Universities might ask what type of diploma a student earned but there is no NY diploma that suggests a lot of rigor. I think the distinction is worthless. As noted by others, what is more important is to take classes that are valuable and rigorous. And, as noted by others, that will generally go way beyond any of the special designation diplomas offered by NY. But, I 'd not take courses just for the sake of the designated diploma because it is meaningless. So, I’d encourage a student to take the courses that make sense for him/her self even if that means the student won’t get that special designation. For example a student may end up not getting a special designation if he/she does not earn credit in a language other than English. If I had a STEM interested kid who already spoke a 2nd language fluently and who wanted to double up in science or math instead of learning another new language, I’d urge the student to do that even if it means that he/she might not end up with a special designation diploma.