CHOOSE YOUR COURSES WISELY

Of course, college admission officers like to see good grades on your transcript.  But your grades must be considered within a certain context.  High schools vary greatly on the number and types of courses offered, but if you are considering selective colleges, know that the course selections you make, even as early as freshman and sophomore years, are important.  Take advantage of opportunities.  The rule of thumb is this: challenge yourself as much as you can given the courses that your school has to offer; take courses that are appropriate to your academic record, abilities and interest.

In many schools, it is in your senior year that you have the greatest flexibility in selecting your courses, and the college admission offices will be paying attention to your choices. Specifically, you are able to choose from more courses of relatively greater or lesser academic challenge. Perhaps you are able to continue to study a discipline or not, even if you have fulfilled your requirement for graduation in that subject.

If you are applying to a school which is very selective in its admissions, you can be certain that they will be looking for AP/IB, advanced, and/or other honors courses in your senior year schedule. If your school offers them, not to be taking such a course (or several) may well keep you from gaining admission to a selective school, even if you have always been a good student – especially if you have always been a good student.  Take advantage of all that your school has to offer, right until you graduate. 

In most schools, you choose your courses for the following year in the spring. When you have choices to make, especially for senior year, discuss your possibilities with your parents, your teachers and your school counselor.