High School Literature Impact on College Admissions?

Does the type and complexity of literature we read in high school have any bearing on college admissions? I wonder if they assess this aspect in some way during applications. Thanks!

The books and literature you’ve studied in high school won't directly factor into your college admissions chances. Colleges are primarily interested in the rigor of your high school coursework, your GPA, and your standardized test scores. However, depth and breadth of literary understanding may contribute indirectly to your college application.

For instance, your ability to analyze complex texts in your English classes can prepare you to perform well on the critical reading sections of the SAT or ACT. Similarly, many AP exams include analysis of provided literary passages, so a strong foundation in literature could indirectly boost your AP scores.

Furthermore, depth of literary understanding can also be advantageous during the essay-writing portion of your college application. The broader your exposure to various genres, historical contexts, writing styles, and themes, the more nuanced and sophisticated your writing and thinking might be. This can enhance your ability to articulate your thoughts and experiences in your essay and supplemental essays, which is a key aspect that admissions officers look at to understand your intellectual curiosity and fit for their institution.

Finally, if you're planning to major in a field that requires strong analytical writing skills, such as English, History, or Philosophy, your experience with complex literature can provide helpful context in your application about your preparation for these courses at a college level. But again, they are not looking at which particular books you read, but rather your skillset and general preparedness.

So while the specific books you read won't be an evaluated factor in your application, the skills you acquire and demonstrate through engaging with diverse and complex literature can certainly play an influential role in your application.