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High School Course Selection

Believe it or not, course selection is nearly here. But which courses are right for you? Do you really need to take 2 years of a foreign language, does will 3 or 4 years be advantageous? Do I have to take math all four years or can I choose something that interests more? Which courses will look better on my college applications? Should I take AP, IB, or Honors classes? Below is a a breakdown of courses levels and what they mean but even knowing these differences many students still ask themselves, “Which courses are best for me to take?” Every student is different, and the answer depends on a student’s goals.

Colleges want to see that you’re challenging yourself academically and each of these course types indicates that you’re doing more than the minimum. If your school does not offer AP or IB courses, Honors courses will be the most rigorous option however, if your school offers AP or IB and you’re getting high A’s in all your Honors classes, a college admissions counselor may wonder why you didn’t push yourself more.

The real question is what’s right for you? This will take some thought and some careful consideration. You don’t want to take too many challenging classes that you end up struggling and you don’t want to take too many easy courses that you’re not challenging yourself. Discussing this with your parents, your guidance counselor, and/or your college counselor can help you make these decisions with more clarity.

Honors Courses
Honors courses are more academically challenging courses but unfortunately there is no standard for what “honors” means from school to school. Honors courses tend to help students prepare for higher-level courses (AP/IB) as well as future college courses. It’s most likely you will earn extra GPA points for these types of classes. For instance, an A in a course at the college prep level might earn you a 4.0, while an A in a honors course might earn you a 4.5. It just depends on how your school calculates these. These will not, however, earn you college credit.

Advanced Placement or AP courses
AP courses provide students college-level coursework while still in high school. It is a great way to prepare for the academic rigors of college and to build skills and confidence by the learning time management and study skills needed for college and career success. They delve deeper into subjects to expand on your creativity and problem-solving skills. Taking AP courses sends a message to colleges that you’re willing to challenge yourself. Many colleges and universities report that AP courses favorably impacts admission decisions. Getting a 3 or higher on AP exams tends to lead towards greater academic success and higher, plus on-time, graduation rates.

AP course offerings vary by high school, but are generally available in the core subjects. Sometimes high schools will offer only one or two AP courses starting sophomore year and increase the amount of courses available junior and senior year. Students can choose to take as many or as few AP courses as they wish but note that these are rigorous courses and taking too many could be overwhelming for some students.

AP courses have special exams administered by College Board (the same people who run the SAT) at the end of the school year. While not all colleges give credit for an AP course, the student’s score on their AP exam is what determines how much college credit you might earn. Taking AP courses will earn you extra GPA points.

International Baccalaureate or IB courses
IB courses are part of an international program that provides students with college-level courses in high school. Not all schools offer IB courses. But for those that do, you can take individual IB courses or earn an IB Diploma which consists of six core IB subjects and an arts course. It also includes community service, a Theory of Knowledge class and an essay. IB courses are known for a great deal of independent thought, research, and presentations across disciplines.

IB courses come in two levels - standard level (SL) and higher level (HL) and some colleges will only give credit for the HL courses. A student with an IB Diploma may be able to skip all the general education classes in college saving you a lot of time and money.

Like AP’s, IB students take IB exams at the end of the year that may go towards college credit.

Should I Take the SAT or ACT Even Though Schools are Test-Optional?

Test-optional means you can decide if you want to submit your test scores or not. If you choose not to submit test scores, colleges will likely focus on other parts of your application in more detail but it’s one less factor schools can evaluate you on. You might be required to answer supplemental essays or answer further questions.

Many schools have seen a large increase in applications - up 20-100%, making the competition even greater.

We also saw that those who submitted test scores and those who didn’t were admitted at different rates according to major. While at some schools, admissions rates were similar between those with and without test scores, there were exceptions to those who applied to STEM and business majors. The students who applied with a test score got in at much higher rates in these areas.

If I take the SAT or ACT, do I have to submit my scores?

No, you may choose to submit your scores or not. Schools will not be able to see whether you’ve taken a test or not so it won’t count against you if you decide not to submit them.

