Is 9th grade too early for college?

[JonathanBelles]

A St. Petersburg Times article put out today discusses that topic...

http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/ ... 943553.ece

Here in St. Petersburg, AP classes werent given until 11th grade, but this has very likely changed since I was in 9th grade 5 years ago. There were only a few AP classes available at the time, but 3 new ones were added the year I was leaving. Now, HS Students must choose a major. There indeed is a HS attached to my college at St. Petersburg College, and they take college courses all four years. Let me also say that AP classes are much harder than actual college classes, but they do lessen the shock of the transition from HS to college and prepare you much more than the HS itself does. Even though only 40-50% of the students taking these classes (in my HS) pass the exam, it offers valuable experience. I certainly would have taken AP classes in my 9th grade year if they were available, and my GPA probably would have been better than what it was. Along with the article, I do believe that colleges are getting harder and harder to get into, and that AP classes do help, but there will come a point that they cannot make it any harder. Eventually I think that HS's will virtually become a stepping stone to college just like middle school is for HS right now. In this day and age, kids are being push much much faster than ever before. I think that the high class in education is widening while the lower class is getting dragged along by their shoestrings. Not everyone can live this very hard way of education, and might I mention I only passed one of my two AP exams.

So, my question is as the article asks, is 9th grade too early for college?

[Miss Mary]

Strictly from a mother's perspective?

YES!

[CajunMama]

I believe it is way too early. Young teenagers are basically just leaving their childhood behind and I don't believe they should be exposed to college level stress that early. Let kids be kids.

[Squarethecircle]

Where I'm going to school, most of the parents would be very upset if AP courses were not taught in HS. However, this is the same place where kids get very upset over an 89, so I'm guessing that's the exception, not the rule.

The one problem we have here is the parents forcing their kids to work way too hard - I know several people here at TJ who were forced into the school by their parents and just want to return to their base school so that they can be with their friends and escape the stresses of a highly competitive high school. I know some kids who are deliberately getting below a 3.0 average so that they can get kicked out at the end of the year. Really, I think the kids should be able to decide exactly where they want to go and what they want to do.

[vbhoutex]

Where I'm going to school, most of the parents would be very upset if AP courses were not taught in HS. However, this is the same place where kids get very upset over an 89, so I'm guessing that's the exception, not the rule.

The one problem we have here is the parents forcing their kids to work way too hard - I know several people here at TJ who were forced into the school by their parents and just want to return to their base school so that they can be with their friends and escape the stresses of a highly competitive high school. I know some kids who are deliberately getting below a 3.0 average so that they can get kicked out at the end of the year. Really, I think the kids should be able to decide exactly where they want to go and what they want to do.

That I must disagree with. Even teens entering high school do not generally have enough wisdom behind them at that point to make those particular decisions. I was in advanced courses in HS and it did help me prepare better for college. However I do not think teens that are not academically gifted to some degree should be forced into higher level courses. IMO, that is just setting them up for failure. In some instances it could motivate them to achieve more, but I don't think so in most instances unless they truly are being lazy and have been previously proven to have the skills to handle the higher level courses and the additional stress they bring. Some thrive on this, but many do not. My caveat to all of this is that EVERY CHILD should be steadily and constantly challenged to achieve to the very best of their ability no matter what "level" they are at. I am so tired of seeing classes "dummied down" so that everyone can "make the grade and feel good about themselves". Those that truly need to be worked with to help them achieve on a "normal" level should be given the resources to help them but never to the detriment of others who need some challenge to motivate them. I could go on and on about all of this, but that is my thoughts in a nutshell.

So to answer your question. In many instances, if not most, yes 9th grade is too early for college courses, unless the child has shown the desire and ability to handle them. Though this must be a decision made by adults familiar with the child in a situation such as college courses at a very young age the child must be highly motivated to do that type of work, not forced to.

[gtalum]

I'd say it depends entirely on the student. Some students are ready to take AP course well before high school, others never are ready for it.

[Pburgh]

Where I'm going to school, most of the parents would be very upset if AP courses were not taught in HS. However, this is the same place where kids get very upset over an 89, so I'm guessing that's the exception, not the rule.

The one problem we have here is the parents forcing their kids to work way too hard - I know several people here at TJ who were forced into the school by their parents and just want to return to their base school so that they can be with their friends and escape the stresses of a highly competitive high school. I know some kids who are deliberately getting below a 3.0 average so that they can get kicked out at the end of the year. Really, I think the kids should be able to decide exactly where they want to go and what they want to do.

That I must disagree with. Even teens entering high school do not generally have enough wisdom behind them at that point to make those particular decisions. I was in advanced courses in HS and it did help me prepare better for college. However I do not think teens that are not academically gifted to some degree should be forced into higher level courses. IMO, that is just setting them up for failure. In some instances it could motivate them to achieve more, but I don't think so in most instances unless they truly are being lazy and have been previously proven to have the skills to handle the higher level courses and the additional stress they bring. Some thrive on this, but many do not. My caveat to all of this is that EVERY CHILD should be steadily and constantly challenged to achieve to the very best of their ability no matter what "level" they are at. I am so tired of seeing classes "dummied down" so that everyone can "make the grade and feel good about themselves". Those that truly need to be worked with to help them achieve on a "normal" level should be given the resources to help them but never to the detriment of others who need some challenge to motivate them. I could go on and on about all of this, but that is my thoughts in a nutshell.

So to answer your question. In many instances, if not most, yes 9th grade is too early for college courses, unless the child has shown the desire and ability to handle them. Though this must be a decision made by adults familiar with the child in a situation such as college courses at a very young age the child must be highly motivated to do that type of work, not forced to.

David, I agree with you 100%.

[brunota2003]

I was given the choice, and I am grateful for it. If my parents would of forced me into classes I didnt want, I would of purposely bombed on them. My mom yelled at me when I had an 89 in College Prep English on my report card, because I could of done "better", so what did I do? I stopped caring and let my grade slip. I made sure I passed the class overall (with like a 72), but that got her off my back. The next three years (two regular english classes and senior year was a CP course again) I passed each with roughly a 98.

They gave me freedom of choice, I did fairly well in high school. I got all the classes I needed to go to college (making sure I did on my own), and "majored" in fine arts or whatever they called it for my career pathway in HS (Thank you Band!)

Now is 9th grade too early for college? Depends on the kid. For about 99% of kids? Yes, wait until at LEAST 11th or 12th grade to start a simple college class, but there are a few out there that can do it. Those are the ones that make the news headlines too.