Placement Questions

We recommend starting with the Course Placement Guide! It has a detailed breakdown of our placement methodology, as well as prerequisite information for each course. You can also scroll through the FAQs on this page for our thoughts on some persnickety placement dilemmas.

Standard and Success courses differ in terms of content and pacing. Check out our Standard vs Success Page for a detailed breakdown of these differences!

P.S. There is even more information about each program at the bottom of the Standard vs Success page, so be sure to scroll down a bit!

You bet! You can view sample teaching videos, textbook sections, and solutions content on each course page. You can also access them directly through these links...

Pre-Algebra Course Preview

Algebra 1 Course Preview

Success Algebra 1 Course Preview

Geometry Course Preview

Success Geometry Course Preview

Algebra 2 Course Preview

Success Algebra 2 Course Preview

We do! Each Denison Algebra course has a one week free trial available through our website to help you get a feel for the course content and structure. You can access the free trials by visiting the course pages or by clicking a link below...

Free Trial of Pre-Algebra

Free Trial of Algebra 1

Free Trial of Success Algebra 1

Free Trial of Geometry

Free Trial of Success Geometry

Free Trial of Algebra 2

Free Trial of Success Algebra 2

The best way to get a feel for the topics covered in each course is to take a peek at their pacing guides. Just click the name of a course below to access its pacing guide...

Pre-Algebra

Algebra 1

Success Algebra 1

Geometry

Success Geometry

Algebra 2

Success Algebra 2

Our Course Placement Guide has a detailed explanation of the prerequisites for each course. That being said, here's a quick cheat sheet:

Pre-Algebra: 7th or 8th grade. Students need to be able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide single-digit numbers. That’s it!

Algebra 1: 8th or 9th grade. Experience with pre-algebra is recommended but not required. 

Geometry: 9th grade or above. Students should complete an algebra 1 course before beginning Denison Geometry. 

Algebra 2: 10th grade or above. Students should complete an algebra 1 course before beginning Denison Algebra 2. Completion of a geometry course is recommended but not required.

Advanced Algebra & Trigonometry: 11th or 12th grade. Students should complete a geometry course and an algebra 2 course before beginning Denison Advanced Algebra & Trig.

Typically, we recommend that students take Pre-Algebra in 7th or 8th grade, Algebra 1 in 8th or 9th grade, Geometry in 9th grade or above, Algebra 2 in 10th grade or above, and Advanced Algebra & Trig in 11th grade or above.

We believe that choosing a course for your student is a bit too subjective to be boiled down to a quiz... every learner is unique! The one exception is our Pre-Algebra Placement Test (it's really just the course final exam!) to help you decide between Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1 specifically. 

Yep! Sometimes you just need to jump ship on a curriculum mid-way through the school year. We've all been there! Here are a few strategies for a successful switch...

1. To avoid unnecessary repetition and potential frustration, we suggest having your student complete the chapter tests of their Denison Algebra course until they run across a test that contains new concepts (or ones that need reviewing/relearning). Then, start the lessons at the beginning of that chapter and use the Form B test at the end. This will allow your student to skip content that he/she has already learned while filling in any gaps (P.S. This may mean skipping random chapters throughout the course! Your previous curriculum may have taught concepts in a different order).
2. Don't double up on lessons or work through the summer unless your student is motivated to do so. Instead, we recommend working at a steady pace (one lesson per day!) through the end of the school year. At this point, you can choose between pausing for the summer and picking back up with the course the following semester OR you can simply be done with the course and move on to the next one in the fall. It's up to you and which option you feel is a better fit for your student!

Yes and no! It depends on what courses you are talking about. If you have a non-mathy 9^th grader who has not taken Pre-Algebra, then yes, you can skip Pre-Algebra and jump straight into Algebra 1 so that your student is on track in high school (make sure to assess whether your student needs the standard level of Algebra 1 or the Success level… click here for more help on this!).

In most other cases, though, we don't recommend using our courses to skip ahead. We’ve found that most students do not benefit from rushing through math but tend to learn and absorb it better when taking it at a reasonable pace.

