High School
Choosing courses
Many admission officers, when asked the question "Is it better to take an easier course and get an A or take the AP course and get a B?" answer, "Take the tougher course and get an A." However, we've seen too many students overload themselves trying to keep up with that advice, only to see their performance suffer and grades drop. We advise the following: do your best to take the most rigorous mix of courses possible, but always bear in mind what would be educationally sound or reasonable for you.
In general, selective colleges strongly recommend that a student take the following by the time they graduate (it is important that you check with each college for specific requirements):
- 4 years of English
- At least 3 years of math
- At least 3 years of the same foreign language (preferably 4)
- At least 2 years of science above the freshman level (ideally, take bio, chem, & physics)
- At least 2 years of history, including World History and American History
- At least one year of arts electives
Pursuing interests & activities
Our advice is simple: identify—or be on the path to identifying—what you truly enjoy, and then do it to the best of your ability. Have fun, work hard, and feel great about what you are doing.
Put yourself in the shoes of an admission officer: you are reading hundreds, perhaps thousands of applications. After the first few, all of the extracurricular resumes begin to look alike—naturally, because most high schools offer the same types of clubs, sports, and other interest groups. It's not that you shouldn't participate in these things—rather, it is that you should make your choices based upon what you truly enjoy. It is the quality of your relationship to your activities, not the activities themselves, that will cause an admission officer to take notice.
Thinking about summer
There are no "right" answers to what to do over the summer. Whether you work, have responsibilities at home, volunteer or take courses, make the most of that experience. If you are considering an internship or volunteer opportunity, choose something that relates to one of your main interests. Or, use your time to dig deeply into something you love that you can only pursue over the summer.
