As a college consultant, I have sat through many a college information session. It can feel a little like Groundhog Day at times, with each slideshow featuring uncannily similar photos of students laughing together on a sun-drenched lawn or hovering over test tubes in a state-of-the-art science lab. The presentations become a bit more varied, however, once they begin to talk about what each college values most in the college application. Some really care about standardized test scores, while others place a heavy emphasis on factors like community service or demonstrated interest in the student’s chosen major. But, without exception, I have found that all colleges place one consideration at the top: the high school transcript. I have heard the following phrase so many times that I can recite it by memory, “We want to see what classes you took in high school and whether or not you challenged yourself.” And, at more selective colleges that line is typically followed with, “Did you take the most rigorous courses available to you?”
Scores and grades receive a lot of attention from students and parents when it comes to preparing for college, while the courses taken to produce those grades are often viewed as secondary. In college admissions offices, that order is flipped. Below I outline the different considerations to be made when it comes to course selection and offer suggestions based on students’ academic abilities, goals and personal limitations.
- Course Sequence: Which subjects will you take in high school and when
This is largely determined by state standards for graduation and communicated to students by their high school counselors. In Texas, students are required to have a minimum four credits of English, science and social studies; three credits of math; two credits of a foreign language; one each in fine art and P.E.; and five electives to graduate. Individual school districts offer a fairly standard pathway, with biology recommended freshman year, chemistry sophomore year, etc. One might assume that this plan is not only sufficient to get a student through high school, but that it will also meet the minimum requirements at any college to which they may apply. The truth is that some colleges require additional coursework in certain subject areas for admission. Many selective liberal arts colleges, for instance, want to see three or four years of a foreign language, and many engineering and computer science programs require calculus (which goes beyond that four-year math sequence) and physics. In the U.K., requirements for STEM programs can be especially stringent, with students needing not one, but two, years of calculus. At elite engineering programs in the U.S., that may not be an official requirement, but it may be what students need to be competitive against their peers. Also, students planning to major in business should be aware that most business majors have to take calculus in college, so a calculus class in high school or at least a good foundation in pre-cal may make their college experience much more enjoyable.
Bottom line: Look up the course requirements at the colleges and majors in which you are interested and plan your high school course selection accordingly. - Course Rigor: Should you take on-level classes, AP, IB or Dual Credit?
This is a more complicated answer, as there are so many considerations to be made when making this decision. I will try to lay out the answer as simply as possible and will start by addressing those students interested in the most competitive institutions (colleges like the Ivies, Stanford, Rice, Duke, etc.). Highly competitive and elite institutions expect to see a healthy dose of AP or IB classes across the board. If your school doesn’t offer those, colleges will look for the most rigorous courses available to you. They will receive a report from your high school listing the number of AP or IB classes offered and view your choices in that context. Slightly less competitive colleges still will look for an indication that you challenged yourself with advanced courses, but will not hold you to quite as high a standard. They usually look for a correlation between your indicated major and the classes you took in high school. If you want to major in political science, for instance, you ought to consider taking advanced social studies classes. STEM majors, of course, should consider pushing themselves in math or science. The less selective the institution, the less exacting the expectations. Now, you’re probably wondering, do colleges value dual credit (community college) or dual enrollment (OnRamps) courses as much as AP or IB? Again, that answer depends on the selectivity of the institution. But, by and large, though high schools might give all advanced classes equal weight when calculating your GPA, AP and IB courses are considered the most rigorous, followed by dual credit and dual enrollment.
Of course, there are other factors to be considered when selecting course level. One is how much college credit you can earn from a particular course and how much that matters to you. For instance, you earn instant college credit when you take dual credit courses, which means you could begin college with some college credits under your belt and possibly graduate early, saving you money in the long run. However, you should check the graduation requirements at the colleges in which you’re interested to make sure that particular class is required for your prospective degree. Likewise, you can earn college credit by taking AP and IB exams and scoring well, but the score required for credit varies from college to college. So, again, if your goal with AP or IB is to earn college credit, look at the score required at the institutions in which you’re interested. These can be found on the College Board website. The final, and most important consideration to be made, is what rigor of coursework you can handle. Five AP classes is a taxing load, even for the most capable and high achieving students. Each student should, with your parents, determine what your threshold is when it comes to taking on demanding coursework. With increased rigor comes an increased workload and, invariably, increased stress levels. Add that to the demands of extra-curricular activities, family responsibilities and life, in general, and it just may be too much. When beginning high school, all families should have an honest discussion about the student’s goals versus limitations, whatever those may be. Are the two in sync? Do goals need to be adjusted to meet limitations, or perhaps do self-imposed limitations need to be lifted to meet goals? This answer is going to vary from individual to individual based on his or her unique situation, and the question should be asked each year.
Bottom line: Consider your personal goals and limitations when selecting rigor of curriculum.
A word of encouragement to all of you: there is a college out there for everyone, regardless of what level of rigor you choose for your high school career. Be true to yourself, your talents and your passions, and you will find a path that works for you.
