During high school, students will experience their greatest challenges academically as they begin to prepare for life after high school. When applying to universities as seniors, they will be evaluated on both performance in specific courses, but also the rigor or difficulty of the courses they choose to take. Freshman year is the first test as students navigate what is often a more standard core curriculum across many high schools, with the exception of accelerated mathematics or the potential for some honors-level courses. Once they enter sophomore year, and especially during junior year, they will have the opportunity to challenge themselves across many, if not all core subject areas to demonstrate excellence and competitiveness for more selective admissions, as well as the opportunity to earn college credit they can transfer to their chosen university.
Here are a few tips to make the most of course selection and performance:
1. Be strategic about course selection throughout all four years of high school.
Every high school will have different requirements for what students must take and when they can take more rigorous courses in their schedules. Maximize opportunities for rigor early (when possible), especially in subjects of strength and interest, and then work toward increasing that rigor each year of high school.
2. Challenge is good, but balance is better.
This is important for students to remember. Admissions officers evaluate both academic performance and rigor, so signing up for too many rigorous courses before a student is ready can lead to lower performance. Students should discuss with their parents and college counselor about what courses to take, when to take them, and how much is too much in terms of rigor. If a student is applying to a highly selective university or liberal arts college, the expectation is that students are rising to the most rigorous courses in at least 4 out of 5 core subject areas. Core subjects include math, science, social studies/history, foreign language, and English.
3. Rigor comes in a variety of forms.
Make sure you understand the extent of course offerings at your school before selecting final courses. Some schools only have Advanced Placement (AP), but some will have IB, dual enrollment at a local college/university, CAPP, or other forms of college level coursework. Know what your options are.
4. Sophomore and junior year grades are critical.
For most students, there is an adjustment period in 9th grade, but the courses are not incredibly difficult at this stage, so maintaining strong grades are possible for many who performed well in middle school. Sophomore and junior years are when there can be a slight or severe downward trend in performance, and if it occurs during junior year, there will be no buffer to show admissions officers that a student is back on track when they apply.
5. Seek help before it’s too late.
If a student starts slipping in performance or is even worried about a course before it has started, take this opportunity to seek tutoring, either through the school if offered, or privately with a subject matter specialist. Often, families will wait until the student already has a lower grade at mid-year before seeking help, and for admissions evaluations, there is no changing that grade. Being proactive in seeking academic tutoring is the best way to prevent that lower grade from ever showing on a report card.
