Below is a list of common FAQ's along with answers to each one. If you have any questions that are not addressed on this list, you can reach out to our Freshman Academy Assistant Principal or Counselor.

1. Does Ballard accept students who list Ballard as their second choice?  

   • Yes, Ballard accepts students who apply for AOL as their second choice.

2. Does an incoming freshman have to choose a pathway?  

   • No, students will take Ballard 101 which will provide them with an overview of all the pathways and then they will choose at the end of their freshman year.

3. What if I don’t like the pathway that I chose as an incoming freshman?  

   • Students will communicate with their counselor and parent/guardian about their choice and if there is space in their new pathway of choice, they will be allowed to switch. Pathway changes are not allowed after the beginning of sophomore year. 

4. At Ballard all freshmen take Health and PE. Are there options for taking this at another time so that I have more electives to choose from?

   • Yes, Ballard offers these courses in the summer for a fee. The district also offers these two courses to any student in the summer for a fee. This past summer Jefferson County E-school also offered these courses online for a fee.

5. How many AP courses can a freshman take? 

   • Currently, freshmen typically take one; AP Human Geography. There are a few students who may choose to take AP Computer Science. Also, students who choose the Teaching and Learning pathway are also placed in a dual credit course through the University of Louisville.

6. My son/daughter has been in the advanced program since elementary school. Does that mean that they will automatically be placed in all advanced courses?

   • No, students and their parent/guardian will choose their courses based on their interests and their student’s abilities. They are able to choose a combination of classes (honors/advanced/AP) based on their strengths. If students want the Advanced seal, they must take at least 12 advanced courses before graduating. 

7. Does my son/daughter have to be identified as Advanced Program in order to sign up for an Advanced Placement or college level course?

   • No, as long as there is space and your son/daughter meets the requirements  necessary for success (ie: reads on grade level, motivated, independent learner, etc) they may sign up for an AP-College Board class.

8. What if my son/daughter signs up for a class and then doesn’t like it or they decide that it’s too easy or too hard?

   • Students are allowed to request schedule changes for the first 5 days of school. They are allowed to switch as long as there is space in the other class. Students who desire to drop an AP level course will have 15 days from the start of school to make the request.

9. Will my student be in class with upperclassmen?

   • Students will likely have an elective class with sophomores and possibly juniors. All of their core classes will be with freshmen. The exception with core classes would be students who are advanced in math that have already taken geometry prior to high school. 

10. My older son/daughter goes to Ballard. Does that mean that my younger child will also be accepted?

    • Not necessarily. It is dependent on each student and whether they meet the criteria to be accepted. We typically take that into consideration when making a decision about a potential student.