Hi everyone,

I've been curious for a while what the relative school grade levels were for each of the Brady kids. If we use Season 5 as a starting point we know this much:

Greg was in 12th grade, because he graduated from high school in the final episode.
But what grade were all the other kids in, during Season 5?
Was Marcia in 11th or 10th grade?
Are Jan and Peter in the same grade? What grade are they in (9th-High School freshmen)??
What about Bobby and Cindy? Are they in the same grade? What grade are each of them in?

I seem to remember from various episodes that none of the kids are in the same grade. Furthermore, I seem to remember that the boys are always older than their counterparts (i.e. Bobby is older than Cindy, Peter is older than Jan and Greg is older than Marcia).

Any assistance with these questions would be great!! :D

We once tried to figure this out on another thread, but I'm not sure how far we got...

It seems to me that we concluded that the age differences betweeen the kids was not consistent thoughout the run of the show.

It definitely seems to be true that each of the boys is older than their female counterparts. And it does seem to be true that none of the kids were in the same grade as their counterparts either, although they obviously went to the same schools.

I guess we could start by pointing out that Greg entered high school during season 2 ("Our Son, The Man")... Marcia entered high school in season 4 ("Today I Am A Freshman"). So it looks like Greg is two years older than Marcia.

Of course, during season 1, Greg and Marcia ran against each other for Student Body President (Greg would have been in 8th grade, Marcia in 6th... yeah, I know....it seems strange having a 6th grader running against an 8th grader for Student President)...

Then, in season 5 ("Quarterback Sneak"), Marcia dates the Quarterback Jerry Rogers from the rival high school... Marcia would have been a sophomore, and Greg a Senior (since Marcia Started High school the year before, in season 4, and Greg is two year older).

However, in "QB Sneak", Peter says that HE won't be going to Westdale High until the next year.... which would make him four years younger than Greg, two years younger than Marcia... (it also means Pete was in Jr. High, 8th grade, when Greg tried to pass him off as "Phil Packer").

Then, in "My Sister's Shadow", Jan complains about the awards that Marcia gets, and in that ep, I think Carol explains that Marcia is THREE years older than Jan (therefore she should have more trophies and awards)...

So, using these clues, we get:

When Greg was in 12th grade (season 5)
Marcia was in 10th grade
Peter was in 8th grade
Jan was in 7th grade (that's SOME 7TH Grader!)




In the early episodes, it sure doesn't seem like Greg is four years older than Peter, especially since they played on the same Little League team.

Of course, right after Marcia got her drivers license, Jan commented to her that she couldn't wait until SHE got HER license, and Marcia said "It won't be long"... but three years is an eternity at that age!

As far as Cindy's age relative to Jan's or Marcia's and Bobby's age, relative to Greg and Peter's, I can't remember what the clues were to that... I'm not sure there were any... I think that Bobby IS one year older than Cindy though, especially since Cindy thought she would get the attic room a year after Bobby had it.

In fact, it seemed to Cindy that every one would get the attic room for one year (and then go off to college)... but we know THAT can't be right!!

Maybe someone else might have some additional clues.



Here's a pic of Jan in 7th grade...yeah, Bobby can't believe it either...

I just thought of something else, but I don't have the DVD to check it out..


In the ep when Pete becomes a hero, I think that the Newspaper Photo of Pete actually gave his age in the caption... can anyone with the DVD verify this?

That would be yet another starting point to figure this all out... I think his age might have been 11, but I'm not positive about that.

"Power of the Press" from Season 3 involved "Scoop Brady" Peter's science teacher, Mr. Price. By CM1124's and Tweety's reasoning Peter would have been in sixth grade at the time. I remember when I was in sixth grade I had the same teacher for all subjects, but when I entered junior high school the next year I had one teacher for each subject (although I seem to recall one teacher that taught both history and English). All throughout "POTP" I thought Peter was in junior high school. Am I right? I don't recall my elementary school having a newspaper.

