<p>Hey, everyone! I know that many colleges say that when they receive that sheet of paper describing your high school (college acceptances, avg. Sats and GPA, courses offered, etc.), they look at YOU in context. So, if you're school is particularly awful, will be they be more impressed with your coursework? 70% of graduating seniors in my school attend 2-year college immediately afterwards...and that number has been 85% in the past. Barely 5% of the senior class scores in "advanced proficient" on state exams. And at my school, the avg. SAT (all three) is like 1350. I'm pulling my hair out about this--7 aps for my hs career sounds like a lot for my school, but I'm well aware that at other schools this is nothing. Help!</p>
<p>The school profile your GC sends w/your app will include info on what Honors and AP courses are available. Also sent are numbers such as % seniors who</p>
<p>attend 4 yr colleges
graduate HS in four years
are eligible for reduced cost lunches (shows relative poverty level of your population)
pass state proficiency exams</p>
<p>If you can imagine what these metrics say about your HS district, then it's not lost on college admissions officers either.</p>
<p>If you come from a school that produces few going to 4 year colleges, taking 7 APs and doing well (top of class I presume) will be very impressive and seen as beating the odds in most cases (unless your parents are college educated and unusual for the school).</p>
<p>Haha, hmom5, you nailed it! My parents are, in fact, college-educated and very unusual for the school. The guidance department doesn't know what to make of them. <em>Sigh</em></p>