<p>Yes, I think that’s where they’re different. Recommended and required seem to mean the same thing, as far as scores or other elements of an application.</p>
<p>When it comes to high school courses, recommended actually does mean just that. Or maybe “strongly suggested,” but truly NOT required. Colleges recognize that there’s a lot of variability in what’s available at high schools, and that over and above that, students can have scheduling glitches that may make it difficult or even impossible to take certain courses, or other good reasons for not taking them.</p>