"Power of the Press" from Season 3 involved "Scoop Brady" Peter's science teacher, Mr. Price. By CM1124's and Tweety's reasoning Peter would have been in sixth grade at the time. I remember when I was in sixth grade I had the same teacher for all subjects, but when I entered junior high school the next year I had one teacher for each subject (although I seem to recall one teacher that taught both history and English). All throughout "POTP" I thought Peter was in junior high school. Am I right? I don't recall my elementary school having a newspaper.

I entered sixth grade in the 71-72 school year...at our school, some 6th grade classes were self contained, while others had one teacher for each subject. I experienced both because I got transferred from one type to the other during the school year.

It depends on the definitions of "jr high" and "elementary school"... I kind of think of elementary school as being through either 4th or 5th grade, and "jr high" being 6th 7th and 8th grades...at least, that's the way it was in my town at the time (in New Jersey). And actually, I was in one of two FIFTH grade classes at our Jr High, although they only had 5th grade classes there for the one year (meaning that we had to be the low men on the totem pole in both 5th AND 6th grades!).

And you're right, I've never heard of an elementary school having a newspaper. Jr. High/Middle school, yes, elementary school, no.

What about in the babysitter episode in Season 2? Doesn't Marcia say she's 13 and Greg says he's 14?

There's no way that Jan is in 7th grade in the last season. When she liked Clark Tyson in the second season and she had her birthday, wasn't she turning 12 then? That would put her at 15 in the last season.

They made it seem like Peter was in junior high for five years!

Very inconsistent.

What about in the babysitter episode in Season 2? Doesn't Marcia say she's 13 and Greg says he's 14?

There's no way that Jan is in 7th grade in the last season. When she liked Clark Tyson in the second season and she had her birthday, wasn't she turning 12 then? That would put her at 15 in the last season.

They made it seem like Peter was in junior high for five years!

Very inconsistent.


Yeah, it was nuts that Greg and Marcia were the only two kids that even made it to high school during the 5 year run of the show...

Between Greg and Peter playing on the same little league team in season one, and Greg graduating from High School before Pete even GETS to high school in season five, the inconsistencies are ridiculous... Little league teams don't have players who are four years apart in age, even if they are brothers...

They probably figured we wouldn't notice.. hehe..

My theory: Westdale High has grades 10-12, and Fillmore Junior High has grades 7-9; this was a typical setup in the 70s. This started to change in the 80s, when junior high schools were renamed "middle schools" or "intermediate schools" and had grades 6-8, with 9th grade moving to the high school. Despite the title, Marcia started 10th grade in "Today I Am a Freshman". After all, when she finished up Fillmore the season before, she and Molly celebrated "Senior Night", and that would be more appropriate, somehow, to ninth grade rather than eighth. Also, this puts her in 11th grade during the last season, one year behind Greg (consistent with "Brady vs. Brady" in season one).

Good points by all! A few points: 1) I think we have to conclude that the writers/producers were unbelievably inconsistent as to the school grade levels of the kids.
2) It defies reason that Jan (!) was not at least in 9th grade by the 5th season, particularly when you factor in the fact that Eve Plumb turned 16 that year (which would probably put her in 10th or 11th grade in real life)!!

My theory: Westdale High has grades 10-12, and Fillmore Junior High has grades 7-9; this was a typical setup in the 70s. This started to change in the 80s, when junior high schools were renamed "middle schools" or "intermediate schools" and had grades 6-8, with 9th grade moving to the high school. Despite the title, Marcia started 10th grade in "Today I Am a Freshman". After all, when she finished up Fillmore the season before, she and Molly celebrated "Senior Night", and that would be more appropriate, somehow, to ninth grade rather than eighth. Also, this puts her in 11th grade during the last season, one year behind Greg (consistent with "Brady vs. Brady" in season one).

TV Guy, this is a really good theory. I was not familiar with this concept of high school as grades 10-12, and junior high as 7-9. I was wondering what each of the high school grade levels are referred to? I am sure that 12th graders would be called "Seniors." Were 10th graders referred to as Freshmen?? If so, what were 11th graders referred to: Sophomores? Juniors? Or something else??

Thanks!

