HomeFairfax General ForumArrest/Ticket SearchWiki newPictures/VideosChatArticlesLinksAbout
Fairfax County General :  Fairfax Underground fairfax underground logo
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: Curious ()
Date: January 27, 2009 11:37AM

Anyone know why a student should get an advanced diploma rather than the standard diploma?

I can't find any reason listed or if it really matters to anyone afterwards.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: RESton Peace ()
Date: January 27, 2009 11:43AM

Do you mean in a fairfax county school?

The advanced diploma forces the student to take more academic classes to meet credit requirements. If you don't think that's a good idea with college as a goal, then I guess the standard would be ok. But it never came up in and of itself when I applied to colleges. The trancript speaks for itself, and if the student went for the lower diploma, they would have had no reason to fill in that transcript with extra math, english and science classes.

FWIW I took many great electives and had a very well-rounded high school education (outside of not caring about grades). I say take the advanced diploma and make yourself smarter no matter what the end goal, there will still be plenty of room for the extras.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: Fear Factor ()
Date: January 27, 2009 11:45AM

Dude, it could be the difference between homeless and Harvard.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Date: January 27, 2009 11:57AM

Don't you get college credit with an Advanced Diploma?

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: Bob ()
Date: January 27, 2009 12:59PM

Fear Factor Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dude, it could be the difference between homeless
> and Harvard.


You must be Mrs. K's son.

There's only two choices in life. Harvard, or complete and utter failure. That's why we need a 10 point grading scale. So more kids can grow up to be homeless.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: RESton Peace ()
Date: January 27, 2009 01:04PM

WashingTone Locian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don't you get college credit with an Advanced
> Diploma?

No, you are thinking of kids who take AP classes. The advanced studies diploma in my day was 23 credits, mostly academically focused with more English and science and math than the 21 credit standard diploma. The level of the classes as far as GT/AP/IB is not material to that diploma.

I believe the number of required credits for both diplomas is higher now than my day and the type of credits required for each has also progressed.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: Robin Hood ()
Date: January 27, 2009 01:08PM

Choosing to get an advanced diploma is a personal choice. Yes, Washing, getting an advanced diploma means earning college credit for certain courses.

Bob, you have posted a lot of posts related to school here on this forum. Did you attend private school?

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: Bob ()
Date: January 27, 2009 01:16PM

Robin Hood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Choosing to get an advanced diploma is a personal
> choice. Yes, Washing, getting an advanced diploma
> means earning college credit for certain courses.
>
>
> Bob, you have posted a lot of posts related to
> school here on this forum. Did you attend private
> school?

Private and public schools. about 50/50.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: Neil and Bob ()
Date: January 27, 2009 01:19PM

Bob musta got a new computer and/or internet access for Christmas/Hannukah/Kwaanza. Either that, or he just became gainfully unemployed.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: RESton Peace ()
Date: January 27, 2009 01:22PM

advanced studies diploma does NOT give credit for college course unless some of those classes are AP... you are just wrong bud.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: RESton Peace ()
Date: January 27, 2009 01:24PM


Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: Steve K ()
Date: January 27, 2009 03:52PM

The advanced diploma and standard are very similar. You are required to take the core classes for 3-4 years reguardles.

The only major difference is, you have to take 3 years of a foreign language or 4 years of two different languages (2 years each). Foreign languages can be hard and that is why many kids do not pursue the advanced diploma, but I know the majority of kids do get the advanced diploma and most colleges want to see a kid has taken atleast a couple years of a foreign language reguardless.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: Jiggles ()
Date: January 27, 2009 03:57PM

It doesn't matter. I got the standard in 2000, and now I'm a graduate student in a prestigous New York school. Just do what it takes to get out of high school with the least effort. In the end, high school is bullshit and it just weeds out the fucked up kids early.

