<p>How much does what high school you go to affect your chances of getting into your top choice colleges?</p>
<p>I go to a relatively small high school in Nebraska. I get all A's, but the classes are not that challenging and are not weighted. What can I do to get myself ahead?</p>
<p>I don’t think that really matters, as long as you do the best you can.</p>
<p>Don’t you think that would be unfair?</p>
<p>I know a lot of east cost schools LOVE kids from random Mid-west/southern states. It adds diversity to their school.</p>
<p>As long as you show you did the best you could with what opportunities your school/neighborhood offered you.</p>
<p>Seek opportunities in and out of the classroom. Take the most difficult course schedule possible; if your school doesn’t offer many AP classes, self-study or take classes online/at a local college. If there aren’t interesting academic clubs or activities at your school, then try to start some. etc., etc.</p>
<p>Some kids have opportunities dumped into their laps. You will have to be a little more proactive.</p>
<p>I sometimes wonder if it is slightly easier for an equally determined student from a less rigorous high school to get into a good college, compared to one from a rigorous one.</p>
<p>The one from the easier school can self-study AP’s and pursue EC’s while maintaining a 4.0 easily.
The one from the top school spends a lot more time maintaining that 4.0 while he/she is expected to have the same amount of EC’s.</p>
<p>You should apply to Yale, we have very few Nebraskans and your chances are much greater because of it. If you were from Wyoming then it would be even better.</p>
<p>It is easier if you come from a rigorous school. About half the people who got admitted to Yale from my city all went to the same high school, and there is no way in the world they were the best applicants out of Houston.</p>
<p>It’s definitely better to come from a more rigorous high school - there are just more options. At my old high school, for example, there were three extracurricular activities: a totally defunct student government, band, and sports. Those were your only options. There was no Key Club, FBLA, nothing. Not to mention what you have in terms of academic preparation and the like. BUT, coming from a less rigorous high school is far from a death sentence. Students from less rigorous high schools who get into the colleges CC gets so excited about tend to make their own opportunities. Adcoms love that.</p>
<p>Just be sure to take as much “rigor” as you can, challenge yourself additionally outside of that, and be in the very top of your class. If they go out cherry picking for one top Nebraska student to have representation there…odds are they’re only going to pick the “top draw”. That doesn’t mean that person #2 or #3 might not be a better candidate overall…certainly make sure you have a SOLID application. But you do need to be very NEAR the top. IMO.</p>
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<p>What year are you now in HS? Talk to your teachers and see if there are independent studies you can do in later years. See if there are joint programs with area community colleges. However, also know that in smaller communities, even top-performing kids talking about going to “more selective colleges” can be met with “Hunh? You wanna go where? Why not just go to Univ of Nebraska? Everyone goes there”. You may have zero allies in your quest. Regardless, talk to what you ascertain to be the most advanced teachers in your school and ask if there have been other students in your situation in previous years. </p>
<p>Good luck to you</p>
<p>Try some self study classes, looks impressive. :)</p>