<p>This is actually exactly what happens at my high school. Before 9th grade, so many people were skipping bio and I felt behind that I didn’t because I didn’t even know you could do that. Eventually I did skip courses over the summer, especially to get pesky graduation requirements out of the way. </p>
<p>I don’t know how big your freshman class is, but even when it seems like “so many” people are skipping, it’s probably just because you hang out with those kinds of people. The vast majority of students never skip a course, except maybe an elective for graduation. Just a little perspective if you feel behind.</p>
<p>I think as long as you take top level courses at your school and maybe some dual enrollment courses with a local college, you’ll get the “most demanding” schedule designation from your guidance counsellor. Granted, there will be several others along with you, but colleges will look for exhaustion of all course options at your school. As long as you do that, you should be fine.</p>
<p>But honestly, let me warn you: it doesn’t impress anyone to see someone sacrificing their free lives to study 24/7. The kind of student who skips courses is generally that kind, unless the academics aren’t challenging enough for them and they just breeze through. Skipping courses is not easy, especially if it’s a core academic one, during the summer when there’s limited time. Sometimes people who skip can’t handle the higher level course and end up getting B’s or whatever their idea of a bad grade is (disclaimer: I don’t think B’s are bad grades unless it’s because you didn’t do any homework). Does your school require students to pass a final exam to actually get credit for the courses they skip?</p>
<p>I do hope that you’re spending time doing non-studying things that you actually enjoy (I do like studying but not all the time). It’s more worthwhile to do that. Because in high school, you honestly just learn how to get the highest possible grade with the least possible effort; you don’t NEED to put in 100% toward your grades all the time (and I don’t recommend that you do, unless you don’t want a personal life). AND colleges like to see something other than only good grades on applications. Please remember that if you are skipping courses already, you are definitely smart, and you’re not any less smart than the people who are “ahead”, okay? </p>