<p>If one comes from a school with 5 AP course and the other comes from one with 25..</p>
<p>Obviously the 2nd person will potentially have
A) Higher GPA
b)More Credits
c)Better academic rigor
d)More choices to take AP classes all 4 years of HS</p>
<p>They consider the opportunities available to each applicant. A student who takes 3 APs when 5 are offered probably looks better than one who takes 3 when 25 are offered. Everything is in the context of your environment. They don’t expect miracles. Take full advantage of the opportunities AVAILABLE TO YOU. That’s what they are looking for.</p>
<p>That said, sometimes creating your own opportunities (independent studies, etc.) can be helpful.</p>
<p>How do they know like how many were available?</p>
<p>Your transcript/school profile that your counselor sends will say.</p>
<p>llpitch is correct. The school profile includes standard metrics such as %age of kids eligible for free/reduced school lunches (shows relative poverty level), %age of kids going onto 2 or 4 year colleges after graduation, and an overall picture of what is offered.</p>
<p>Of course it’s not in the colleges’ best interest to be lazy and ignore great kids from schools w/lesser opportunities. Hope this helps</p>
<p>What they don’t, however, include is HOW it is determined who is allowed to take AP courses…This is a crucial factor that is not compared and IMO, should be…</p>
<p>Back to the OP, what if the kid whose school has 5 AP courses available and anyone is allowed to take them VS. the school with 25 AP’s but you have to have an “A” in the preceding honors course AND take a placement test to get into the AP…?? This is what colleges do not acknowledge unless they are extremely connected to the high school in question…</p>
<p>
Maybe your school’s profile doesn’t include it, but many others do. My d’s school does (although no placement tests are required).</p>
<p>The profile should include AP eligibility and any other kind of explanation about coursework. Here’s an example from the Scarsdale HS profile:</p>
<p>Important Curricular Change
For 2007-2008
Please note that all of our level-five courses, (courses that
have a five in the last column of our three-digit course code
numbering system) constitute college-level instruction and
are the most rigorous courses we offer. Admission to these
courses is selective and is based on one or more of the
following: teacher recommendation, demonstrated mastery of
course work in the content area, and outstanding performance
on a departmental exam. During the 2007-2008 school year, all
level-five courses offered in social studies and art will be
teacher-designed Advanced Topics courses; level-five courses
in English, science, mathematics, foreign language and music
will continue to follow the Advanced Placement curriculum,
with AT courses in these disciplines scheduled for subsequent
implementation. It is important to note that both Advanced
Topics and Advanced Placement courses will prepare
students to sit for Advanced Placement examinations.</p>