My Course Rigor Worries

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
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<p>I am very concerned with the AP classes/course rigor I am taking, I am afraid my schedule will be my demise. Here is my situation: I come from a school that is not known for being that great, the school offers about ten AP classes total. Generally, kids take one to two a year and that is it. If you set up your schedule correctly, it's possible to have five to six AP classes, although most kids at the school who do this do not do that well in them. Some of the AP classes have new teachers. So in some classes, such as AP Chem, it is an honor just to receive a 3. There is self-studying I suppose.</p>

<p>There is one AP class offered in 10th grade, European History, I didn't take it.
This year, 11th grade, I only took one, AP Chem.
The largest realistic amount I could take next year would be three. AP Stat, Calc, and one more non science/math course.</p>

<p>So basically I will have either three or four AP classes. The rest honors. This is a lot for my school, but I know a lot of kids who take five or six by the end of their senior year. I feel like even if I ace all of my classes, the fact that I didn't take harder classes (I had stupid electives) will ruin my chances. What are your views on my situation?
Do you think I would be out of line to go and ask my guidance counselor what she considers the most rigorous course load?</p>

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<p>I don’t think it’d be out of line to ask.</p>

<p>All colleges understand that some schools offer more APs than others. If your counselor checks off that you took the most rigorous course load, then it will be assumed that you did the best you could.</p>

<p>From your post, though, it looks like you passed up the opportunity to take some of the harder courses and so you didn’t really take the most rigorous course load possible. Eh, ask your counselor.</p>

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<p>I still have a question about this as well. If your counselor checks off “very demanding” instead of “most demanding”, is that a likely rejection?</p>

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<p>Also, are math and science classes weighed more than others for rigor?</p>

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<p>^I highly doubt that because for some students, math and science are way easier than English and social science. And of course, for others, humanities are easier.</p>

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<p>Eiffel - you have to understand, even if she checks “most demanding” it’s still a likely rejection. It’s only slightly more likely to be a rejection if she checks “very demanding.”</p>

<p>I have never heard of math/science classes being weighed more for rigor.</p>

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<p>Well, yeah, everyone is likely to be rejected from Princeton, but I think you know what I meant. :stuck_out_tongue: So, you’re saying that the difference between “most” and “very” is only slight to them, though?</p>