<p>I go to a small, rural, poor public school in California. This year we have 105 kids, which is the highest enrollment in the last five years or so, and the graduating class only has about 11 people in it. We have a very high English-learner population. Occasionally teachers will teach an AP class, but usually people do online courses if they want AP, which isn’t often. We have a really excellent English teacher and a decent social sciences teacher, but the other teachers are not. We have barely any opportunities for extracurriculars; there’s three sports for boys, three for girls, one for both, and people have to be begged to be on the team so we can have the minimum number of players. Girls volleyball is decent, but the other sports are pretty much jokes and there are no other choices for after-school activity. I’m trying to start two clubs, but the lack of interest among the students is extraordinary. Will being at a small school hurt me because there’s not much to do in terms of activities and classes, or is it actually a blessing in disguise? Are colleges interested in students from high schools that usually send students to community college and a few to the UC system? The students who try tend to do well, but most don’t, so I was wondering what Amherst thinks of students who do try to rise above the offerings and do something better. Our English class is small and very discussion-oriented; anyone who takes that class is definitely prepared for college, and I think they would be for LAC’s like Amherst where classes are smaller and people can get one-on-one time. What do you guys think?</p>
<p>Diversity is the key word here. Your school sounds liek the kind that Amherst might like to have represented in its student body. And they look at what the school offers against what you took. However, it would be really wonderful if you took some initiative to get those extra classes - online or through a junior college. I know there is a student there that did just that when her school failed to offer what she wanted, and I understand her school had no AP classes at all! She was in, but she went the extra mile to get the education she wanted. Do that, and you, too might be a Lord Jeff.</p>