Is it best to take Geometry or Algebra 2 after Algebra 1?
A. Well, opinions on this differ. One risk of taking Geometry in between the two algebras is that the student might forget a lot of the Algebra 1 he learned during the year he spends on geometry. Also, if a student has done well with Algebra 1, why break the positive momentum? On the other hand, since the PSAT has geometry on it, students who take Algebra 1 in the 9th grade may want to take Geometry in the 10th if they plan to take the PSAT in the 11th grade. You should know, however, that the purpose of the PSAT is to provide a warm-up to the SAT and to identify potential National Merit Finalists. Since there are other ways to prepare for the SAT (such as checking out a library book that contains several practice SATs), and since very few students ever become National Merit Finalists (about 2 or 3 in each large high school), the argument for taking Geometry before Algebra 2 is not overwhelming.
