Halls, Corryton, Maryville... where would you recommend?

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by KathiOH1

NYS2Tennessee, I'd like to share some advice about AP classes. Look into dual enrollment too. .I pushed for my boys to take every AP class they qualified for -- my boys all had the ability to work at a high level. HOWEVER, I have regrets based on hindsight.

1. AP credit hinges on scoring high enough on only a college final exam that is not always related to what students learned. Most HS teachers don't teach AP classes sufficiently for most HS students to pass the exam and get credits. My middle son even bought the college books and attempted to study on his own, but didn't have the college syllabus to stay informed. He worked his tail off year after year with too many cards stacked against him. Dual enrollment also offers college credit without credits hinging on one final exam from an outside source. If a student achieves a certain grade in the class, it counts toward college credits.

2. AP classes are exponentially harder than dual enrollment with a big part of it being volume (not quality) of homework. (No offense teachers, I still appreciate what you do). My sons all worked their butts off at MHS, even doing homework regularly until 12-2am in the morning for about a 25% chance of scoring high enough on the final. My youngest son put his foot down his Junior year and insisted on taking dual enrollment classes instead. He graduated Maryville HS with nearly a year of college under his belt. His older brothers squeeked out only 6 and 12 AP class credits.

3. Dual enrollment provides a college-like experience that AP classes don't offer. A student actually attends a college classroom for part of the day and has to be accountable to college professors while there. My youngest showed up 1 minute late the first week of classes and was locked out of the classroom. He sat out in the hallway waiting for someone to unlock the door -- which never happened. He was on time the next class. He really enjoyed being treated like an adult and it showed in his grades.

4. Attending a community college while in HS changes how a student feels about attending the college for two years of Hope Scholarship $$. All my boys tell younger siblings of friends that community college is the way to go for the first two years (their hindsight lesson with tuition) but my youngest also speaks from experience of attending those classes and seeing that he saved money and still got a good education.

Co-sign, co-sign, co-sign!

I wish I could expand on that, but I had a stalker on here that was brutal (contacted a boss, contacted my child's school, child services) so I will not say anymore about my personal situation. The stalker has since died, but I no longer trust the anonymous parts of the internet. But you are so RIGHT ON. (I do think you meant the Tennessee Promise, although there is the Hope Scholarship as well.)