Do colleges really care about what classes you take in high school? Read more....?

Question

At my high school, AP classes are 2 periods long. We also don't have as many AP classes. It is a pretty highly ranked private school, but I'm worried about not getting into a good college. I want to go to USC with a career in the medical field, but my school doesn't have as many AP math and science classes. Do your classes in high school necessarily reflect your degree?

Answer 1

Between the 4 people sitting in this room right this minute, none of us ever took an AP or IB course in HS (one didn't graduate from HS, got in with a GED).

Among the group is one college senior (holding honors), 5 bachelors' degrees (3 *** laude), 3 graduate students, and a master's degree.

Sometimes, it's not about which class you take but instead about how you did in that class. It's also about way more than just the grades.

Don't put all your eggs in that one "harder classes" basket. You may well have them saying "of course she got an A in AP History, she didn't have a life..." AP and IB aren't a bad thing, they simply aren't everything or even all that much.

Answer 2

The classes you take play a part, but colleges look at the overall person, probably more so now than when I went to school. Some things that probably go into it:

Did you make the most of your opportunities? Meaning, you took at least some AP courses when you had the chance.

Did you involve yourself within your school? Clubs, honors programs, sports.

Did you get involved outside of school? In other words, volunteering. From what I hear, this can really help you.

Did you perform well against your peers? Where did you rank in your class?

It's impossible for colleges to know what the classes were like in your high school. Just because a course has been given an AP label, doesn't mean that you were actually given an AP workload. That's why you take the standardized tests (ACT/SAT). These put everyone in the same ranking structure and allow colleges to see how education at the various local levels has prepared their students.

Sometimes, you also are given the opportunity to submit referral letters from the people who know you best. Your guidance counselor, your minister, your boss (assuming you have a job outside of school, of course) and, of course, your teachers. These people give the college an inside look into your character.

If you're concerned, I would suggest visiting your guidance counselor at school. They can help you tailor your course load to give you a better shot at the school of your choice. Or, there may be someone at USC who can give you suggestions.

Good luck!

Answer 3

no the classes you take in hs dont reflect ur degree. just take the AP classes. if there arent many opportunities to take AP classes or IB or anything at your school, the college will know. theyll know you didnt take the challenge. theyll know you didnt have many chances to take alot of APs. hoep this helped. goodluck.

Answer 4

Not so much at least not for me. the counselors told us to take honors and AP classes to challenge ourselves because colleges wanted that. I took one honors class in high school and I was accepted to my first choice school.

Answer 5

No, you in basic terms get an F in case you deserve it. in case you get a F to your very final average, like in severe college, you in basic terms could take that type yet back, in case you do no longer pay for summer season college, and in case you do no longer bypass summer season college, then you definately take the class yet back. Like 10th grade background, shall we are saying you failed in school and summer season college, and you handed all your different training, you in basic terms could take 10th grade background and eleventh grade each thing else, and if the learning councelor talks to you you are able to take the two 10th and eleventh grade background the subsequent twelve months, like somewhat of being help back in that, reason you're able to bypass at last. i understand somebody that failed 1st grade (youngster had alot of issues however) and that i understand like 3 people who took purely the class yet back. I never had to yet, and with a bit of luck never will. a minimum of thats what they do at my college. wish i helped. =)

Answer 6

schools have to have core ciriculums to get state certfied to even issue high school diplomas. The college looks at your transcripts to see how you did in the more important courses--namely English and math, and maybe science if you want to go pre-med.