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Counselor's Corner |
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As a second semester junior, there are many exciting events leading up to the senior year.
One that can be somewhat emotional for juniors is the anticipation of your final high school course registration.
How important is it and how rigorous should you plan your senior schedule? As always expected,
colleges want you to challenge yourself with a schedule that can demonstrate your proficiency
and potential for a college education. Does this mean that every class on your senior schedule needs
to be an academic one at the honors/advanced or AP level? No, it does not.
Some high schools restrict the number of advanced classes a student can take, per day,
and some schools have very strict policies on schedule change requests, once school begins.
Remember also that college applications can take time to complete,
and you want to produce quality work for the admissions committee.
If you plan to declare a major, consider a course or two that will allow you to "preview" it in high school.
Other options could include pursuing an internship or a program, even if at a different school,
that will enable you to gain insight into a career interest. However, when pursuing alternative programs,
such as internships and non-traditional options,
it's wise to consult with your college(s) of choice to see if they will honor these courses
when they review your transcript. Some students elect to take courses at a local community college,
also known as dual enrollment, to broaden their exposure
to courses that might enhance their postsecondary goals.
For all of you juniors who have worked hard to keep your grades up this year, "Bravo!"
Good grades will boost your college applications,
since most colleges consider your high school transcript first -
before they consider your SAT or ACT scores. Keep up the good work next year,
because colleges will be looking at those grades, too. What classes should you take?
Ones where you can challenge yourself and still do well.
If you think you can get a B or higher in an AP or Honors class,
go for it. Colleges will notice.
The views expressed herein are those of their authors alone, and do not necessarily represent the views of Hundreds of Heads or of IECA.
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KEEP IN MIND THAT SCHOOLS
look not only at the grades you receive but also the classes you receive them in.
Therefore, it is important that you challenge yourself with honors
and Advanced Placement (AP) classes that are on par with college-freshman-level courses.
As much as I wanted to take the easy way out, that's what I did.
And I actually scored better than I thought.
You don't know what you can accomplish until you put your mind to it.
-- C.D.
YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY
I HAD A COUNSELOR TELL ME that it was more beneficial to get a lower grade
in a tougher class than a higher grade in an easy class, which really surprised me.
I learned not to be afraid to get a lower grade in a more challenging course.
While the ideal is getting the best grade possible in the most difficult class,
colleges will be impressed with your willingness to stretch your mind
rather than just protect your GPA. And don't think they can't tell.
They know when you have put it on cruise control and when you're still pushing yourself.
-- SAM ULMER
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
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If you think you want to be pre-med, you should know what the course requirements are:
www.bestpremed.com/preMDreq.php
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If there are courses you need that you can't take for some reason,
ask your counselor what you should do.
If a specific course is required but your school doesn't offer it,
or you don't have the prerequisites under your belt (like physics or calculus),
you might consider taking it at a local community college or as a summer course,
especially if it means the difference between being accepted or rejected from your dream school.
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