Which Courses Count for High School Credit if Taken in 8th Grade?

The information below is information that I've gathered from various sources, and I list which source the information came from, but please always CONFIRM information for yourself, AND make sure it is CURRENT. The best way to do this is to consult with the admissions officers at the colleges you're interested in your child attending. I would also suggest getting everything in writing. Keep records of who you talked with, the date that you talked, and exactly what was said.

According to Ruth Martin: ( I attended her High School and Beyond Seminar.)
1. Latin
2. Algebra I
3. Physical Science
4. etc.

According to Scholars Guild Requirements: (Taken from Scholars Guild Academy High School Transcript Service Handbook, 2013-2014, pg.. 6)
1. Algebra I
2. Physical Science
3. PE/Health
4. Foreign Language
5. Introductory Logic
6. Other courses may qualify

According to University System of Georgia: (Taken from USG's Staying on Course PDF)
1. Physical Science
2. Foreign Language (The PDF actually says if it's taken in "middle school" it counts.

According to Angela Paul: (Shared with permission to quote)
"It really depends. Typically Algebra I, physical science (if they used a high school not middle school text). Maybe a foreign language, but I would still encourage 2 additional years. Typically colleges do not want to see that it took a student 5 years to complete the CPC. Often if a student takes, for instance, geometry, Algebra II, Precalc, AP Calc AB, we are not going to bother putting Algebra 1 on the transcript. We want to show the most rigor."

Georgia DOE:

http://archives.gadoe.org/_documents/doe/legalservices/160-4-2-.48.pdf

 

4. COURSE CREDIT. 

 

(i) Unit credit shall be awarded only for courses that include concepts and skills based on the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) or Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS) for grades 9-12 or those approved by the State Board of Education. Unit credit may be awarded for courses offered in the middle grades that meet 9-12 GPS or CCGPS requirements. The Individualized Education Program (IEP), if applicable, shall specify whether core courses taken as part of an IEP shall receive core unit credit. 

 

(ii) No course credit may be awarded for courses in which instruction is based on the GPS for grades K-8.

POTENTIAL MATH & SCIENCE TRACKS

Math Pre-requisites-
Math 7 before Physical Science
Algebra I before Chemistry
Algebra I & Geometry w/ basic Trig. functions before Physics (Traditional or typical Geometry courses will cover basic or introductory level Trigonometry. Ex: MUS or Chalk Dust, etc.)
Algebra II before Advanced Chemistry
Pre-Calculus before Advanced Physics

*There are no Math Pre-requisites for: General Science, Biology, Marine Biology & Advanced Biology
 

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General Science is not a required course. Other possible courses to consider:

Apologia’s Young Explorer books: Anatomy and Physiology or Chemistry and Physics
BJU Press’ books: Life Science or Earth Science

Physical Science and Algebra I *may* count as high school credit when taken in 8th grade.
*Check with potential colleges to confirm this information.

Science Requirements: (According to USG's "college prep curriculum") 4 units of science that include two courses with a laboratory component:
1. Physical Science or Physics
2. Biology with Lab
3. Chemistry with Lab or Earth Systems, Environmental Science or an Advanced Placement (AP)course
4. Fourth Science: Forensic Science, Marine Biology, Advanced Biology: The Human Body, Advanced Chemistry, Advanced Physics, AP Computer Science A, etc.

Math Requirements: (According to USG's "college prep curriculum") 4 units of math in specific subject areas:
1. Algebra I
2. Geometry
3. Algebra II
4. a fourth year of advanced math or equivalent courses.

The following tracks are simply possibilities. Please keep in mind that these are not the only tracks to choose from. Stay within the USG guidelines but mix things up however you need to in order to provide the best education for each of your children. Keep in mind a few things:
1. You may choose to take Algebra I and Algebra II and then Geometry as opposed to Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II.
2. You may take either Physical Science or Physics or both for high school credit.
3. You don't have to take Chemistry. You may consider Earth Systems, Environmental Science or an AP course.
4. You may choose to take Human Anatomy and Physiology or any other fourth course instead of Marine Biology. USG's Staying On Course PDF has a page full of fourth sciences to choose from!
5. If you're planning on Forensics as a fourth science, depending on the course/curriculum, it may be best to have already taken Chemistry and Human Anatomy and Physiology prior to taking Forensics.

 

Track 1:
7th- Math 7 & Elementary/Middle School Science

8th- Pre-Algebra & General Science

9th- Algebra I & Physical Science

10th- Geometry & Biology

11th- Algebra II & Marine Biology

12th- Statistics & Chemistry


Track 2:
7th- Math 7 & Elementary/Middle School Science

8th- Pre-Algebra & General Science

9th- Algebra I & Physical Science

10th- Geometry & Biology

11th- Algebra II & Chemistry

12th- Statistics & Marine Biology


Track 3:
7th- Math 7 & Elementary/Middle School Science

8th- Pre-Algebra & General Science

9th- Algebra I & Physical Science

10th- Geometry & Biology

11th- Algebra II & Chemistry

12th- Pre-Calc/Trig or Statistics & Physics


Track 4:
7th- Math 7 & General Science

8th- Pre-Algebra & Physical Science

9th- Algebra I & Biology

10th- Geometry & Chemistry

11th- Algebra II & Physics

12th- Pre-Calc/Trig or Statistics & an Advanced Science


Track 5:
7th- Math 7 & General Science

8th- Pre-Algebra & Physical Science

9th- Algebra I & Biology

10th- Geometry & Marine Biology

11th- Algebra II & Chemistry

12th- Pre-Calculus & Physics


Track 6:
7th- Pre-Algebra & General Science

8th- Algebra I & Physical Science

9th- Geometry & Biology

10th- Algebra II & Marine Biology

11th- Pre-Calculus/Trig & Chemistry

12th- Statistics and/or Calculus and Physics


Track 7:
7th- Saxon Math 8/7 & Physical Science

8th- Saxon Algebra ½ (Pre-Algebra) & Biology

9th- Algebra I & Marine Biology

10th- Geometry & Chemistry

11th- Algebra II & Physics

12th- Pre-Calc/Trig or Statistics & an Advanced Science


Track 8:
7th- Pre-Algebra & Physical Science

8th- Algebra I & Biology

9th- Geometry & Marine Biology

10th- Algebra II & Chemistry

11th- Pre-Calc/Trig & Physics

12th- Statistics and/or Calculus and an Advanced Science


Track 9:
7th- Pre-Algebra & Physical Science

8th- Algebra I & Biology

9th- Geometry & Chemistry

10th- Algebra II & Physics

11th- Pre-Calc/Trig and an Advanced Science

12th- Statistics and/or Calculus and an Advanced Science