<p>SQL: your anecdotal friend who got in: good for him/her. However, one must be aware that the top tier schools are DEFINITELY looking for those who will push themselves within their environment. If you attend a rural HS with fewer resources, maybe Precalc is the most advanced course on your transcript. Well, did that student take Calc at the CC?</p>
<p>However, if you go to a plush school with all sorts of opportunities, the GPA monger who carefully constructs his schedule by avoiding challenging classes -- well, let's just say there are 1000s of students who ARE taking the most rigorous courseload. Maybe they aren't 4.0s but they show some essentials to academic success -- drive and the desire to learn.</p>
<p>They're the ones you'd be competing against. I ALWAYS advise HS students to take the more challenging class -- even if they don't get the A. I had all sorts of Bs in my HS career. But I took every hard class myvery advanced HS offered. I got no rejections my Senior year. </p>
<p>HTH</p>