<p>I've been accepted to study abroad in Switzerland for a year through AFS, but I'm concerned about how it will affect my admission into top colleges. I would be studying abroad my junior year. I have a very high GPA, and I'm taking two AP exams as a sophomore, one SAT subject test, and the SAT, but I"m concerned my lack of APs and extracurriculars next year will weaken my chances. </p>
<p>Colleges want students with diverse backgrounds and experiences. If you had the chance to hire someone in your dept who were equal in every way according to metrics, would you want to hire the person who had lived overseas or the person who just stayed in her community her whole life?</p>
<p>Plus 85% of colleges don’t give a rat’s pa-toot about ECs or “leadership”. Do what’s best for you.</p>
<p>Colleges value this type of experience. In addition, it helps you stand out. Finally, it’s not how many AP’s, it’s the rigor - the most famous boarding schools don’t have Ap either. Your Swiss school will have a curriculum as rigorous as lots of AP’s and you’ll have to do it in a foreign language. That will look plenty rigorous to a selective college adcom.
As for lack of extracurricular… what’s to say your school won’t have some clubs? Certainly not as many as an American school, but there’ll be a few.
And every European town has athletic clubs (not the schools, but the towns) where youth can practice for a modest fee. If you’re good at a sport, you’ll find plenty to do. Many towns also have Music Schools or conservatories, that you can join and take classes at in the evenings or on Saturdays. In short, if you want to keep up some skills or pick up new ones, there’ll be opportunities.</p>