What is "academic rigor?"

Academic rigor.  That's a term that you will often hear when you visit colleges, as in, "we look to see that you've taken the most challenging classes."  But what does that mean, and does it mean the same thing at every high school?

The answer to the last part is no, because every high school doesn't offer the same curriculum.  GPS has 16 honors and 18 advanced placement classes from which to choose; some other schools might not have any.  Some high schools limit the number of AP classes a student can take each year, so comparing high schools is like comparing apples and oranges. Colleges won't penalize a student who is only allowed to take two AP courses a year or a student whose school has elected not to offer any.  Ultimately all a college can do is look at a student in the context of what her high school offers.

So in the context of GPS, consider what your transcript says about you. A student once asked an admission counselor "Is it better to take an AP class and make a B or take a regular class and make an A?"  His answer was, "It's better to take the AP class and make an A."  Okay, point taken. But what if you're not ready for an Advanced Placement class? (Trust me, not every college expects them!) There are still ways to make your transcript more rigorous.

Instead of taking three years of a foreign language, have you taken a fourth year? Have you gone beyond the required science curriculum and taken an extra year, perhaps environmental science, or anatomy and physiology? Did you take physics, or have you been trying to avoid it?  (And while you're looking at your transcript, look for any trends in your grades.  Perhaps your English grade has steadily risen each year. That a plus in your favor.)

I think most of my students will tell you that every class here is rigorous, even the electives.  Regular English with Mr. Wells is tough, as is World Religions with Dr. Becksvoort or US history with Mrs. Hamilton.  Your college counselor will do her best to explain that these are all challenging, and yes, that a B- or a C+ in these classes can be a triumph. In other words, we will put you and your curriculum in context.

Like almost everything in college admissions, the answer to "What makes a transcript academically rigorous?" is "It depends."  It depends on what type of college or university you are considering.  Even then, it depends on just how competitive a particular college is.  So before you sign up for classes in a few months, talk to your parents, your teachers, and your counselor about what courses will work best for you.  Don't be afraid to challenge yourself, but don't get in over your head either.  The good news is that no matter where you go to college, your GPS education will prepare you for whatever lies ahead.