More on AP courses
When admissions officers look at your transcript they are looking to see which courses you took and how well you did in them. These elements are of equal importance. If your school offers AP classes, take the ones that interest you and fit into your schedule. Colleges don't prioritize certain AP classes above others, so AP Biology isn't categorically different to admissions officers than AP US History. If you elect not to take the challenging courses that your school offers, make sure that you're still taking the most challenging courseload you can handle.
You are not expected to take each and every AP class offered and you do not need to take every AP exam (although many schools hope you will). Admissions officers understand that it may be impossible to take all APs based on scheduling. They also understand that it may be impossible to maintain sanity by taking too many APs. Sure, other students may take more AP classes than you but the idea is not to drive yourself insane with an impossibly difficult schedule. There will always be another hypothetical student who has done a little more than you. Letting this imaginary individual affect your choices will not necessarily help you get into your dream school.
The ideal compliment to a rigorous courseload is a passionate, eager to learn student. Burn out isn’t compelling so keep yourself on the sane side of crazy.
If your school does not offer AP courses, don’t panic. Yes, admissions officers are looking closely at your course selections but they will not hold you accountable for courses that are not available to you. Common sense, right? That said, people will be circumventing the restrictions by taking college level courses at local colleges and/or taking summer classes. The idea is really quite simple – you want the admissions officer to see that you’re interested in learning, that you’re curious, passionate and inquisitive. These are qualities that they want in their college classrooms. Lists of AP classes are one way to show this intellectual passion but it is not the only way. Pursuing academic challenges wherever you can find them has the potential to convey the same qualities. Those students who are industrious and do not take curriculum restrictions as destiny reveal a highly desirable perseverance that admissions officers value.
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Posted on August 8, 2007 under Advice |
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Comments (6)
Hey everyone! I completely agree with Ms. Sarah Blanton - a good student is always noticed when making the best of any situation, such as taking courses at a local college when AP's are not offered at a high school.
Thanks for your advice!
Posted on August 8, 2007 5:23 PM
Hi Sarah ,
I know most colleges prefer online applications but I was just wondering how would we go about sending extra material? I'm part of a summer science team and we're doing a research project this semester. I would love to send in results of my research. Is it advisable to opt for a paper application and compile a folio of sorts with all the things I want them to see (research, pics of things I love doing,etc.)? I read about Mick doing that for his app to Princeton, but I'm still a little hazy. Of course I know that no amount of extra material is going to get me in if I don't have a sound scholastic background (which I'm pretty sure I do) but I don't want to come off to the admissions officers as overbearing. Just wanted your opinion.
Fatema
Posted on August 8, 2007 8:40 PM
Fatema -
This is a really important question. Sending supplemental information is always a slight risk because you don't know how it's going to be incorporated into your application or whether it's going to be reviewed at all.
Picture this: the file room.
In every admissions office there is a room where application folders are kept (unless it's a college that is completely, 100% online where they'd scan any paper applications so admissions officers can still read on laptops). This room resembles any and all record rooms with tall shelves, lots of folders packed in tightly, colored tabs along edges etc. If you send something that can go into a folder, is largely two dimensional and shaped like an application, your chances that it will end up in your folder for review is high. If, however, you send in a piece of pottery, sculpture, furniture, a science project or anything that can't fit into a folder, then it's unlikely that it will get reviewed as your application is read. I know you were thinking of sending results rather than an entire project, but I write this just to catch others whose minds may be churning.
As I often say, the best thing to do is call the college and ask how they handle supplemental material. Truth is, most admissions officers find that the material in the application they use provides plenty of information upon which to make a decision. The more you send, the more work they have to do. Best advice is to only send supplemental material when you feel that the admissions officer would a) not have a complete picture of who you are without it and b) be able to understand what it is you're sending.
Posted on August 9, 2007 6:50 AM
I've taken AP Language last year but when I took the test I only received a 2 (passing is a 3). I was wondering is it better to show the grade I got or to not even submit it to the college?
Posted on August 16, 2007 8:14 AM
I was wondering the same thing as Christina. I took both the AP Physics and AP Literature exam last year, but I got a one and a two, respectively. Should I not even bother submitting my scores? My top choice is UCLA, and I'm pretty sure that they wouldn't appreciate those scores.
Posted on November 10, 2007 8:47 PM
I've also been wondering the same thing as Christina and Qiana. I'm taking AP lang and AP US History and incredibly worried about my scores.
So some more information about that would be wonderful.
Posted on March 27, 2008 2:44 PM