Rigorous academics refer to the perceived difficulty of your high school courses. While your GPA is an important admissions factor, your level of academic rigor is equally as important. This is because students who take lots of Honors, AP, IB, and college courses demonstrate their willingness and ability to challenge themselves academically.
There are lots of factors that college admissions officers look for in an applicant, but mostly, they are looking for applicants who are the most likely to succeed within their school’s curriculum. Ultimately, this is why taking rigorous courses and consistently challenging yourself reflects well on your college applications.
As a high school student, you likely have questions such as: Are AP classes worth it? And what does academic rigor mean? In this article, we will review the importance of course rigor and the tangible effects it can have on your college applications.
To start, what is academic rigor and why is it so important? Academic rigor refers to how difficult a particular course is. For example, AP, IB, and AICE classes are all recognized for their academic rigor. Similarly, Honors courses and classes taken at local colleges are also considered rigorous. Students don’t need to take every advanced class available to them, but they should take as many advanced courses as they can comfortably balance.
College admissions officers want to admit capable and passionate students. This is why students who have successfully managed rigorous coursework in high school are often favored in college admissions. While it’s important to earn good grades and perform well on standardized tests, it is equally important to challenge yourself.
College admissions officers admire students who are more concerned with the rigor of their coursework and their ability to receive a top-notch education than students who are more concerned with earning perfect grades. Colleges also want to see evidence that students are eager to take advanced courses in subjects they are interested in and can maintain (or increase) their level of academic rigor throughout their high school career.
High school students often have the following questions: Do AP classes matter? Are AP classes hard? And how many AP classes should I be taking?
There are many AP classes benefits. Depending on your final AP test score, you may qualify for college credit. Ultimately, this means that you will have more room in your college schedule to take more electives or take lighter course loads. In some cases, if you’ve taken enough AP classes, you may even be able to graduate a semester early. Of course, this all depends on the college you attend and its policies.
Taking AP classes will also help prepare you for college-level classes. Colleges recognize this and are more likely to accept a student with a high GPA and a history of rigorous coursework. Colleges want to accept students who demonstrate a willingness and ability to challenge themselves by taking advanced courses.
CollegeBoard offers 38 AP Classes. While not all of these courses will be available at every school, if you see a class you are interested in taking that is currently not offered at your school, reach out to your high school guidance counselor to learn how you can sign up for the course online.
How many AP classes you should take depends primarily on two factors: how many AP classes your high school offers and how many AP classes you can successfully manage. In most cases, getting a B in an AP class is seen more favorably than receiving an A in an Honors or standard class. That said, earning a C in an AP class won’t impress college admissions officers. Do your best to try to strike a balance. Take classes that challenge but don’t overwhelm you. Ask your teachers and guidance counselor to help advise you on which classes to take.
How many AP classes you should take depends primarily on two factors: how many AP classes your high school offers and how many AP classes you can successfully manage. In most cases, getting a B in an AP class is seen more favorably than receiving an A in an Honors or standard class. That said, earning a C in an AP class won’t impress college admissions officers. Do your best to try to strike a balance. Take classes that challenge but don’t overwhelm you. Ask your teachers and guidance counselor to help advise you on which classes to take.
Let’s take a look at the 38 AP courses currently offered. Again, if you see a class you’re interested in taking that isn’t offered at your school, it may be possible to take this course online. Reach out to your high school guidance counselor for further instruction.
According to CollegeVine, the three most difficult AP classes are AP Physics 1, AP US History, and AP Chemistry, and the three easiest AP classes are AP Psychology, AP Comparative Government and Politics, and AP Environmental Science.
College admissions officers will not penalize students for not having access to AP classes as a part of their high school curriculum. After all, each school is different and not all schools have equal resources. That said, it is possible to take AP classes online. Capable students without access to AP classes should look into taking a few online courses. This will demonstrate their ability and willingness to challenge themselves and actively seek out academic opportunities.
It’s no secret that your high school GPA is one of the most important admissions factors. To encourage students to challenge themselves, high schools will sometimes incentivize taking rigorous classes by offering “weighted GPAs.”
So if you’re wondering do AP classes boost GPA? The answer is yes. If your school calculates weighted GPAs and you want to know how much AP classes boost your GPA, AP classes add 1 point to your GPA. This means that a 4.0 would be counted as a 5.0. Likewise, an unweighted GPA of 3.2 would be considered a 4.2. For Honors classes, weighted GPAs add .5 to your unweighted GPA.
To further demonstrate the importance of academic rigor, let’s take a look at some academic rigor examples. Let’s say two students from the same school have the same GPA but one student took 4 AP classes, whereas the other student only took 1 AP course. The student with a more rigorous course load will be considered more favorably.
Let’s look at another example: Student A has a 4.0 GPA but only enrolled in standard classes, despite the fact that both Honors and AP courses were available to them. Student B has a 3.0 GPA but enrolled mostly in Honors classes and took 2 AP classes. Even though Student B has a lower GPA, their willingness to challenge themself by taking more rigorous courses sets their application above Student A.
Preparing for college can feel confusing at times. After all, there are so many factors to consider. This is why it is important to make the most of the resources available to you. Meet with your teachers and high school guidance counselor to help you with your course selection. Course rigor is one of the most important college admissions factors, so consider your high school courseload carefully. If you feel like you could benefit from having professional guidance throughout your high school career and the college application process, reach out to learn more about our services
Rigorous academics refer to the perceived difficulty of your high school courses. Students who take lots of Honors, AP, IB, and college courses demonstrate their willingness and ability to challenge themselves academically. Don't miss the many benefits of AP classes!
