<p>I am wondering if Ivy League is completely out of the question if I attend a small high school. My high school doesn't offer any AP courses besides English and History. Although I have a 35 on ACT and excellent academic record, I am worried that I have no chance against big high schools that offer many college level courses. Do colleges really consider the amount of AP courses you are taking substantially or does it really not matter? I attend a small school in Oklahoma and rarely anyone from Oklahoma goes to Ivy League. No one from my school has yet gone to an Ivy League. I am currently a sophomore so I still have time to improve my record. I would like to know if there is anyway I can improve my chances of getting into colleges like MIT, Stanford, and Caltech?</p>
<p>The method with which prestigious schools such as those analyze applicants is regionally based so each respective admission committee member develops an understanding of the particular types of schools within their region. They hope to have a solid understanding of the grading system and nature of the schools of most of their applicants to allow for a more impartial analysis. AP classes certainly look nice, but as long as you are taking the most rigorous schedule offered at your school you should have no less of a chance than any other student with similar quantitative scores.</p>