<p>I am a junior right now in high school and I am attending a National Ribbon HS in PA, that's known for its rigorous school work and is like a college prep school. So, I'm guessing that all my regular classes are Honors classes. I have a 3.9 GPA (usually get all As and one B in math or science), although I am not taking any APs. I got into both APLAC and APUSH, but I am someone who stresses a lot and it has had a lot of effects on me, so I decided not to take any. I am really afraid this is going to affect my chances of getting into a good college, even though I plan to take some APs next year. I hope that I can make up for it with good SAT scores and extracurriculars, like being a section editor of school newspaper, yearbook, peer counseling, and community service (I also have taken a business class at Wharton & received 3 college credits for Psych at CCP & I'm currently doing a program at KYW Newstudies). Do you think I can still get into a good (or maybe ivy league) college, or will not taking these APs during the year that really counts the most hurt my chances completely?</p>
<p>PS- I am in a wheelchair (was born like this) so do you guys know any good colleges that are good for those with physical disabilities?
-I want to major in Journalism (maybe minor in fashion marketing)</p>
<p>The kinds of schools you say you want don’t tend to teach either journalism or fashion marketing. Also, if you don’t like stress, you won’t like the workloads and the competition in your classes.</p>
<p>highly selective colleges will frown upon your not taking the most rigorous schedule possible. The fact is your competition is doing it in spades. So your application for those sort of schools will be in the lower lower rungs.</p>
<p>That being said, have a frank talk w/your guid counselor about what sorts of schools have been targeted by others with similar levels of achievement and ability.</p>
<p>May I also concur with Workworker’s advice about journalism major and its inherent competition. It’s fierce and not for the light-hearted. and made all the more so given how the job market has fallen out for this profession.</p>
<p>“I am someone who stresses a lot and it has had a lot of effects on me.”</p>
<p>If you know this is who you are, then why are you trying to get into schools where everyone is accustomed to working under pressure, juggles intense ECs on top of that, and are all highly ambitious? Aren’t you just setting yourself up for unhappiness?</p>
<p>There are many wonderful, highly regarded schools that are famous for their cooperative atmosphere and laid back vibes. Why not look for those schools? Why not find schools where your grades and test scores put you comfortably at the top of the class so you know you won’t be stressed? </p>
<p>Re colleges that are especially wheelchair accessible, I googled it an lots of lists of recommended schools came up. That would be one starting point. But I don’t think you need to limit yourself there. Contact each school you are interested in and find out specifically what kind of accommodations and access they provide.</p>
<p>But I didn’t say which types of colleges I wanted to go to. Also, are you all saying that honors classes are not rigorous no matter which high school you attend? Will colleges not look at the fact that I will take APs next year, my senior year? While I know that your course load is a big factor in admissions, that does not mean it is the sole criteria.</p>
<p>What does your own guidance counselor have to say? That person knows your school’s history of getting students into various colleges and universities and is likely to be able to give you more accurate advice than any of us can.</p>
<p>The most selective colleges will look at the courses your high school offers and compare that to what you took. So if there are 4 AP courses available to juniors and you to took none of them, you will not competitive against another student who took all 4.
On the other hand, loading up on too many AP courses if you can’t handle the workload is not a good strategy either. You and your GC would know what is best for you.
Your GC will know if your courses are considered honors and your school’s profile explains the levels of courses available to students so that colleges can interpret your transcript correctly.
There are thousands of schools in this country that are not Ivy league, and many of them are excellent schools. You will know better when you have some test scores to work with.
You need to work closely with your GC to find the best “fit” for you.</p>
Good? Sure, why not. Ivy? Maybe 1-5%, depending on how you discuss your wheelchair experience and whether that becomes a type of hook for you.</p>
<p>I third the comments on stress avoidance: If you do not react well to stress, maybe you did the wise thing to avoid loading up on AP classes this year. You would do equally well to avoid colleges that are academically competitive and full of students who loaded up on APs when you didn’t … let’s just call that Unis in the top 60, and LACs in the top 30.</p>
<p>Re: Wheelchair: Legislation over the past 15 years has truly made most colleges doable for those in wheelchairs.</p>
<p>The better question is which type of college will better fit your aversion to stress. Assuming you are very intelligent but stress averse, I would recommend an LAC where the small classroom size and personal attention from the Professor as well as fellow students will allow you to work through your anxiety. You could also try Wellbutrin or Prozac, which are often prescribed to control anxiety. Emotions are a result of chemicals produced in the brain. Everyone is unique in how their brain processes the chemicals that lead to feelings of happiness, depression, anxiety, aggression, etc. If your brain is producing chemicals that cause you to feel anxiety more than others in similar circumstances… I would look to correcting that chemical imbalance. It would be no different than taking medication for diabetes… both (high anxiety/diabetes) are physical issues that respond to medical protocols.</p>