Advanced courseload
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Anonymous
| Will an advanced HS courseload (at least, in chosen subjects) help significantly with getting into T20s? For example, taking AP Chem, AP Physics, and DiffEq/Multivariable Calculus as a sophomore look impressive on college applications? |
Anonymous
Yes, but to widely varying degrees depending on the rigor of the college itself. |
Anonymous
| Not really. Sorry to say, but top colleges are not just looking for “nerds.” As long as a student completes Calc AB and has rigor across all core areas, then they meet the standard. At that point, EC/impact/personal story comes into play. |
Anonymous
Okay, makes sense. If ECs are weak, does it make up for that? |
Anonymous
No |
Anonymous
Tech schools care about advanced plus+ course load and ECs less-(so does UMD and GMU for computers) SLAC, T50 care more about advanced CL plus EC |
Anonymous
But you should specify what school you’re talking about because colleges do vary. |
Anonymous
OP here. I was talking about Harvard, MIT, Caltech, etc. Top of the top. |
Anonymous
NP, unless a recruited athlete, celebrity or 9 figure net worth, I don't think there can be a single blemish with these schools. |
Anonymous
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My unhooked kid took 8 APs. Got into 2 T10s and 3 T20s unhooked. The highest math was AP Calc AB and one AP science- Bio..
35ACT, 5s all APs and UW 4.0. The major is going to matter --if STEM the above likely wouldn't work. They had both Engl. 4 histories/govt. |
Anonymous
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Of course it does, as long as they do well.
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Anonymous
Certainly I would be impressed that we have yet another (male?) STEM kid who is being pushed too hard. So many scientific “geniuses” these days. And yet… |
Anonymous
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My sophomore kid is in an advanced science class with a kid who has already taken all the math classes offered at their HS (senior year offerings are MV Calc/LA + 1 post-AP math). The kid is currently taking math classes at a top 10-15 school in our city. He has 1 academic club that he participates in (think debate, chess, math competition type ) and largely because of him, they are able to compete in and win state-level awards. I don't think they've won any national ones. He told my kid he doesn't do much else EC-wise and that he's taking the college classes for credit, not necessarily to go to MIT or similar.
He has been called a "genius" by teachers and classmates since ES. Everyone thinks he'll get in wherever he wants. Will be interesting to see. I just told my kid to find out where he's applying to college and he can eliminate any that may also be on this kid's list! |
Anonymous
What about female? Is that a boost? |
Anonymous
Maybe if applying to schools with 75% male and 25% female students? |