12th Grade - Senior
11th Grade - Junior
10th Grade - Sophomore
9th Grade - Freshman

Remember, Marcia was never actually called a freshman in that episode - it was only part of the episode's title. One problem with my theory: during the second season, there is an episode about Greg having problems adjusting to being a freshman in high school ("Our Son, the Man"). And since he doesn't graduate until the end of the fifth season, he is clearly in ninth grade. Oh well, maybe 9th grade moved to the junior high school between seasons 2 and 3 (that happened in my town when I was growing up).

High schools that don't have 9th graders just don't have freshman; the remaining classes go by their familiar names.

Remember, Marcia was never actually called a freshman in that episode - it was only part of the episode's title. One problem with my theory: during the second season, there is an episode about Greg having problems adjusting to being a freshman in high school ("Our Son, the Man"). And since he doesn't graduate until the end of the fifth season, he is clearly in ninth grade. Oh well, maybe 9th grade moved to the junior high school between seasons 2 and 3 (that happened in my town when I was growing up).

High schools that don't have 9th graders just don't have freshman; the remaining classes go by their familiar names.


And in that episode ("Our Son, the Man"), when Greg tries to impress that girl by sneaking up on her and trying to grab her book (he ends up ripping out a page instead), he offers to give the girl HIS book... but she says "This (Greg's book) is first year...mine's 'Senior'". So she avoids the "Freshman" label in referring to Greg.

I bet that when Greg graduated from high school, they added 9th grade to Westdale High School, making Peter Brady and his buds the first freshman class at Westdale High. Filmore Junior High School became Filmore Middle School, and Bobby started 7th grade on time, while Cindy attends 6th grade there a year earlier than planned. Jan, meanwhile, is top dog as an 8th grader at Filmore Middle School.

It's ridiculous if we're supposed to believe Jan was only in the 8th grade in the last season when she turned 12 a few years before that.

It seems like they held Greg back a year.
M

We once tried to figure this out on another thread, but I'm not sure how far we got...

It seems to me that we concluded that the age differences betweeen the kids was not consistent thoughout the run of the show.

It definitely seems to be true that each of the boys is older than their female counterparts. And it does seem to be true that none of the kids were in the same grade as their counterparts either, although they obviously went to the same schools.

I guess we could start by pointing out that Greg entered high school during season 2 ("Our Son, The Man")... Marcia entered high school in season 4 ("Today I Am A Freshman"). So it looks like Greg is two years older than Marcia.

Of course, during season 1, Greg and Marcia ran against each other for Student Body President (Greg would have been in 8th grade, Marcia in 6th... yeah, I know....it seems strange having a 6th grader running against an 8th grader for Student President)...

Then, in season 5 ("Quarterback Sneak"), Marcia dates the Quarterback Jerry Rogers from the rival high school... Marcia would have been a sophomore, and Greg a Senior (since Marcia Started High school the year before, in season 4, and Greg is two year older).

However, in "QB Sneak", Peter says that HE won't be going to Westdale High until the next year.... which would make him four years younger than Greg, two years younger than Marcia... (it also means Pete was in Jr. High, 8th grade, when Greg tried to pass him off as "Phil Packer").

Then, in "My Sister's Shadow", Jan complains about the awards that Marcia gets, and in that ep, I think Carol explains that Marcia is THREE years older than Jan (therefore she should have more trophies and awards)...

So, using these clues, we get:

When Greg was in 12th grade (season 5)
Marcia was in 10th grade
Peter was in 8th grade
Jan was in 7th grade (that's SOME 7TH Grader!)




In the early episodes, it sure doesn't seem like Greg is four years older than Peter, especially since they played on the same Little League team.

Of course, right after Marcia got her drivers license, Jan commented to her that she couldn't wait until SHE got HER license, and Marcia said "It won't be long"... but three years is an eternity at that age!

As far as Cindy's age relative to Jan's or Marcia's and Bobby's age, relative to Greg and Peter's, I can't remember what the clues were to that... I'm not sure there were any... I think that Bobby IS one year older than Cindy though, especially since Cindy thought she would get the attic room a year after Bobby had it.

In fact, it seemed to Cindy that every one would get the attic room for one year (and then go off to college)... but we know THAT can't be right!!

Maybe someone else might have some additional clues.