We don't have a particular elementary math curriculum that we recommend. Our primary advice is to find something that allows your student to make progress at his or her own pace without becoming frustrated or taking on a "I'm bad at math" mindset (which, sadly, can be easier said than done!) Our Pre-Algebra course spends the first few chapters shoring up arithmetic skills by reviewing them in a way that students will see going forward in high school math. So, it isn't essential that your student be a whiz at every arithmetic skill. In fact, it's quite common for students to have a weak spot (or spots) coming into Pre-Algebra or Algebra 1. This does not need to hold them back from starting upper-level math, nor does it need to cripple them going forward... they will still get lots of practice with arithmetic in our courses! NOTE: We do not recommend our Pre-Algebra course for 6th graders. This is simply too early for most students to absorb and retain abstract math concepts. We believe that students will benefit in the long run from some type of middle school math before jumping into Pre-Algebra. 

Nope! Denison Algebra courses are intentionally designed to be stand-alone courses to give you the freedom and flexibility to make curriculum changes as needed. Mr. Denison cut his teaching teeth in public school, preparing his students, year after year, to move on to a new teacher and class. So, that is how he chose to write Denison Algebra courses! They are designed to prepare a student for whatever is next, regardless of whether it is a Denison Algebra course, a different homeschool curriculum, or a classroom setting.

The answer is yes, and also it depends. Obviously, starting with standard and switching to Success if it becomes apparent that the student has some learning challenges and would benefit from a modified course is very doable. It only requires purchasing the Success version of the course (which is an independent purchase because the printed materials and video lessons are completely different).

The "it depends" answer comes with switching from Success to standard courses. Ideally, a Success Algebra 1 student who discovers a love of math and the desire to study at a standard rather than modified level would then take standard Algebra 1 and continue from there on the standard track. Jumping from Success Algebra 1 to standard Geometry is also doable when a student is motivated. The issue with switching presents itself with Algebra 2 where a Success student is coming from a modified algebra 1 background and will not have all the skills necessary to complete a standard level Algebra 2 course. This can be addressed with outside help such as supplemental materials or a tutor and a highly motivated student can certainly accomplish anything, but it will be an uphill climb. Success courses are modified and not intended to prepare a student for the ACT/SAT or a 4-year college entrance directly after high school. They are designed to help a student with learning challenges successfully earn high school math credits and graduate. A Success student can certainly continue to college after graduation but it is not likely to be the traditional path of a 4-year institution directly after graduation. 

Pre-Algebra is designed to be a bridge between middle school math concepts and the abstract world of algebra. This course reviews and strengthens arithmetic skills, as well as introduces students to beginning algebra topics. All of the algebra covered in Denison Pre-Algebra is retaught in Algebra 1, but at a much deeper level the second time around. So, while there are no specific “pre-algebra” topics that are not covered again in an algebra 1 course, we still recommend that students take a pre-algebra course if their schedules allow. Having previous exposure to these concepts makes comprehending and applying them much easier for students once they hit the algebra 1 level.

Check out these resources to help you get a feel for Denison Pre-Algebra ...

- Pre-Algebra Placement Test

- Pre-Algebra Course Tour

- Pre-Algebra Course Page

There is not a Success version of Pre-Algebra, but we hope this course will be good gauge as to whether our standard or Success courses will be better fit for your student moving forward. If your student thrives with the pacing of Pre-Algebra, they are likely a good fit for our standard courses. If, however, the pacing is a bit of challenge, or your student is struggling with the concepts then we recommend checking out our Success series. These courses are identical to Pre-Algebra in terms of format (i.e. daily teaching videos and physical textbooks), but they have shorter teaching videos and more compact homework assignments designed specifically for students with learning challenges.

If your student took pre-algebra in 7^th grade and it went poorly (as in they didn’t pass the class or finish the course), then we recommend retaking it in 8^th grade. There is no reason to push a student into algebra 1 in 8^th grade with a weak pre-algebra background (since you have plenty of time)!

However, if your student took pre-algebra in 8^th grade or beyond and it went poorly, we recommend moving on to Denison Algebra 1 (since the course is written in a way that pre-algebra is not a prerequisite). We recommend that you assess whether pre-algebra went poorly due to "external reasons" (like poor curriculum or life circumstances, in which case our standard Algebra 1 is likely a good fit) or "internal" reasons (such as heavy learning challenges, at which point you'll want to consider our Success track in high school). Be sure to check out our Standard vs Success breakdown as you continue your research!

While planning your student's route though upper-level math is ultimately in your hands, we don't recommend having your 6th grader take our Pre-Algebra course. The brain doesn't absorb abstract concepts very well until a certain age (which varies by individual) but for most students this happens toward the end of middle school/beginning of high school so taking algebra too early means it just doesn't stick very well. The problem with it not sticking well is that algebra is the foundation of all upper level math.

