This is the time of year to make decisions about what classes to take next fall. While students have relatively little choice earlier in high school–everyone takes English, math, social studies, a science, etc., the choices become more nuanced in junior and senior years. It all boils down to what kinds of colleges you think you will apply to. While all of our students have been in high-level talks with high school counselors and the crack team here at Lakeside, it never hurts to pass on the oft-heard advice of the sage college admissions professional. If you haven’t started visiting colleges yet, brace yourselves to hear this over and over.
Buried in a Forbes article cited below:
“The great thing about UCLA’s review process is that we review all applicants the same. Geographic location is not something that we are taking into consideration in our review process. What we are looking for is students who are challenging themselves in the classroom. We want to see students going above and beyond the normal coursework available at your high school, whether that be Advanced Placement courses, and International Baccalaureate program, dual enrollment opportunities, or even taking courses at a local college or university.”
The key, as we like to say here at corporate HQ, is balance. Challenge yourself with the amount of rigor that you can handle; explore your interests; have a life. At the same time, understand that the strategy of protecting a perfect average by never taking at least a partial higher level of rigor will never fool college admissions. In our meetings, we pay lots of attention to the discussion of trade-offs, and the importance of regulating the stress and pressure that do no one any good.