Some questions about what classes actually want.

Applying to College
1

1.Do colleges actually care about non-academic classes?
I’m a junior in high school and starting to think about college. My grades in most of my classes have been okay, except for gym grades. My highest grade in gym yet has been a 78. Will colleges care about grades like that when I’m applying?

2.Do top colleges care about how rigorous your workload was for all four years?
In ninth grade, I went to school that had very few AP courses and even less honors classes. I transferred and started at a new school in 10th grade but they put me in all regular classes since I didn’t have any opportunities to take advanced classes in my old school. However, I did manage to convince them to let me take AP World History. This year I’m taking 4 APs and plan to take even more in my senior year. Will they be biased since I couldn’t take any advanced classes in sophomore and freshman year?

3.Do colleges care whether or not you took an AP class with the test?
The school I transferred to requires that I take AP Biology during my first three years. In freshman year, all the students at my old school took an easy science course that my new school doesn’t have. In order to get out wasting a year on AP Biology (also because I absolutely hate bio) I took the AP test and got a 5 on it. I also took the AP tests for BC Calc, Psych, and Chemistry so that I could take Post-AP Chem and Psych this year as well Multivariable Calculus, letting me take linear algebra and differential equations next year. Will colleges consider me to be less hardworking since I only took the AP tests and didn’t actually take the class for an entire year?

4.How do colleges weigh post-AP classes.
I’m taking a few post-AP classes this year and next year (classes that require you to take an ap test before being eligible to take the class). Will colleges consider post ap classes to be the same as regular classes or the same level as AP classes?

2

LOL. No, I don’t think the gym score matters (unless your plans are to be a athletic recruit-if so, you are sunk). Look to see if gym is included in your school’s calculation of GPA. If so, then your GPA may be lower and could take you out of the % you’d be in without it. if so, your guidance counselor should make note of it in her/his letter to the colleges so that your application does not get bypassed due to it falling below some cutoff.

3

And the colleges with holistic review will look at the courses in context. You can also mention your concerns to your guidance counselor so she/he can address them in the letter too (about your old school).

4

@lostaccount Thank you! I had not even thought of asking my guidance counselor to note that in the rec letter.

5

College courses taken while in high school that are more advanced than AP / college-frosh level courses should be viewed favorably.