I went to a hard school for freshman and sophmore year, then went to an "easy" school for junior year, and now I am having trouble deciding which school I should attend senior year.
-I have the same grades in both schools (good grades)
-I would take the same vigorous courses
-I would have more time for myself and my interests in the easy school
-The hard school, however, would challenge me more
Anyone know what colleges prefer? because I cannot decide which is better for me. Thank you!!
2007-04-22 07:51:58 · 7 answers · asked by Ms. Elisa 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Higher Education (University +)
Why don't you contact the admissions departments of several of the colleges you would like to attend and ask them about the number of students they have admitted from both of the high schools you are considering.
Too, you might contact both high schools and see what colleges their graduates have attended.
You don't say what sort of course of study (major,) you would like to pursue in college. You should have some sort of idea how competitive the field is. If it is something like law, medicine, finance, or engineering, where all your new classmates are going to be the top tier of their high schools, the rigorous high school will help you hone your study and time management skills. If you are already really self disciplined and dedicated, then perhaps the easy school with more fun time built in will be okay.
Plenty of people in this country succeed without degrees from the Ivy League or other big-name schools , it just may take a little longer to get a foot in the door of that first job and prove your abilities. And there are excellent colleges all over the country that don't have national "brand" names. Your job will be to find the one that has the best fit for your interests, personality and temperment.
2007-04-22 08:07:52 · answer #1 · answered by smallbizperson 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Unless you're applying for a college in your area, the admissions office probably doesn't know which school is rigorous and which one isn't. Unless you're talking about a private academy, any high school diploma is roughly equivalent.
If you're looking at universities that have highly competitive admissions, then in addition to gpa, class rank, ACT score, and specific courses completed in HS, there are some other factors that weigh in. Do you have a fair number of extracurricular activities--and a range of them, some sports and some intellectual and some social (and some religious if you're so inclined)? Have you held any part-time jobs? Done any community service work? Received any awards or special recognition for anything?
With one year to go, you have little time to complete those non-academic things--you'll need to plan to apply to colleges no later than October if you want to pick up on all possible sources of financial aid. Don't compromise your academics, but maybe look for easy opportunities to broaden your image in your application.
2007-04-22 15:32:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Colleges do look at it AND it does matter. pretend, if your ranked in the top 10 % of your hard school. Harvard knows its a hard school that they might see ur cigorous courses and see that you worked (IM NOT GUARANTEEING U WILL GET INTO HARVARD). But if you go easy school and get good grades, then they will see that since you went to easy school, IT MUST have been easy and they might only t ake 1 person from that school, which could or coudl not be u.
Personally, i had to do the same chocie and i thought i made the wrong choice: i took harder coruses and tougher school and got rejected frmo northwestern. Sos i say go to the one in which you can get a high ACT/SAT and better gpa and class rank
2007-04-22 15:05:28 · answer #3 · answered by madskillz1358 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Colleges do not know the difference between your high schools. The colleges are only going to be looking at your grades and SAT or ACT score.
2007-04-22 14:56:54 · answer #4 · answered by rurouni33569 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Which college do you want to go to? Go on their website, or call the admissions center of the college, and ask what their requirements are. Colleges DO know which schools are more rigorous, and which ones aren't, so if the college you want to get into is very highly ranked, then maybe go to the competitive school.
2007-04-22 15:30:47 · answer #5 · answered by blueangelfire995 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honestly, it doesn't matter too much. Your GPA and your SAT/ACT scores are the most important factors. But if you do go to a highly respected school it can't hurt.
2007-04-22 14:57:21 · answer #6 · answered by JD Sengir 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How do you compare to the other students in each school? Choose the school that will make you look academically superior to the other students.
2007-04-22 15:03:54 · answer #7 · answered by Joie Bleau 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