<p>I know that colleges want to see you take the most rigorous courses you can, but there is one part of it I do not get. Hypothetically, let us say that you can take Honors Bio (which is not offered as an AP) or AP chem. If you took Bio, do colleges look at it like you have taken the most advance classes you could because Bio is not offered at a higher level? Or do they look at it like you should have taken Chem if you could handle it because it is more rigorous?</p>
<p>If the second circumstances are true, how does that apply to Language. For example if you take four years of Chinese, but the highest level your school offers is Honors IV, colleges cannot just expect you to take AP French your senior year just because it is more rigorous. Can they?</p>
<p>You should take both biology and chemistry.
If your school doesn’t offer that many APs, you should take most of them, but obviously colleges won’t penalize you for not taking a class your school didn’t offer.</p>
<p>Colleges certainly put your courses into context and don’t expect more of you than is available in your situation. It’s helpful to their analysis if your counselor will check the “most rigorous course load” box when it comes time to fill out your recommendation. I would expect your counselor to do that if you take 4 yrs of Chinese and honors bio, (assuming your remaining courses are also the toughest in their respective fields. </p>
<p>I agree it’s imperative to take both bio and chem by the time you graduate.</p>