<p>What if your'e in a high school that above average from the other regular ones? There are thousands of highschools across U.S. What if you're school rank in the nation is #69? Would that give me an advantage? Ranked 69 I would say would be "okay", but will admission officers actually take into consideration that my school has a naturally rigorous course schedule even if I'm not taking any electives? Like... it would be safe to assume that a regular class in a top ranked #50 high school would be equivalent to an AP class in a regular high school. </p>
<p>Do is stand correct? any objections? </p>
<p>:D thanks!!!</p>
<p>No, it would not necessarily be safe to assume that a regular course at the “top” high school is or is not more rigorous than an AP/honors/whatever course at a regular high school. It likely depends on the specific course.</p>
<p>I agree with ucbalumnus.</p>
<p>What are your grades and your class rank like in this rigorous high school of yours? If you’re a middle-of-the-pack student at New Trier or Bronx Science or a similarly famous high school, you’re not going to get into the country’s most selective colleges. But you’ll probably have an easier time getting into fairly selective colleges than middle-of-the-pack students at middle-of-the-pack high schools will.</p>
<p>While a good HS will improve your odds it highly depends on your grades. My son school is highly regarded in my state and a lot if kids end up in Ives and on top 20 schools, but they still score very high on their ACT and they have high GPAs. The school does not rank there are so many good students that they feel it would be unfair. Bottom line: the college still sees how you compare to your classmates and to the rest of the world. I am still to see someone with a low GPA( besides an athlete) go to a top school (and even that low GPA is not that low).</p>
<p>If it is a highly rigorous school, admissions officers will know. It will be taken into consideration, but they will not automatically assume that an average class is equivalent to an AP elsewhere - if it’s that good of a school, they will be aware of most of the classes available, and will treat them accordingly on your transcript. They would also expect to see test scores that reflect the rigorous coursework as well.</p>
<p>Exactly. Selective colleges are looking to see that you’ve taken the greatest advantage that a person reasonably could take of the academic opportunities available where you live and go to school. </p>
<p>So if you go to Bronx Science, they expect you to have pushed yourself hard within the context of Bronx Science. If you went to high school in Hot Springs, Ark., they expect you to have made the most of that–even though the most a high school in Hot Springs, Ark., can offer may be less than the kids in the middle of the class at Bronx Science are getting and doing.</p>
<p>Some of these answers are oft-repeated, and we even read it in Q and As with adcoms, but is it true? First, well-regarded (especially private) schools have long-standing relationships with colleges and are able to get their kids in to places that no-name schools can’t. I’ve seen this with my own eyes. Second, a regular class at an excellent school can sometimes be far beyond what an honors class does at a joe-average public school. At great high schools the freshman are writing and rewriting critical essays, and being pushed to think. At mediocre ones they are memorizing facts and taking multiple choice ones. The difference in being college ready is much deeper than an A vs a B.</p>
<p>The difference is the following: in private school most of the kids that admission exams to get in so they are already working with a selective group of kids. Then throughout HS the ones that do not shape out ship out to less rigorous school. In my kids school getting a C+on a quiz is enough for getting an email from the teacher requesting to meet the student for extra help. Then all the bright kids in town leave their school to join more prestigious HS making the pool of students even better. Now I know kids from public schools that got into Ives and top 20 schools with similar ACTs and GPAs. The percentage is less. But I have to tell you that is not uncommon from kids from my son HS to score 36 on the ACT(composite score). My son’s 32 was probably a mid range score. They only allow students that get an A in honors class to get an AP in the similar subject. On top of that come the amazing internships and prizes of different competitions that those won. Some are National debate champion, some won NASA awards, States Competitions, there is even on kid in my son’s class that got in to the Guiness world record as the youngest person to pass the exam to become a stock broker.</p>
<p>@sikorsky, I would say I’m top 20% for now, I still have time to change, but my freshmen GPA was screwed up a little. </p>
<p>ALSO. I attend Brooklyn Technical high school. one of 3 specialized high schools in nyc (stuy & bronx sci). it’s ranked 69, used to be ranked 30 something a couple of years ago, the school’s admissions test was dummied down. :/.</p>
<p>PLEASE HAVE A HEART AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE RANK 
BEG YOU
<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/new-york/districts/new-york-city-public-schools/brooklyn-technical-high-school-13269[/url]”>http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/new-york/districts/new-york-city-public-schools/brooklyn-technical-high-school-13269</a></p>
<p>All the schools know Brooklyn Tech and will judge you accordingly.</p>
<p>(The school’s admission test was not dummied down, what are you talking about? And there are several specialized schools not just 3. Ranking of high schools like this is bogus. Lets just say Brooklyn Tech is a well-known and respected school. It’s not really that hard o get in to)</p>
<p>yeah. i understand that. but all the other 6 specialized highschools aren’t that popular and famous… they just came out of nowhere and no one talks about them. Everyone just focuses on the original 3 specialized hs. in nyc. & do you go to tech redpoint? just wonderin…</p>
<p>hey guys, btw what high schools you guys go to?</p>
<p>I graduated from high school in 1981.</p>
<p>Penn State, for example, openly states they do not rank high schools or consider the “strength” of a high school in their decision. Which, IMO, is fair. I was assigned to a school thats not necessarily the best, but I’ve done the best with what I had given to me, which is what matters.</p>
<p>@Sikorsky… so you’re a parent of student now? eh?</p>
<p>I could be just a very slow learner. Or a very late bloomer.</p>