Anyone else in this situation?

Applying to College
1

<p>At my school, freshmen and sophomores aren't allowed to take AP classes. Instead we can only take honors.</p>

<p>Freshmen year I took honors earth science and honors geometry. I was going to take honors English but it wasn't working with my schedule. Those were the only honors classes that freshmen could take.</p>

<p>Sophomore year I took honors English, honors biology, honor algebra 2, and honors history. Those were all the honors classes that were available to us.</p>

<p>At our school honors classes don't count like AP classes (on a 5 scale). GPA wise, they look the same as general classes. But honors classes are a lot harder. In the general English class that I had to take, I got a 99%. In the honors classes though, I've received a few Bs.</p>

<p>I'm just starting junior year and I have a 3.7 GPA. So my GPA isn't all that great and my class rank is horrible. I'm in the top 30% (100ish out of 350ish).</p>

<p>I've talked to a bunch of other people that are in all honors classes and they always say that they have a GPA around 3.5 to 3.8. I've never heard of an all honors kid that had a perfect 4.0.</p>

<p>But at my school, there are a bunch of people that take all general classes and get that perfect 4.0, so they pass the honors kids in class rank.</p>

<p>Is anyone else in this predicament? You take all the hardest classes, just to hurt your GPA and the kids that have the easiest classes pass you up in class rank?</p>

<p>Sorry that I sound like I'm complaining. I'm just frustrated. I just keep seeing people on CC that say they have a 4.5 GPA from there honors classes and it makes me a bit mad that my school doesn't have the same policy.</p>

<p>Also, I'm not trying for Ivy League school. I am looking into schools like Whitman and college of William and marry... but my stats are low for both of those schools.</p>

2

<p>What I think happens when you apply to college is your school will send along a sheet that indicates that they do not offer weighted grades for honors classes as well as other particulars about what advanced classes are offered. The colleges will then look at your class selection and see that you took the more rigorous track over the easier track. They will note this as they evaluate your application.</p>

<p>I think all schools know that rank reflects grades without acknowledging rigor as well. It sounds like you will be fine applying to top schools and feeling like they are target especially now that you are going to take AP classes and hopefully will do well showing that you can handle the heavier load. Good luck!.</p>