Putting (or Keeping) Your Foot on the Academic Gas

Many students (and often parents) are unaware of just how much of an impact the courses a student chooses to take can have on how colleges view their applications. Ultimately, what your course selection says about you is whether you are capable of doing the work at any given college. Even if you are the most wonderful and talented student, colleges don’t want to take a chance on a student who might flunk out after a semester! So no matter which year you’re planning out, you should think carefully about what messages you want to send about your academic abilities. 

For Sophomores: There’s no denying that your junior year curriculum and grades are going to be where admissions officers put most of their focus. You’ve had 2 years to adjust to high school level work, and you are now in a position to opt for more challenging courses. So what should you take? How many APs/IBs/Dual Enrollment courses is ideal? Well, that answer is going to be different for every student depending on their academic strengths and ambitions. The simple answer is: take on as much rigor as you are capable of handling (while getting decent grades, maintaining your extracurricular involvements, and getting some sleep!) So if one AP feels like it would be a stretch for you, go for it! If you feel more comfortable sticking with your standard high school classes, that’s fine too! But, if you feel prepared to take on 2 or 3 (or even 4) APs while still having a life, do it! If your sights are set on the most selective schools though, taking fewer than 3 APs (and in challenging subjects) might be a hindrance. Shying away from hard classes (even if you’ve heard horror stories about the teacher!) will indicate to an admissions officer that you are not up for the most rigorous college-level work.  

For Juniors: You might be a student who pulled out all the stops in junior year and really killed it in order to best represent your academic abilities to colleges. That might mean you want to take it easy next year. I’d give that urge a second thought! While you might not need to pile on as many of the most challenging courses, colleges will see what you are taking senior year (as well as may receive some of your earlier grades), and will make note if you’ve taken your foot off the gas. In short: not a good look! The most competitive colleges want to admit students who are excited about pushing themselves academically, and care about learning new things (and don’t just see high school as a means to an end.) So taking into account that you will have a nutty fall applying to colleges, take on as much rigor (once again) as you feel you can handle! And that is a totally subjective measure.  

Planning out your courses and thinking about academic rigor (and your willingness or avoidance to take it on) might be a great opportunity to have a reckoning with yourself about what kind of student you are, and therefore what sorts of colleges are going to be a best fit. Taking on less rigor (either because you can’t handle it, or even just don’t want to) is a totally valid choice, and there will still be plenty of colleges where you can be successful that will be accessible to you! Just try and make sure your expectations about college (and the sorts of colleges you are drawn to) align with the choices you make about your high school curriculum!