It’s optional. As already stated, some counselors don’t answer those questions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the local reps esp UVA, WM, UMD know the schools courses and don't necessarily care what is checked. But it would be where your kid stands that matters.

But for other schools that don't have a lot of kids applying, yes, I do think it would matter if they were highly selective.

Whitman doesn’t rank. How would reps know where they stand?

Every school sends a school profile which breaks down gpa bands into percentiles. It is easy for AD to see where a kid falls based on that info.

Anonymous wrote:Do students see this checkbox?

I have read a lot of talk about this checkbox, but never someone writing "these are my courses, and these are the higher level / more demanding courses I did not take, and this was my checkbox".

But I'm pretty confident that taking Band instead of extra AP Physics C as an elective doesn't count as "less demanding". That checkbox is about regular / honors / AP, as drop in alternatives for the same course subject

Also, related question: Colleges expect less from students at weaker schools, fine. But do they those kids use their extra free non-homework/studying time to do more EC work?

Students do not see this checkbox. They might ask their counselor what the counselor checked, but the student will never see it.

Here's a PDF version of what is an electronic form, see page 2 https://commonapp.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#d0000000eEna/a/Vz000000TMoL/5gWrOxrX6cRgCkiBBnmVVKN3gcxkZcfIZA64yl1pFnk

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The colleges make their own determination. They don't care what the counselor checks.

Then why do they demand the check?

I believe it's because they don't necessarily know which of your school's funny course names are the more rigorous ones, when they have names like Math 4, Analysis, and Calculus.

The box is in the Common App counselor form. That doesn't mean every, or even most, colleges use that box.

Anonymous wrote:I think the local reps esp UVA, WM, UMD know the schools courses and don't necessarily care what is checked. But it would be where your kid stands that matters.

But for other schools that don't have a lot of kids applying, yes, I do think it would matter if they were highly selective.

Whitman doesn’t rank. How would reps know where they stand?

Anonymous wrote:The colleges make their own determination. They don't care what the counselor checks.

Then why do they demand the check?

I believe it's because they don't necessarily know which of your school's funny course names are the more rigorous ones, when they have names like Math 4, Analysis, and Calculus.

Do students see this checkbox?

I have read a lot of talk about this checkbox, but never someone writing "these are my courses, and these are the higher level / more demanding courses I did not take, and this was my checkbox".

But I'm pretty confident that taking Band instead of extra AP Physics C as an elective doesn't count as "less demanding". That checkbox is about regular / honors / AP, as drop in alternatives for the same course subject

Also, related question: Colleges expect less from students at weaker schools, fine. But do they those kids use their extra free non-homework/studying time to do more EC work?

Anonymous wrote:If a school counselor checks any box but “most demanding” is that disqualifying for selective public schools like UMD or W&M? I have no idea how DD’s MCPS “W” counselor will rate her 8 APs across all core subjects and all other honors classes (except freshman band, PE, entry language courses not allowing honors). And how about variations in APs (World versus American History, Calc AB versus BC)? Is there a formula they use to determine this? Has anyone asked a counselor directly how they ranked a student? How much does this box checking matter if colleges can see the transcript and school report themselves?

Short and correct answer is "no." It is not disqualifying.

Anonymous wrote:If a school counselor checks any box but “most demanding” is that disqualifying for selective public schools like UMD or W&M? I have no idea how DD’s MCPS “W” counselor will rate her 8 APs across all core subjects and all other honors classes (except freshman band, PE, entry language courses not allowing honors). And how about variations in APs (World versus American History, Calc AB versus BC)? Is there a formula they use to determine this? Has anyone asked a counselor directly how they ranked a student? How much does this box checking matter if colleges can see the transcript and school report themselves?

no formula but holiday gifts sometime helps

You should ask, but I think she will be rated as “most demanding”.

The colleges make their own determination. They don't care what the counselor checks.

I think the local reps esp UVA, WM, UMD know the schools courses and don't necessarily care what is checked. But it would be where your kid stands that matters.

But for other schools that don't have a lot of kids applying, yes, I do think it would matter if they were highly selective.

Many privates do not check a box anymore for anyone. Instead the college counselor writes a summary explaining the demanding nature compared to peers and the school profile shows highest number APs taken as well as average number, but the counselor also will remark positively if students took the hardest APs (they list the hardest 3), other wise the less relative rigor the more likely the counselor writes things such as challenged themselves with coursework. The school profile also lists the most demanding non-APs, and lists the “typical” number of honors/AP per year, yet that “typical” is in actuality what the below average student takes. The result is all students end up with a positive description and any AO with competence can easily sort the super duper rigor from the top rigor from the more rigor and some rigor

For UMD and WM no, for Ivies yes.

If a school counselor checks any box but “most demanding” is that disqualifying for selective public schools like UMD or W&M? I have no idea how DD’s MCPS “W” counselor will rate her 8 APs across all core subjects and all other honors classes (except freshman band, PE, entry language courses not allowing honors). And how about variations in APs (World versus American History, Calc AB versus BC)? Is there a formula they use to determine this? Has anyone asked a counselor directly how they ranked a student? How much does this box checking matter if colleges can see the transcript and school report themselves?