Rigorous Schedule - HELP

Applying to College
1

<p>My goal is to get into a really good school in the North like Columbia or Yale, and I know to get into these schools you have to do very well in a rigorous schedule that will set you apart from the rest of your class. When they talk about having a rigorous schedule, are they meaning a rigorous schedule as in what classes your school offers, or do they judge them by some sort of different standard. Like maybe your school doesn't offer AP World History, but they offer Honors World History, but other schools do offer AP World History. Would they be expecting me to take an AP class for independent study, or are they just concerned with how hard of a schedule I have compared to what my school offers.</p>

<p>Here is my current schedule (I am a Freshman):
1. Biology (regular)
2. Latin I
3. Mythology
4. English 9 Honors
5. Algebra 1
6. P.E.
7. Journalism
8. Geography and History of the World Honors</p>

<p>Here is my schedule for next year:
1. English 10 Honors
2. World History Honors
3. Chemistry Honors
4. Physics Honors
5. Latin II (counts as a honors class)
6. Precalculus Honors
7. Student Publications - Newspaper
8. 1 semester Health and 1 semester History of the 1960s</p>

<p>I am still planning out my Junior and Senior year schedules but will these scedules look challenging to an admissions officer at a competitive school?</p>

<p>Please help with any info or advice.</p>

2

<p>They only compare you to what you have available in your school. My kids had very few AP classes available to them. They did have classes labeled as advanced and took all of those that they could. They had very successful admissions outcomes. Take the hardest classes that your school offers.</p>

3

<p>^take the hardest classes that you can do well in…takng APs and getting Cs is not beneficial. Most merit aid is based on GPA.</p>