If you do not submit test scores other parts of your application will become more important, including your GPA, essays, awards and achievements, references, and extracurricular activities.

What is the benefit of submitting scores if schools are test-optional?

Your college list will almost certainly change throughout your junior and senior years. Don't limit yourself by ruling out the SAT or ACT. Keep your options open in case you fall in love with a school that requires test scores.

Students who applied to a test-optional school and submitted scores above the 25th percentile were accepted at roughly two times the rate of students who applied without submitting scores.

Applying with a test score, even if it is optional, can help set yourself apart and provide schools with a more detailed picture of your academic abilities. It is one more piece of information the school has to assess your application. If you’re a good test-taker, submitting scores could boost your application.

If you’re truly motivated to get a better score, then you’ll find more success. To inspire yourself, picture your dream school with clarity. Now picture getting your acceptance and how happy you’ll be. Maybe it even includes a scholarship!

You should begin studying so that you aim to take the test in the winter of your junior year, which gives you the option to take it again in the spring and summer. The fall is usually too late.

Studying for the SAT or ACT

Breaking up your studying into small, attainable goals with rewards at the end, you’ll find you’re less distracted and will be able to focus more on the task. By taking quizzes, you’ll see that putting in a little bit of effort pays off and will therefore be more motivated to keep studying.

Practicing

The SAT makes the questions tricky on purpose. But by studying the style and practicing with realistic questions, you’ll learn the ways they’re trying to trick you. Practicing with realistic questions will help you when taking the real test.

Improving Your Score

For every question you got incorrect, you must know why you got it wrong and how to avoid that mistake in the future. Go deeper. For example, if you guessed wrong between two answers, why couldn’t you eliminate the wrong answer? Knowing the correct answer now, how could you apply that strategy to future questions? By analyzing your mistakes, you’ll be able to find your weaknesses and create strategies to overcome them.

Start with academic issues first. Academic issues are fundamental knowledge of math, reading, writing, science, etc. Here are 12 SAT grammar rules you must know and some examples of each. Find your weaknesses and hone in on those sub-skills. Next, focus on strategies such as timing or correcting careless mistakes.

Navigating the process

Determining which colleges to apply to, whether or not to submit your test scores, crafting an essay, and putting together a comprehensive view of who you are can be challenging and take a toll on the parent/child relationship. Contact us today for more information on how our counseling services might be beneficial for you.

Ugh! I’ve Been Waitlisted!

Waitlists are good for colleges, not for students. They exist to help schools meet their enrollment goals. And lot of colleges are finding themselves in a tricky spot. More than 1,600 four-year colleges didn’t require applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores, which led to an increase in the number of students applying to selective colleges that are test-optional.

With the dramatic increase in applications to selective colleges (20-100% increases), how many students should they admit? Many colleges are finding they are having to waitlist possible students as they are in unchartered territory.

While not many students get off waitlists, this is a positive thing. You were qualified to attend so you didn’t get an outright rejection. It’s just that there was not enough room for all of the qualified students who applied. Hard decisions had to be made and maybe they had too many business students or needed a tuba player or someone from Montana took the last spot. You don’t know what you don’t know so feel proud that you were considered good enough to go there. 

Ok, so now what do you do? 

Hopefully, you have been admitted to a few other schools on your list and that you love these colleges too. That’s the beauty of building a good list. Go visit the schools where you’ve been offered admission and start making plans to attend one. 

If you’re still interested in staying on a waitlist at a particular school, make sure they know it and how much! Write a letter of intent and reach out to your admission counselor at the school. Ask them if there’s a priority waitlist and if so, where do you fall on that list. It doesn’t hurt to ask – but you need to do the inquiry, not your parents. Find out if they need any further information such as updated grades or an additional recommendation. Read the waitlist letter carefully and respond to the requirements. 

Being waitlisted stinks. I get it. But you won't get every job you want, and you won't win every prize. This feeling will come again at some point in your life, and you need to learn how to move on positively. Things usually work out, often in bigger and better ways than you expect. So - if you're waitlisted, stay positive and hold your head high. You have a wonderful future ahead of you and YOU get to choose what that is.