<p>Most top universities state that course rigor is one of the main determining factors of an applicant.</p>
<p>However, let's say an applicant wasn't able to take AP or Honors until senior year, due to circumstances out of his/her control. What if s/he was only able to take 1 honors and AP class his/her junior year, but took many extra classes that s/he needed to make up from sophomore year.</p>
<p>For example, s/he took courses from 7-5, instead of the standard 8-3, along with a couple CC and summer courses. Would that be considered rigorous? Are applicants evaluated in the context of their circumstances?</p>
<p>Anything you can do to demonstrate rigor would be appreciated. When counselors come around to your area, speak to them about what else you can do to show rigor. Address rigor in your essays. Just make sure the readers of your apps understand. For instance, my D wanted to finish both a Spanish Immersion curriculum she’d been taking since pre-school AND four years of high school Italian in which she was seriously invested. That prevented her from taking more AP/IB courses, so she spoke to the admissions officers at the schools to which she applied. It was no problem. Just make sure the AOs have a context into which to put the rigor you have.</p>