Outsmart the system.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: HIJACKER ()
Date: January 27, 2009 05:17PM

My HS diploma is an advanced stuides diploma and I graduated from Prince William County in 1998. I can't remember the differences other than the amount of credits required to receive it, but I think foreign language and a few other "advanced" courses were necessary.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: RESton Peace ()
Date: January 27, 2009 10:55PM

I agree strongly with Jiggles. Don't blow your load in HS and start out your adult life resenting institutions.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: Neen ()
Date: January 28, 2009 10:53PM

There's no reason. Colleges look at the courses a student took, along with GPA, SAT, etc. They don't care what FCPS calls the diploma.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: SBS ()
Date: January 29, 2009 12:06AM

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There's no reason. Colleges look at the courses a
> student took, along with GPA, SAT, etc. They
> don't care what FCPS calls the diploma.

Strictly speaking perhaps, but persuing the advanced diploma will affect what courses you take, one of the things that colleges do look at.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: jiggles2 ()
Date: November 30, 2012 01:17PM

I totally agree its pretty pointless to waste time getting an advanced diploma

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: par for the course ()
Date: November 30, 2012 01:26PM

A high school student has nothing but TIME.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: AMU ()
Date: November 30, 2012 03:03PM

Don't waste your time at a place like American Military University, or one of these other diploma mills. If they sell their diplomas on tv, it's not worth it.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: DROPOU T ()
Date: November 30, 2012 04:40PM

Curious Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anyone know why a student should get an advanced
> diploma rather than the standard diploma?
>
> I can't find any reason listed or if it really
> matters to anyone afterwards.

SHOW THEM WHO THE BOSS

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: mark j ()
Date: November 30, 2012 10:50PM

Adv Diploma a waste of time....tell the kid not to bother

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: Kardinal ()
Date: December 01, 2012 02:32AM

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There's no reason. Colleges look at the courses a
> student took, along with GPA, SAT, etc. They
> don't care what FCPS calls the diploma.

Pretty much this.

Better to get straight A's in normal classes than B's and C's in AP&GT or go for an advanced diploma.

The classes that go into the advanced diploma help, but that's specifically because the college wants to see foreign language and science, not because it's the advanced diploma.

My take on college is that unless you graduate from a school that is FAMOUS in your chosen field (e.g. MIT for Engineering, Harvard for anything, Juliard for the arts, etc), it doesn't matter much where you go. It is unlikely that a potential employer will care whether you got your engineering degree at Virginia Tech or ODU. Get the diploma and start your life.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/2012 02:33AM by Kardinal.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: in the hallways ()
Date: December 01, 2012 08:26AM

An advanced diploma is another way FC parents play the "my kid is better than your kid" game.

Take your general level college-prep courses. Read ahead in the book, use blackboard, proactively communicate with your teachers and you will get good grades. Take an honors class in 10 or 11 and an AP class or two senior year.

Too many FC parents pressure their kids into taking a HUGE academic load and the kids fail to meet their personal, family and collegiate standards once admitted.

NOTE: nearly 1 in 5 FCPS grads who go to four-year schools are home in a year. Sad fact that is hidden in the mountain of stats. :(

Learn to write and to express your thoughts in conversations. Just learning to master multiple choice tests will not help you thrive in the competitive world.

Good luck! :)

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Why get an Advanced Diploma?
Posted by: get one ()
Date: December 01, 2012 05:02PM

lazy one

Options: ReplyQuote


Your Name: 
Your Email (Optional): 
Subject: 
Attach a file
  • No file can be larger than 75 MB
  • All files together cannot be larger than 300 MB
  • 30 more file(s) can be attached to this message
Spam prevention:
Please, enter the code that you see below in the input field. This is for blocking bots that try to post this form automatically.
 **    **  **     **  **     **  **     **        ** 
  **  **   **     **  **     **  **     **        ** 
   ****    **     **  **     **  **     **        ** 
    **     **     **  **     **  **     **        ** 
    **     **     **   **   **    **   **   **    ** 
    **     **     **    ** **      ** **    **    ** 
    **      *******      ***        ***      ******  
This forum powered by Phorum.