High School Course Selection

Wondering what really matters about high school course selection?: Here’s what you should know

Many schools across the country are asking students to select their courses for the 2022–2023 academic year. If you are wondering how course selection impacts the college admissions process, read on for what you need to know about the classes your student picks –

Does Course Selection Matter to College Admissions?

In short, yes, very much. While high schools across the country and around the world have varied offerings and grading systems, one thing is consistent in college admissions: great attention will be paid to the courses an applicant has selected throughout their time in high school.

Context is Everything

The key thing to understand is that an admissions reviewer will always be reading a student’s transcript in the ‘context’ of the high school they attend. This is to say that the admissions officer will pay close attention to what coursework and programs are offered at a student’s high school and will want to understand what portion of those advanced offerings a student took advantage of. If there are limited advanced offerings at the school, this will be taken into consideration and will not negatively impact the applicant.

If students wish to be admissible or increase their chances of admissibility at very selective colleges, taking the most rigorous program available at their school and earning the best grades possible in those courses is the baseline expectation for admissibility.

This doesn’t mean the most rigorous program is right for every student, but it is important to understand that even beyond the grades a student earns, the rigor of the curriculum is a critically important factor in admissions decisions.

Take a full program, all four years

Most colleges do not publish detailed guidelines of their high school course requirements for admission, however they do have, often unspoken, preferences and expectations for admissibility. In general, know that colleges want to see students take all five core academic subjects (think English, Math, Science, Social Studies/History & World Languages) all four years of high school. This is another very important factor. Colleges will not give much consideration to great grades earned in electives, arts, or other coursework that is perceived as “light.”

Students should:

• Fulfill all graduation requirements
• Pursue their interests
• Fill their schedule — avoid free blocks and study halls
• And commit to filling their schedule with academic courses all four years

This means that though a college may not review senior grades (though they can and often do), they will not look favorably upon a student who has just 3–4 academic courses senior year, even if the student has already completed required coursework. It also means that college admissions officers will not look favorably upon a student opting out of Spanish or Social Studies, for example, just because they’ve met the graduation requirement if there are additional courses available at the school.

Consider your Interests & “Story”

When students indicate prospective majors and career interests on their applications, college admissions officers apply those interests as a lens to understand the students coursework and choices. For example, for a student who expresses an interest in STEM study or careers in medicine or engineering, more attention will be paid to the science and math courses a student takes. Most selective colleges will expect and prefer to see students with these interests pursue the most rigorous math and science curriculum such as advanced work in calculus and physics. Students who are passionate about humanities or social sciences will want to be sure to pursue rigorous options in those areas and consider using an open spot in their schedule for say, AP Psychology rather than ceramics.

And one big caveat

We share this information not to suggest that every student should be taking a full slate of AP or IB courses. Rather, we want students & families to be empowered with the knowledge to understand how the choices you make will be interpreted by admissions officers, and to have a realistic understanding of how high the expectations of the admissions process are. That said, we are deeply committed to the belief that each student needs the opportunity to grow and develop as a full person. You shouldn’t overload on advanced coursework at the expense of your well-being or your deep engagement in activities and communities that extend beyond the school day, that fill you up, and bring you joy.

There is a balance that will be right for each individual, and a college that will align with the balance that is right for each student, regardless of rankings or perceptions of ‘prestige.’

Families from the USA and All Over The World — Sign up for a FREE 20-minute phone call or online video meeting now so we can learn about your family’s college admissions needs and how we can provide support.