All AVID students are required to take at least one honors course and are taught to develop skills to help them succeed in rigorous courses.
Understanding the advantages of rigorous courses
Studies have shown that the rigor of a student's high school curriculum is the single best predictor of success in college. In his seminal study, The Tool Box Revisited: Paths to Degree Completion from High School Through College (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, 2006), Clifford Adelman demonstrated that the academic intensity of a high school curriculum is essential to student success in college.
The National Association for College Admission Counseling's (NACAC) annual State of College Admissions survey consistently finds that student performance in college preparatory classes is the most important factor in the admission decision. Students should be encouraged to enroll in honors and AP courses even they may have the impression that only "top" students should take these courses or the fear that taking a challenging course might result in a lower GPA. Advanced-level courses are worth the extra effort.
Implications for admission
Students don't understand how much weight college admission officers give to advanced-level courses on an applicant's transcript. Admission officers are not impressed by straight As when they are all earned in easy courses. Many colleges recalculate applicants’ GPAs, giving extra points for honors or AP courses.
Students should take a balanced load, one that allows them to devote the necessary time to each course. Colleges look for quality, not quantity. According to Dan Saracino, former assistant provost for enrollment at the University of Notre Dame, "Nothing is more important than the quality of the course load."
AP Courses
Most U.S. colleges and many international ones have an AP Credit Policy that allows students who have taken AP courses or exams to earn college credit, placement or both.
Source: College Board Web site
Understanding the advantages of rigorous courses
Studies have shown that the rigor of a student's high school curriculum is the single best predictor of success in college. In his seminal study, The Tool Box Revisited: Paths to Degree Completion from High School Through College (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, 2006), Clifford Adelman demonstrated that the academic intensity of a high school curriculum is essential to student success in college.
The National Association for College Admission Counseling's (NACAC) annual State of College Admissions survey consistently finds that student performance in college preparatory classes is the most important factor in the admission decision. Students should be encouraged to enroll in honors and AP courses even they may have the impression that only "top" students should take these courses or the fear that taking a challenging course might result in a lower GPA. Advanced-level courses are worth the extra effort.
Implications for admission
Students don't understand how much weight college admission officers give to advanced-level courses on an applicant's transcript. Admission officers are not impressed by straight As when they are all earned in easy courses. Many colleges recalculate applicants’ GPAs, giving extra points for honors or AP courses.
Students should take a balanced load, one that allows them to devote the necessary time to each course. Colleges look for quality, not quantity. According to Dan Saracino, former assistant provost for enrollment at the University of Notre Dame, "Nothing is more important than the quality of the course load."
AP Courses
- Cover the breadth of information, skills and assignments found in corresponding college courses
- Align with the standards and expectations of leading liberal arts and research institutions
- Provide motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to study and learn at the college level
Most U.S. colleges and many international ones have an AP Credit Policy that allows students who have taken AP courses or exams to earn college credit, placement or both.
Source: College Board Web site