What is more important??

Applying to College
1

<p>Okay, so my ECs aren't amazing..but they aren't poor either.. I have mentioned them in other threads (Science League, French Honors Society, Cultural Youth group, Tae Kwon Do)..However, I have amazing grades (on the down side~i couldn't take the most rigorous courses my school offers due to schedule conflict...however, I am taking 2 AP classes this year and probably 5 next year)...What is more important? Stellar ECs...or stellar SAT scores/GPA...or Amazing GPA/SAT score and decent ECs (some with depth, although not entirely school (clubs) related)...</p>

<p>Thank You!!</p>

2

<p>The vast majority of schools could care less about ECs, they are only important at top colleges where they are used to differentiate among all the high stats applicants.</p>

<p>What matters most:</p>

<p>rank/rigor
scores</p>

3

<p>So say I wanted to apply to a top rank college…and my scores were high and so was my GPA (my school doesn’t have rank)…then what can I do about EC…??</p>

4

<p>Present what you have as best you can.</p>

<p>Top colleges will figure out a rank for those whose schools don’t officially rank. Schools give enough info to show where you stand in your class and your counselor will rate the rigor of your course load against that of other students at your school.</p>

5

<p>GPA, test scores, courseload and rigor are the most important factors when it comes to getting into the overwhelming majority of colleges. When it comes to public universities, state of residence also is very important.</p>

<p>For most colleges except for the most competitive – the HPYS type of colleges – ECs count at most for merit aid.</p>

6

<p>NSM: How are you differentiating between courseload and rigor? Thank you.</p>

7

<p>I’m using “courseload” to mean whether the student took the courses that the college requires for admission.</p>

<p>Rigor is how difficult the courses were meaning that AP, IB honors courses are usually more highly regarded by college than are students who take regular classes. The exception would be students in highly select private and public schools that don’t offer IB, AP, honors because all of their courses are very rigorous.</p>

8

<p>Lol, so the students that are unfortunate enough to go to a school that does not offer AP’s are doomed?</p>

9

<p>^No. Rigor is usually measured in the context of availability in that school. A rigorous courseload at a school with 2 APs is taking 2 APs. Not the same somewhere else. Of course there is always the option of taking classes at a local CC or online.</p>