<p>Futuredoctor: Since your school is private, I agree with asking your guidance counselor this questions. In our local public school, the students aiming for very top schools take honors, but college admission to other schools is possible from college prep. It affects a student in a few ways compared to honors: less rigorous, the weighted GPA, and class rank. I would expect a Catholic school to have higher standards for CP classes, and since students are placed in the classes, the school would meet their academic needs. The GC would also explain the school curriculum and policies on the letter to colleges, so colleges should be clear that the student did not choose the classes. The school may also have valid reasons for the track they place a student in as some students may come to the school more prepared than others. You mentioned you were not there for sophomore year and it’s possible they placed you in the best classes they could with this gap. None of this is due to your choices.
How will this affect you? I think you can take a long term and short term look at this. Your long term goal is to be a doctor, and you will take many steps toward that goal. Consider that the kids who took honors/AP may be a few steps ahead of you- curriculum wise but if you are all on the same path, that’s a few extra steps you need to take. Would it be wise to skip steps by jumping ahead into accelerated classes either in HS or college? Medical schools heavily weigh GPA, so it’s probably not a good idea.
It could make anyone crazy to get on CC and read posts about people with 2400 SAT’s and a million AP classes but you have to make a plan for your education starting from where you are, with your particular circumstances. It is important that you choose the college where you are most likely to succeed- the best academic and financial fit for you. Your state colleges are good choices. You have not wanted a small college ( and I have seen your housing posts) but sometimes they are the most supportive and personal- the smaller campuses of Penn State may be more supportive than the main one. Admission to med school will depend most heavily on how you do in college. I have seen some kids jump into this highly competitive race in extremely competitive schools and crash and burn. Some people would say that since medicine is so difficult, this is how it should be. For kids with financial need, this is a perilous step because not succeeding in college can leave them in debt.
So to answer, with taking CP effect you? IMHO, I would take it as a sign of where you are on the road to your goals and pick the best fit college for you- the one that will best prepare you- not anyone else- for medical school. Even if you have to take a post graduate med school prep year at the end, success in your college- not the one that only takes honors/AP students, is the best next step to your goal.</p>