<p>When colleges say that they want you to take the most rigorous schedule possible, they do not mean that you can never take an interesting or fun elective. What this means is that you take AP/IB for your core courses when you are able and that your sequence of courses has a high level of rigor showing that you are well-prepared for the challenges of college and possess solid academic ability. </p>
<p>Students make a mistake when they think that they have to load up every period of the day for four years with every academic offering their school has to be competitive for top schools. This simply isn’t true. It’s lovely to have a student who loves music or dance or art and takes this for three or four years, complementing his/her involvement at the State level or performing in the community or taking lessons outside of school. This is not only okay, it’s compelling. It tells the real story about who you are and what you love and what it means to you.</p>