I go to a VERY competitive HS. Over 4000 students go to this hs and over 1000 are in my graduating class. There’s a good amount of grade deflation and the class work is RIGOROUS. Even the top 20 % have 3.8 UW and above and top 30% all have a shot for top colleges. Will colleges over look the fact that I’m going to a EXTREMELY competitive hs? Thank you!
The quality of your HS will be taken into account by admissions officers.
Your GC will send in a school report with your transcript so you will be assessed in the context of your school and their grading system. Regional adcoms tend to know their feeder schools and their reputations so I wouldn’t worry.
My daughter went to a competitive HS. She worked her tail off to stay in the top 10% and get “most rigorous course load” checked off. Would she have had a higher GPA and rank if she stayed in her home school? Probably. But, IMO, she’s better prepared for college because of her HS rigor and it can only help her with her course load and she had great outcomes for college acceptances.
Overall, it helps. The colleges know your school and know that if you did well there, you will be prepared to succeed afterwards.
Likewise, kids from weaker schools, even vals, have to work very hard, snd often not successfully, to demonstrate that they are truly exceptional and capable of holding their own among elite students.
Don’t fall into the trap of believing that if you had been elsewhere, you would have been more "impressive " to colleges. They are pretty good at working through those filters. The only exception is probably auto admit programs based that take class rank into account.
Agree with gardenstate. Our school district in upstate NY is small and very good, but not as competitive as larger suburban school districts near us. My kids could take any AP class they wanted, participate in any sport/activity. But, the top students (who I knew to be exceptional) have a very difficult time getting into top schools. Except for a single Cornell acceptance every year, Ivy acceptances are rare. Kids do get into excellent schools and are well-prepared for college. I have no doubt that our Val and Sal every year would be able to hold their own among students from elite high schools. But, it is difficult to demonstrate that coming from our school district.
it doesnt really matter: colleges will know your courses and rigor of the school but your tests probably matter more. On the other hand being a special population to a college (URM, first gen, legacy, athlete) is trumping grades/scores in general so being a top student at any school is no help UNLESS you are in a very under represented location geographically.
@Center agree with this!
Happened last year at my daughter’s school hooked meaning (1st gen) accepted to Vandy. ORM sal with much better everything rejected.
College crazy these days.
I mean I’m indian, no legacy, not an athlete, first gen America tho? That counts?
No If you were first-gen college student that may help, depending on the college.
to some extent this is a generalized version of the frequent question “Is it better to get a lower grade in a harder course than it is to get a higher grade in an easier course?” Here is what Tufts says (you can find similar answers from other schools.
Ok makes sense! thanks
I’m first gen college student in America. My parents went to semi bad colleges India cause nearly every college was trash if you didn’t have money.
Admissions will not make the distinction. You are not a first generation college student. It does not matter if the parent got a degree in another country. It does not matter that the parent got a degree that s/he does not use professionally. All that matters is that a parent received a degree.
What @VMT and @gardenstategal wrote. In the book “creating a class” I remember reading about upstate NY vals being at a “regional” disadvantage because of suburban and prep school pressure.
I’ve pondered this one bc D21 is at a highly ranked public where about 50% of every class get admitted to schools described as most or highly selective. Compared to the middle of the road public S17 went to, where maybe 15% get accepted to such schools.
The wildcard for me is that the vast majority of students at D17’s school are extremely wealthy. Their parents are lawyers, doctors, CEOs etc… who attended a lot of these schools themselves. How much does legacy with parents donating help? How much does being able to be full pay at $70k schools help? I’m thinking a lot. Since my daughter doesn’t have either, we’ll see. But I do know she will be more than prepared for any college she goes to.
Part of the calculus involved is an honest self-evaluation. Many kids at a “super-competitive” high school would indeed have a higher GPA at a less-competitive school, but would they REALLY light the world on fire otherwise and collect EC offices, awards, etc., so as to be the “very best” at the lesser school? In many cases, IMHO, shifting gears down to a “lesser” high school would boost your GPA but little else. Those kids at the “lesser school” may not be QUITE as academically focused or able as at the better high school, but they are not going to recognize the genius of the smart kid and elect him/her student body president, captain of the football team, or guarantee them a slot on an award-winning mock trial team.