How does my High school class rigor look?

Applying to College
1

<p>CANADIAN SCHOOL</p>

<p>Freshman year/Grade 8 (mathematics 9):</p>

<p>Principles of Mathematics 9
Foundations of Mathematics & Pre-Calculus 10<br>
French 9 Advanced (ELECTIVE)
Modern Studies 9 (ELECTIVE)</p>

<p>(required, no advanced course):
English 9<br>
Fine Arts 9 (Art+Drama)
Health & Career Education 9 (HCE)
Music 9: Concert Choir<br>
Physical Education 9
Science 9
Social Studies 9</p>

<p>Sophomore year:</p>

<p>Pre-Calculus 11
Drama 10: General (Fine art required; ELECTIVE)
English 10 Advanced
French 10 (ELECTIVE)
Global Politics 10 (ELECTIVE)
Applied Digital Communications 11 (ELECTIVE)</p>

<p>Required, no advanced course:</p>

<p>Physical Education 10
Planning 10
Science 10
Social Studies 10 </p>

<p>Junior year:
AP Comparative Government & Politics 12<br>
Biology 11 Advanced (honours? prerequisite for AP Bio)
Chemistry 11 Advanced (honours? prerequisite for AP Chem)
English Literature 12
French 11
PE 11: Human Performance (honours?)
Physics 11 Advanced (honours? prerequisite for AP Physics B,C,2; we covered all AP Physics 1 material)
Pre-Calculus 12 </p>

<p>+2 transfer credits (summer school)
AP Macroeconomics 12
AP Microeconomics 12</p>

<p>Senior year:
AP Calculus BC
AP English Language and Composition
AP Chemistry
AP Biology
AP Physics C
French 12
Writing 12 (required fine art)</p>

<p>Pretty much I have taken as many rigorous courses as were allowed; however despite numerous petitions and nigh-on begging to be able to take higher grade levels of courses I was consistently denied (however not due to academic ability; apparently we are just not allowed to take courses not at our 'grade level').</p>

2

<p>Um… Are you sure you wanna go from 1 AP to 5? It is definitely rigorous, but it may be too much. It seems like you want something in the math or sciences so maybe you can trade out AP English for something else. Just a thought.</p>

3

<p>I am sure that I can handle it; and from what I’ve heard most ivies require lang as an AP to be competitive</p>

4

<p>@Hrathx The Ivies don’t require you to be in an AP to be competitive. It wouldn’t be fair for the students who don’t have it at their school or for students who are in a certain track that can’t take that course. Most of the stuff you hear about Ivies are just rumors that have been created to explain rejections and acceptances. The reality is, the Ivies are so covert in what they honestly look for. So you could very well never take AP Lang and still be in contention to be accepted. However in your case, I figured that an AP science was best suited for your needs. But AP Lang is very good to have too.</p>

5

<p>Rule of thumb.
Have at least 1 AP course from each major subject category (Math, English, Science, Language Arts)
I see the AP Gov but I think you need an AP history course of sorts. European History, World History, etc.</p>

6

<p>There is no rule of thumb on AP course. Many high schools do not even have AP in all cores.</p>

7

<p>^^ Sorry @TomsRiverParent, but @billscho is correct – THERE IS NO RULE OF THUMB. </p>

<p>Class rigor varies from high school to high school. At one high school, a student with 4 AP’s could have a rigorous schedule, but at another high school 4 AP’s will look lame if the average student applying to college has 12 AP’s and 8 SAT Subject Tests on their transcript – yes, those high school’s exist.</p>

<p>Bottom line: Ask your guidance counselor, as they must fill out the secondary School Report (SSR), which rates the rigor of your course load as compared to all other college bound seniors at your high school – See page 2, especially upper rate hanf section on page 2: <a href=“http://www.ugadm.northwestern.edu/documents/UG_Admissions_SecondarySchoolReport.pdf”>http://www.ugadm.northwestern.edu/documents/UG_Admissions_SecondarySchoolReport.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

8

<p>I jumped from 1 to 4 APs and it wasn’t really that bad at all. Personally I think APs are a little overhyped and I don’t think that they’re that much harder than other classes. Then again maybe the 5aps I’ve taken are easier ones (euro,calc AB, chem, physics B, & lit). Best of luck I think you can totally handle it.</p>

9

<p>You will always be viewed/compared against what is available in your school. The highly selective schools always say they want to see students push themselves. </p>

10

<p>Jumping from 1 AP to 5 is not bad, but those 5 AP’s together look brutal. I wouldn’t do it, but that’s just me.</p>

11

<p>When are you applying college? If it is Jr. year, why are you pushing yourself in your Sr, year, because they will judge you on the previous 3 years gpa,</p>

12

<p>I am mainly pushing myself harder in senior year because in freshman, sophomore, and junior year we are unable to take any AP courses (with the exception of maximum 2 APs in junior year).</p>

<p>As for course rigor I would say that I am taking above the average at my school (we have on average 5-10 Canadian National AP Scholars, which requires scores of 4+ on 5+ AP exams) Which means that with my 6 AP courses (+ the potential of taking macro and/or micro if I should choose to) would put me in the top percentile of students at my school. As for an AP social studies, I would take one however I deemed that math/english/science are more important and do not have any room in my course list for another AP course.</p>