403: AP, IB, Honors, Oh My!: How Admissions Officers View Your High School Courses, Rigor, and School Context (with Susan Tree)

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SHOW NOTES

In today’s episode, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) and Susan Tree (a college counseling and admissions legend with 40+ years of experience) chat about all things related to the academic part of a student’s college application— which, at many selective colleges, is seen as the “foot in the door” of their selection process.

This is part 1 of a series we’ll be doing around students’ academic background and interests and how they factor into the admissions process. Part 2 is all about “intellectual curiosity”: a quality that many colleges actively look for in students, yet is a little more ambiguous and nuanced compared to mapping out a high school course plan. 

Why these episodes:

On the episode you’ll hear Susan and Tom discuss:

  • Why taking five solid academic courses (English, math, social studies, science and language) each year of high school gives students the broadest range of exciting college options

  • How advanced course rigor (including Advanced Placement/AP and International Baccalaureate/IB courses) is evaluated by colleges

  • The potential danger of “overspecialization” in an academic subject too early

  • The value of demonstrating self-directedness in your academic journey— and where do to that in an application

  • How admissions officers evaluate and contextualize your transcript and high scho0l profile when making admissions decisions

Play-by-play: 

  • 5:33 - So… Why are we talking about planning your HS Academic Journey?

  • 8:28 - What are the benefits of planning your HS experience early?

  • 10:39 - What do colleges expect from students? 

  • 11:08 - How do you check a college website for their required HS coursework?

  • 12:48 - How is it different at more competitive universities? 

    • 8:14 - What if your HS doesn’t offer opportunities for the classes you want to take?

  • 14:44 - What is the value of self-directedness?

  • 15:06 - How do I better understand how my school is viewed by admissions officers? 

  • 17:19 - What do admissions officers want to know about the school as it relates to your academic record?

  • 19:24 - Why you should be looking at your transcript and school profile side-by-side

  • 21:32 - Thinking like an admissions reader 

    • 22:26 - Transcripts vs. report cards

  • 23:38 - How being aware of what colleges have access to can help you be strategic 

  • 25:44 - How do you put your academic experience into perspective?

  • 27:18 - What students often don’t realize about their application evaluation 

  • 29:50 - How important is it to tell your own story

  • 31:28 - HS Counselor Tip: Your School Profile

  • 32:56 - AP (Advanced Placement) course considerations

  • 35:11 - How will colleges view XYZ  courses? Which course is better?

  • 42:24 - Why are some independent schools getting rid of AP (Advanced Placement) course offerings?

  • 44:00 What does Susan think about IB (International Baccalaureate) Curriculum considerations?

  • 47:50 What if my high school doesn’t offer AP or IB course options?

  • 49:58 Key Takeaways from Today’s Episode

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