Wait. How Many APs Does My Kid Need to Take??

We have a timely, but great, episode topic for listeners today! Course sign-ups. Everyone is gathering information, course catalogs are out, kids are having meetings with their counselors, and all this brought up a very interesting point of discussion. How to talk about rigor, as it pertains to the college admissions process. Join the conversation as Cathy and Meredith dive deep into how they approach the conversation about rigor, why colleges care about it, and their thoughts on the reality of taking “the most rigorous curriculum” at school. They answer a commonly asked question, share guidance on how to support a child who wishes to pursue a more rigorous curriculum, and explain why playing the game ultimately comes down to a choice.  Through this conversation, Cathy and Meredith aim to clarify how broad rigor can look for students all over the country, to help parents realize that there is indeed a range of rigor, and that the rigor conversation can be hard for both parents and students to swallow. Cathy and Meredith (like all parents for their kids) truly want kids to have all the options, but unfortunately, that’s not the world and how it works these days. Stick around to hear their insightful thoughts on this topic on another episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You!

Key Points From This Episode:

• [0:01:40] Our timely topic for today’s podcast.
• [0:02:20] Why it’s a tricky situation to talk about rigor.
• [0:03:50] Cathy explains how she approaches the conversation about rigor.
• [0:04:30] How rigor is measured.
• [0:04:40] Why colleges (particularly highly selective ones) care about rigor.
• [0:09:00] Thoughts on the reality of taking on the most rigorous curriculum in the high school.
• [0:10:10] Why it’s important to realize that rigor exists on a spectrum.
• [0:10:30] Is it better to get a B or C in honors classes or get an A in regular classes?
• [0:14:30] The importance of knowing your kids and having (tough) honest conversations.
• [0:15:45] A minute to defend our colleagues still working in schools.
• [0:18:10] Guidance on how to support your child pursuing a more rigorous curriculum.
• [0:23:20] Prompting a more fundamental question to parents.
• [0:24:00] The choice to play this game.
• [0:25:30] Other great options (that don’t require you to play this game).

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You

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