for my DD and Many of her friends. I'm sure many people do just fine in their regular classes, I know I did. I had no interest in taking AP classes.

Just thought I'd point out how worth it, it is for many people.

 

[CPM]

Yes it is. You said your daughter performed better because she took AP classes.

Not exactly what I said, I said she felt she was better prepared for college.
I gave you one example, but many other classmates from HS feel the same way.

I think it's quite an achievment when I see kids that went the extra distance in HS. Not even just with AP, IB, honors or such but with an extra you can do in HS. I think they also feel quite proud at graduation wearing the extra medallions, ropes, sashes and such.

So... Catholic or Public?

 

[Papa Deuce]

I can't answer with 100% certainty. I live in a great school district. My kids will go to public school. The public school is better than the Catholic school. My choice is to put them in whichever school is better.

 

[VioltePrincess]

I had only 2 AP classes..one I got a 2 on the exam that I am sure UF (who at the time and presently has a tough admissions process) was thoroughly impressed.

The other I got a 5 on the exam...but that was well after I had gotten accepted.

I don't think it gives them an edge any more than any other student other than it inflates the GPA. I child can make it into University without all those AP credits.

I was given the option of AP or dual enrollment for a course my senior year. I chose the latter b/c I didn't have to take a test making me worthy of college credit. It was a college class mandatory for students in the state University system.

in our district, students can start taking AP exams in 10th grade.

a 95 in an AP class is weighted slightly more than a 95 in a non AP course -- not enough to change a B into an A, but it does add a little wieght to the GPA.

problem is...Long Island has a very large opulation, and competition to get into a good college is intense. I've been told by guidance counselors and college prep coaches (yes, prep coaches - they work like tutuors for your college application) that Long Ilsand students have to have higher SAT scores and higher GPA's than their counterparts in other parts of the country to be admitted to their choice of college. having AP classes ont heir transcrips seems to be an edge.

 

[VioltePrincess]

Yes it is. You said your daughter performed better because she took AP classes.

performing better because of AP classes seems to be the rule, rahter than the exception, which makes it more tha a 1 person event.

high shcools wouldn't be so gung-ho on AP's if they didn't have some merit.

 

[Amity 3]

I denial. carry on.

 

[castleview]

We've opted for public schools for our kids. DH is a public school teacher and I was raised by public school teachers. I have a pretty good idea of how they work and I love the school that DD7 is in now.

If I lived in an area where I didn't like the schools, I'd consider Catholic or magnet schools. However, we based where we bought our house on the school system. I really don't know much about Catholic schools except my dad's horror stories (back in the Nazi nun days). My friends that went to Catholic school don't complain about it, but they also don't see the need for it.

In my area of CT, we have a ton of prep schools which are very good, I guess. However, their annual costs are equal to a year at UCONN!!

I'm a big believer that you can get a good education at any school if you're motivated (as in my sister's case) or if your parents are riding your a** (as in my case ). My high school was a very "do the bare minimum" school that I wouldn't want my own kids attending. Yet both my sister and I ended up at excellent colleges.

 

[kdibattista]

I denial. carry on.

No denial here... just not appropriate. I don't find anything funny about children being molested... maybe you do.

 

[lulu71]

Although to the kid that posted that I need to tell you, being fluent in french may help you in the workplace for an international company (not as much as Spanish would though) , but knowing Poe like the back of your hand is going to do you about as much good as being deft on a pogo stick.

Not true. I had a career for 13 years where it was strongly preferred (come to find out after the fact, required) that candidates have a strong liberal arts education. If I would have had a business degree, I would have never gotten my first job in the field.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

in our district, students can start taking AP exams in 10th grade.

a 95 in an AP class is weighted slightly more than a 95 in a non AP course -- not enough to change a B into an A, but it does add a little wieght to the GPA.

problem is...Long Island has a very large opulation, and competition to get into a good college is intense. I've been told by guidance counselors and college prep coaches (yes, prep coaches - they work like tutuors for your college application) that Long Ilsand students have to have higher SAT scores and higher GPA's than their counterparts in other parts of the country to be admitted to their choice of college. having AP classes ont heir transcrips seems to be an edge.

I just stated what it was in My experience in the schools I went to (2 different states).

A "B" was given 4 points for an AP course and I think for an honors course and was akin to an A in a regular course.

Some colleges want unweighted GPAs and on paper--just GPA alone--it would look no different than a student who excelled in their regular college prep coursework.

(The person I had quoted--was referring to a poster who lives in Florida).

We have dual enrollment options where a student could basically graduated high school with an associates degree and move on to state schools.

While it may not be transferrable to a place like Harvard. It does give them an edge in the State University System here especially--as long as you meet certain criteria on that associates (must be awarded the associates and possibly have a certain GPA), then you can get auto entrance into your school of choice in the state. They would also have an edge regardless b/c they have completed college level work as opposed to AP work that may or may not garner them credit.