Another consideration is that completing pre-algebra in 6th grade puts students on a very advanced math track throughout the rest of middle and high school (they will likely end up taking calc 1 or 2 before graduating, for example). This route really only works well for a very advanced, STEM-focused student who naturally loves math. In this case, we recommend checking out a more honors-level curriculum for your student.

If a student struggles in math and is going into 7^th grade, we encourage the student to wait until 8^th grade to begin our Pre-Algebra if possible. This gives the student another year of growth and maturity before tackling the world of abstract algebra.

So, what should you do with your 7^th grader in the meantime? The main goal is to avoid math stress and anxiety, and to not worry about making a certain amount of “progress.” We recommend that you pick a curriculum that looks doable and go through it at a comfortable pace, focusing on not letting math become a stressor or a pain point. The goal is simply to make some progress, to improve arithmetic skills, and to not let math rule your homeschool days. As long as your student can add, subtract, multiply, and divide one digit numbers, they will have all the skills necessary to dive into Denison Pre-Algebra.

P.S. Click here to watch a detailed Pre-Algebra course tour!

In this case, we recommend that you go ahead and begin Pre-Algebra and take it for the remainder of the year. At that point, based on how well your student is doing in the course, you can go one of several routes:

1. You can continue Pre-Algebra through the summer until it's finished, and then start Algebra 1 in fall of 9^th grade.
2. You can take a summer break and then pick back up with Pre-Algebra, finishing it in the fall and starting Algebra 1 partway through the 9^th grade.
3. You can get as far as you can in the Pre-Algebra course, take a summer break, and then begin Algebra 1 in the fall of 9^th grade. 

There isn't a "wrong" choice! You know your student best, and are absolutely the best judge of which route is the better fit for him/her.

You know your student best, so we recommend following your instinct!  If your state requires 4 high school math credits and does not count pre-algebra as a credit, one option is to double up in their senior year with an algebra 2 course and a consumer math course (or take the consumer math course over the summer). Your student's schedule would look something like this...

Pre-Algebra - 9th grade

Algebra 1 - 10th grade

Geometry - 11th grade

Algebra 2 & Consumer Math - 12th grade

Yes! While Algebra 2 could be taken directly after Algebra 1, we recommend putting Geometry in between the two for several reasons.

For one, Algebra 2 is the most difficult of the three courses. By putting Geometry before Algebra 2, students are given an extra year of growth and maturity before they tackle the more rigorous course. In addition, this order allows students to practice and improve their algebra 1 skills for another year before jumping back into learning new algebraic concepts inn Algebra 2.

P.S. Mr. Denison actually wrote a blog post on this topic! You can read his thoughts here.

When a student finishes Algebra 2, they have many options for an additional math credit. Students can take a consumer math class, advanced algebra & trig, pre-calculus, or college algebra (dual enrollment). The best choice depends on the student’s goals, interests, and math strengths. Mr. Denison recorded a detailed video on post-algebra 2 options (accessible on YouTube using this link) to help you plan your next steps.

Advanced Algebra & Trig is a course that comes in between Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus. It is not the same as a pre-calculus course, but does cover some of the same material while also strengthening and building upon concepts learned throughout algebra 2. It can be used as a prep course for pre-calculus, college algebra, the SAT/ACT, or just to keep algebra skills sharp through a student’s junior or senior year. It is recognized as a full high school math credit in all states. Sometimes this kind of class can be called “Algebra 3” or just “Trigonometry,” but primarily it is called “Advanced Algebra & Trig.” It is not a course that can be substituted for pre-calculus. If a student is planning on taking calculus at some point, they will need to take pre-calculus before calculus 1. Advanced Algebra & Trig is a great prep course for pre-calculus, though!

Our Advanced Algebra & Trig course is designed for students who…

• Are planning on taking pre-calculus and perhaps calculus, but still need another year to strengthen math skills
• Are planning on going to college, but won't be majoring in a math-related field and plan on only taking college algebra or statistics to fulfill graduation requirements
• Are not sure what is next after graduation, but would like to keep their algebra skills sharp and avoid forgetting their math skills
• Are planning on taking the SAT or ACT after finishing algebra 2 and would like to improve their math skills in preparation for the test