Here's a pic of Jan in 7th grade...yeah, Bobby can't believe it either...

I tend to think that Filmore had grades 7-9 that year. And when Peter went to high school the next year, the 9th graders were added. Therefore making Jan's class the 1st to spend all 4 years.

There were definitely inconsistencies:

In The Wheeler-Dealer October 8, 1971 Greg states that Cindy is 9 later that season in Cindy Brady, Lady February 18, 1972 Cindy gives her own age as 8.

....

It depends on the definitions of "jr high" and "elementary school"... I kind of think of elementary school as being through either 4th or 5th grade, and "jr high" being 6th 7th and 8th grades..

...


In California, where BB was based, Elementary is through 6th grade,
Jr. High is 7th and 8th, and highschool is 9th - 12th.

It has been that way since at least the early sixties and still is.

In the show, Junior High consisted of grades 7-9 and High School from 10-12. In the "Power of the Press" Episode, Marcia is in grade 9, Peter in 8 and Jan (who says she won't have Mr. Price until the following year), is in grade 7. They are all in the same school. n the episode of season 5 where Peter has two dates on the same night, his age is stated as 15 but he isn't in high school yet which means Junior High includes grade 9 (unless Peter kept flunking science and got held back lol) The fifth season of the show is just a continuation, in terms of school at least, of the 4th season so it doesn't begin with a new school year but just continues on with the kids in the same grades as season 4. This allowed producers to keep Greg in high school for the season and not have him move away to college etc. Despite these facts, there are many inconsistencies. For example, in season 2, Peter, Jan, Cindy and Bobby are all in the same school as they all try out for the same Glee Club. In Season three, both Peter and Jan, along with Marcia, are also in the same school which couldn't be possible as it is only one year after and that would make Peter and Jan in the same grade. Marcia should have entered high school in season 3 not 4 and Greg should have graduated in season 4 not 5. Greg and Marcia are only one year apart (they state their ages in the Babysitting episode as being 14 and 13.) But this one year age gap doesn't follow with school years as stated above.

It appeared that Peter was in 8th in season 3 and 9th in season 4 both at Fillmore and then he was back at Fillmore in Season 5. He makes a comment about going to Westdale next year which is 10th through 12th.

This is my answer from a similar thread which supports my response:

In season 3 Jan was in 7th, Peter in 8th and Marcia in 9th all at Fillmore Junior High. Marcia graduates Jr. High at the end of season 3 so we know she was in 9th. In the Power of the press Marcia as well as Greg say that they had Mr. Price in the past and Jan says she won't have him until next year which leads me to believe that Marcia is a year older than Peter and Jan is a year younger than Peter. In the season 1 episode vote for Brady it is mentioned that Greg is a year older than Marcia.

It appeared that Peter was in 8th in season 3 and 9th in season 4 both at Fillmore and then he was back at Fillmore in Season 5. He makes a comment about going to Westdale next year which is 10th through 12th.

This is my answer from a similar thread which supports my response:

In season 3 Jan was in 7th, Peter in 8th and Marcia in 9th all at Fillmore Junior High. Marcia graduates Jr. High at the end of season 3 so we know she was in 9th. In the Power of the press Marcia as well as Greg say that they had Mr. Price in the past and Jan says she won't have him until next year which leads me to believe that Marcia is a year older than Peter and Jan is a year younger than Peter. In the season 1 episode vote for Brady it is mentioned that Greg is a year older than Marcia.

What I find odd is that halfway through Season 3, was when Marcia had her prom. This was the Davy Jones episode. You would expect an episode about a prom to be toward the end of the season.
Just like it odd that Greg started high school halfway through Season 2. You would expect that to be an early season episode.

BY SEASON 5:


Greg was in 12th grade and graduated high school

What season did Marica start high school? Just add on from that and that's the year she'd be in during this season. Either a sophomore or Junior...

Greg told Peter he would be starting high school in the fall, so he was in 8th grade (though he looked like he was already in high school)

Jan, Cindy and Bobby I'm not sure...

I want to say Jan was in 7th grade as she looked high school already.

Bobby was in 6th then and Cindy was in 5th. That's what I conclude, as they just looked so much older.