AP scores must be in the 3 or 4 range before being accepted as credits.

It works differently in different states--just like school systems are different in different states.

Do what's best for you and your student and all will be okay. I liked the guaranteed credit in Senior English for taking Freshman Composition (A mandatory course in the Florida SUS) verses the maybe I will maybe I won't credit I would get for AP English.

The University of Florida didn't have a problem with that.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yup, your $.02
Yes, to all of above. But, it's a fact, I know at least with UF, it really did matter if you had AP or IB classes. BTW, that wasn't the college my DD chose, although she was accepted to it. UF takes such a small amount of students out of those who apply, that for some it was well worth it to have a higher GPA.

I honestly don't care about whether people take AP or IB classes. It worked well for my DD and Many of her friends. I'm sure many people do just fine in their regular classes, I know I did. I had no interest in taking AP classes.

Just thought I'd point out how worth it, it is for many people.

I've known 4.0 siblings of students at UF who got rejected.

Why--I have no idea. But they did look to more than just GPA.

With an Associates---you get auto entry (or at least you used to) in any school in the state.

AP's have merit--they are not the end all to an education though.

I took AP Calc b/c I loved math and wanting something more challenging than College Algebra.


You may find it a "fact"--but schools do look a bit beyond the transcripts as well. I'm sure she will find some in college who got in without all that.

I got into UF with one AP class on my transcript (didn't get credit) and one AP class in the works. But I was a well rounded student who did lots of other things in my high school career and persevered despite being in 3 different high schools.

 

[my4kids]

Not true. I had a career for 13 years where it was strongly preferred (come to find out after the fact, required) that candidates have a strong liberal arts education. If I would have had a business degree, I would have never gotten my first job in the field.

Did you ever quote Poe at this job?

 

[my4kids]

No denial here... just not appropriate. I don't find anything funny about children being molested... maybe you do.

It's also not necessary to lay that one on just the Catholic church. Child molesters are found in ALL professions in equal percentages, and they are in public and non-religious private, and christian schools as well. It's just when it is a Catholic you hear about it on the news because it is more sensational and some still love to bash the Catholic Church.

 

[Pigeon]

It's just when it is a Catholic you hear about it on the news because it is more sensational and some still love to bash the Catholic Church.

No, it's because when it occurs in other denominations and settings, those in authority generally do their best to root out the perpetrator. In the catholic church, the church throws its might behind sheltering the perpetrator at the expense of children.

 

[ilovejack02]

I see you're from B-more, and if you are talking about the city school system, then I whole-heartedly agree. (and it is frightening that the mayor of the place is going to now be the gov. of the state)

I am in the burbs, so we send ours to public....and the education they are getting is way better than the kids at the catholic schools around here. There are way more resources for kids who need extra help, and way more resources for kids who are gifted....the Catholic elementary schools only have 1 reading level...my son would be bored silly reading at the same pace as all 60 1 st graders. They are ok for a mediocre kid...but if you are gifted, or below average, God help you. I look at that and then think, why would someone want to spend money to send their kid to a school with a lesser education? and the answer is that they are conceited. They think they and their kids are "too good" for a public school where just anyone can go. So they pay money and sometimes the mom has to take a job, just to afford to send their kids to a school with bratty spoiled kids.

Every one of these parents when asked why they pay for less than what they get at public, would tell you that they value the Catholic education, but my kids use the EXACT same books as the religion classes at the Catholic schools do at their Sunday school classes at the church. The Catholic school doesn't have a gym and gym class , a playground, a sports field, an art teacher, a cafeteria, a speech pathologist, an occupational therepist, and on and on and on. It just doesn't make sense to me, it like they are all drinking kool-aid together and convincing themselves that if it costs more it must be better.

Thats is a shame that the Catholic schools in your area are so bad. The ones in my area are practically the best there is next to the Episcopal schools.
They have EVERY advantage a child could need and then some. Most of them have at least 1,000 kids in them. I would actually perfer to send my kiddies to the Episcopal school system, BUT it is really to much money for us to afford, kindergarten starts around 5,000 with high school being around 10,000 a year. Catholic school most likely will be what we pick. If you pick public school around here, you will be lucky if you child can read, not to mention that it will be a school very far away from your home. We dont have neighborhood schools because of a desegragation lawsuit that started in the late 50's and just ended a cpl of years ago. Kids are bussed all over the town.

 

[cybrkitn]

Time to unsubscribe. This thread has gone way off topic now.

See ya

 

[lulu71]

Did you ever quote Poe at this job?

No - but the point was that there are some careers out there where a liberal arts education is a prerequisite. Do you always take things so literally? Perhaps it's a disorder that you should get checked out.