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FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid and helps schools determine individual financial aid packages. FAFSA opens October 1st and the federal application deadline is June 30th.
Attending college is a huge financial commitment. This is why understanding your financial aid package and familiarizing yourself with the FAFSA definition, FAFSA guidelines, FAFSA requirements, and FAFSA qualifications are crucial steps in the college application process. You will also want to engage in financial planning for college and discuss the financial realities of attending college.
Many students know that FAFSA and financial aid are linked somehow but do not know what FAFSA stands for or how it works.
FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid and helps schools determine individual financial aid packages. These financial aid packages will likely include a combination of grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans.
So if you’re wondering: is FAFSA a loan or grant?, the answer is potentially both. It’s important for all students to fill out the FAFSA. Attending college is a huge financial investment and you may receive more aid than you initially suspect.
The FAFSA open date is October 1st and the federal FAFSA application deadline is June 30th. That said, each school, and state, has its own priority FAFSA deadlines and it’s a good idea to file the FAFSA as soon as possible.
Certain state and college grants and scholarships operate on a first-come-first-serve basis, so it’s important to fill out the FAFSA as close to the October 1st open date as possible. Not only will this give you adequate time to make changes and adjustments if necessary, but it will also ensure that you are considered for all possible scholarships, grants, and financial aid opportunities.
There are three FAFSA deadlines to consider: each college’s priority deadline, your state’s priority deadline, and the federal due date of June 30th. Typically, colleges’ priority deadlines are the earliest among these three deadlines, so be sure to find out these dates as soon as possible so you can plan accordingly. You will need to fill out the FAFSA each year you are enrolled in college.
The first step to filling out the FAFSA is to create a FAFSA account at fafsa.gov. There is also a paper version of the FAFSA that you can download as a PDF and print; you can also call 1-877-433-7827 to have a hard copy delivered to your home.
Most people prefer the online FAFSA. This is because it is processed quickly and you have the option to link your application to the IRS to retrieve your relevant tax information. This is known as the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. It is worth noting that the FAFSA asks for your tax information from two years prior. If your financial situation has changed dramatically since then, you will want to reach out to individual schools’ financial aid offices.
Once you create a FAFSA account, both you and your parents will be asked to create your FSA ID. After you create your FSA ID (Federal Student Aid), the Social Security Administration will take one to three days to verify the information. After your FSA ID is set up and verified, you will receive an email inviting you to begin your application. Your FSA ID will act as your electronic signature.
It is worth noting that you need a Social Security Number to create an FSA. If your parent does not have an SSN, enter all zeros where it asks for your parent’s SSN. Then select the option to print a signature page at the end of the application.
The best way to fill out the FAFSA efficiently is to make sure that you gather all of the appropriate documents and information. Below is a FAFSA checklist to help make sure you track down all the necessary information before you begin.
You will also be asked to fill out other demographic information, including how many people are in your household and whether or not you have siblings enrolled in college. Ultimately, these answers, combined with the information outlined in your various financial documents, are how FAFSA is calculated.
Both you and your parents will need to fill out the FAFSA, regardless of whether your parents plan to help fund your education. Completing the FAFSA as thoroughly as possible will likely increase the number of grants, loans, and scholarships available to you.
More generally, everyone applying to college should fill out the FAFSA. Federal financial aid is available to U.S. citizens, nationals, legal permanent residents, and individuals with an Arrival-Departure Record from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
If the following criteria describe you, you will fill out the FAFSA as a “dependent,” regardless of whether your parents plan to financially contribute to your college education.
If one or more of the following pertains to you, you will fill out the FAFSA as an “independent.”
After you submit the FAFSA, the Department of Education will send you, as well as the schools you listed on your application, your Student Aid Report (SAR). The Student Aid Report (SAR) is a summary of the FAFSA; it is not a financial aid offer. That means that after you receive your Student Aid Report (SAR), you are still able to file changes to FAFSA after you receive your SAR. This is why it is important to review this document thoroughly and promptly report any mistakes if necessary.
The SAR includes your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC). Despite its name, this number is not necessarily the amount of money you will be expected to pay. Rather, schools use this number to help assemble your financial aid package.
Each school calculates financial aid a little differently, but the basic financial equation is the same: Cost of Attendance (COA) minus Expected Family Contribution (EFC) equals Financial Need.
Financial Need represents the maximum need-based aid you can receive. Need-based aid refers to Pell Grants, Direct Subsidized Loans, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and federal work-study. Individual schools will contact you in the Spring with financial aid offers. These offers will likely be a combination of grants, scholarships, and loans.
If a financial aid offer includes more loans than you feel comfortable taking out, you can contact the financial aid office and decline part of your financial aid package. Just make sure to fill out any necessary paperwork by their financial aid deadline.
The FAFSA can be a confusing process and lots of parents and students have questions about how FAFSA works and other logistical factors concerning FAFSA, including FAFSA income limits and FAFSA eligibility. If you need FAFSA application help, reach out to the Federal Student Aid Information Center.
There are lots of FAFSA tips and tricks to consider, but ultimately, reaching out directly to the Federal Student Aid Information Center will provide you with the most up-to-date FAFSA questions and answers; they will also provide you with information that’s tailored specifically to your needs. Through this site, you will be provided with a phone number and email, as well as an option to live chat.
Completing the FAFSA is a crucial step in financing your college application. That said, it’s important to research scholarship opportunities as well. After all, attending college is a huge financial investment and you will likely need as much assistance as you can receive.
If you need assistance with writing an essay for scholarships or any other part of the college application process, reach out to learn more about our college counseling programs. Applying to college and understanding financial aid is a lengthy process that can feel confusing. Here at Prepory, we have the resources to help you succeed.
