<p>Does it serve a benefit to continue taking the most vigorous courses. Do colleges look at your performance in the class or do they just see that your are still pursuing a strong workload. How imporatnt is that first semester report card? Any help will be appreciated</p>
<p>First semester report cards are definitely important. That's why there's a Midyear School Report.</p>
<p>VERY important to take hard courses and to get good grades.</p>
<p>First Semester senior year is probably the most imprortant semester in your HS career academic wise. Second Semester senior year, you should stay in your classes (don't drop much) and maintain a B average.</p>
<p>Whatever you do, don't slack off from the previous years. If you were taking 5 APs junior year and all honor classes, it would look strange if you suddenly dropped down to 2 APs and a few honor classes, wouldn't it? Colleges want to know that you not only get good grades, but you're getting good grades in worthwhile classes. </p>
<p>I was kinda worried about this because I dropped an AP, but overall I think it's most important if you have 4 years of a single foreign language, the "holy trinity" or bio/chem/phys, and calculus - I read a book about how these were the major "flags" for a college admissions officer. Other requirements or "reccomendations" are usually listed on a school website. :)</p>
<p>well the 4yrs of foreign language isn't really correct: i maxed out of foreign language and im not starting another</p>
<p>its true that any person should take 4 yrs of science and math thru calculus</p>
<p>I believe 3 years of Sci and 4 years of Math are generally recommended.</p>
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well the 4yrs of foreign language isn't really correct: i maxed out of foreign language and im not starting another
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I dunno, the book I read was about the Wesleyan admissions process - The Gatekeepers - and you get a special note on your "profile" for each of the following: if you've taken 4 years of the same foreign language, taken bio/chem/phys, and if you've taken math through calculus. </p>
<p>It's really scary actually... they can condense your whole high school career by your grades/classes/etc into two lines of numbers.</p>
<p>Your senior year courses are VERY IMPORTANT to the most elite colleges. They want to see that you are continuing to challenge yourself academically. It's not a time to slack off, even if you are applying ED or EA somewhere and senior year grades are not considered.</p>
<p>I've spoken with admissions counselors who make it clear that senior year courseload can be a significant determinant when getting to crunch time on comparing two equally attractive applicants, and they have only one slot left. There are some universities who truly WANT to see the rigor built into your senior year. If you are applying RD, the first term grades will be important, as will be the actual courses you are taking. If you are applying EA/ED, and are accepted, you just want to make sure that you don't slack off seriously. A grade of C is allowable to most elite schools in the senior year... a grade of D will have the admissions people re-evaluate, and anything worse is reason for having acceptance revoked.</p>
<p>Don't drop a hard class during second semester. This may seem obvious, but people do it.</p>
<p>Is this vigorous enough i took 2 AP's last year next year my schedule is </p>
<p>AP GOv
AP Calc ABC
AP Phys C
AP Literature
LAb assistant
Advanced Athletics</p>