<p>I go to one of the top 20 boarding schools in the nation. Will colleges take this into consideration for my application.</p>
<p>depending on the college and your school, I would guess that colleges would take into consideration the fact that the curriculum at your school may be more challenging than at some other schools.....especially if they've had other students from your school attend in prior years. Like it or not, not all high schools are equal and I think colleges know this.</p>
<p>Some colleges do. Some do not. The larger state colleges tend not to take that into account. I have seen kids rejected from these schools with high SAT scores, great activities but mediocre grades. And yet accepted to a much more selective LAC. If your school does not rank, these big schools sometimes just assign a rank and a B at your school does not a A at the average highschool make.</p>
<p>If your school has had a number of Ivy and other top school acceptances over the years, chances are the office that sends out recs and transcripts knows what it's doing. If so, go to your counselor and ask if s/he mails out a letter briefly describing your school and its students and its curriculum (usually called a "school profile"). Often, your school will have one, and smaller Magnets might also have their own.</p>
<p>Fortunately, colleges (if they take time to read the school profile my counselor sent) will get a flavor of the difficulty of my own Magnet program, since my counselor included statistics about pass rates on AP's versus class grades, and since the profile was edited and co-written by a number of English teachers :).</p>
<p>Bottom line: colleges look at transcripts "in context" with your course load and with the difficulty of your school based on other applicants, their own students from your school, and your counselor's recommendation letter.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>They'll definitely look at the context of your academic environment. They understand that some schools are harder than others and will take that into account when making their decisions. Also, most admissions officers would have visited those schools (especially since you say yours is a top 20 boarding school) so the regional officer will know the environment there as well. So all in all, no worries, you'll be fine ;)</p>
<p>Some schools will and some will not. Some of the larger schools are very formula driven and will not take that into account. Those schools that are familiar with your school usually do. Most schools in your category will have records of who applied where with what grades and what the results were. You can see certain schools that give favorable treatment to the grading scale if look at those records. Sometimes it is a disadvantage to go to these schools because the difficulty is not taken into account for things like scholarships, honorariums. You have to keep track of them and have your counselor explain your gpa. I remember that all American status and certain scholarships did not want to recognize the harder curve of private schools.</p>
<p>Many colleges will consider the difficulty of the school but at the same time be aware that students believe there are far more overly difficult schools in the nation than college admissions officers believe.</p>
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students believe there are far more overly difficult schools in the nation than college admissions officers believe
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<p>Indeed. One year here on CC I asked for a list of the top high schools in the country. LOTS of high school students nominated their own high schools, which were so obscure in many cases that even people in the next county had never heard of them. </p>
<p>But for the OP, such a question is one you should be able to get an answer for by looking at the college matriculation statistics for your own high school. I hope you looked at those statistics, or your parents did, before you enrolled. That's definitely something I look at when shopping for high schools (not so much because I want to maximize college admission chances, because I think I can do that even as a pure-play homeschooling parent, but as a reality check on how rigorous a high school really is).</p>
<p>what about not not 20 boarding schools, but top 5? or just andover and exeter? surely their curriculums are more challenging than most.</p>
<p>Look at where the kids at Andover and Exeter are going to college. Certainly, a large number are going to top school, more than in most highschools. But also look at where they are going to school. There are fewer state schools in there, you will see. And there are kids who are going to non competitive schools as well. If you don't get good grades at Andover and Exeter, you are not likely to get into a top school. There would have to be a compelling reason.</p>
<p>AGREED! However, the important thing to remember is that YOU went to a hard school and what you learned there academically, socially etc. What did that education give you regarding your whole person? What do you now bring to the table of admissions?</p>
<p>Some schools look closely at the name or even the rankings of high schools. Yes, college board has a system for that as well. Some schools have no idea what your school means if you are from far away. There is not one method of admissions for all colleges. Each college has different criteria and different pressure points, be it legacy or financial aid or whatever.</p>
<p>You need to focus on YOU. What are your best traits and stats and where do you fit in the best. Sometimes a second tier or even third tier school may be better for you in the long run...you will be happier, thrive and achieve your full potential. Millions of kids DONT have a 1600 (now 2400) SAT, or were 4.0gpa or ranked in top 5% of their high school class...and of those millions 99% of them do well in college and go on to become successful adults and human beings.</p>
<p>College selectivity rankings are only about admissions selectivity, not about whether its a good school for you. And even if you have a great GPA and superb SAT does not necessarily mean you MUST attend an Ivy or a super elite LAC. That decision should be measured by your fit for a particular institution. And for every applicant that is a different question and result.</p>
<p>My kid is at a second tier school and THRIVING and not looking back. He/She was initially disappointed at not getting their first choice school...but in hindsight, this is where they belong...and my kid is doing so well. A classmate in his/her dorm is from the midwest and earned a 4.0 and got a 2400 on the SAT and picked THIS school over others, including an Ivy. Why? Fit. That is not to say its a good fit for you. You have to decide where a good fit is for you, what you can afford, and what are your criteria and qualifications. </p>
<p>I hope you get in where you desire and it is a great fit and you have a stellar four years in college. Make the most of this process and then recognize that sometimes college admissions are capricious and quirky. And remember that where you end up is likely where you are the best suited.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Recently I rated and ranked the top 20 boarding schools based on college matriculation success, and also 5 key U.S. day schools. I only accepted and used data from the 5 graduating classes 2002-2007. Some schools would not furnish all years, and some of the most famous schools did not fare as well as expected by many. PM me with your school and your stats and I'll be able to give you some feedback based on verified info. My study was the first totally comprehensive rating done and has caused quite a "stir" in the elite boarding school community.</p>