Can a bad high school be a disadvantage in the admissions process?

<p>Yeah my school's like that too. The kids at my school don't really strive to get into big prestigious schools like ivy league so I feel like an over-overachiever.</p>

<p>Ooh.. this gives me new hope..
Yes, I guess I could self-study for APs my senior year.. then take the test in May.
How would I write that down in my applications? Since it's not an official "school course" my transcript wouldn't reflect any self-study APs.</p>

<p>You can send in AP score reports, right?</p>

<p>I've never taken an AP test, so I'm not really sure.. :(</p>

<p>AP Scores are self reported during the app process.
Slef study APs can be reported int he additional information.
make sure your GC/Recommenders mentions it too in the recc.</p>

<p>If your school offers even 1 AP you will typically
have an AP coordinator.</p>

<p>Forming a club, is a good idea prior to your Junior year. Usually
colleges are suspicious of students starting clubs in their
Junior and especially during Senior Fall semester unless the
situation is warranted (desperate to study for AP etc).</p>

<p>I'm a rising junior as of now; if I started some kind of AP Psych study club, would that look bad? Or if I reinstated my school's defunct French club? I would have done these type of things sooner, but until I found CC, I never really was made aware of what you were supposed to do to get into college..</p>

<p>Both sound great...call the AP PSych club something more creative
if you can, give a charter, encourage lower grades to participate
adn please do this becaue you are attracted to it nto because you
are doing it to get into college.</p>

<p>Well, I'd definitely like to get a group of kids together and encourage taking AP tests beyond those offered by the school - I'm not sure how much interest there would be, but anything's worth a shot.</p>

<p>Can a bad school be used as affirmative action compensation if you do well in outside/external evaluations, e.g. standardised tests (especially AP) and local dual-enrollment? (That is, "I did excellently despite being from a bad neighbourhood?")</p>