My high school does not provide any AP/IB or honors classes. How will it be counted?Answered
Hello.
I'm Korean high school senior considering applying at some schools at US.
Every public high schools in Korea does not offer any AP/IB and honors classes.
There's something similar, called "Career selective subject". Schools provide students various range of subjects that students can freely choose, roughly distinguished by liberal arts/science.
I've taken Physics I, Chemistry I, Earth Science I, Geometry, Physics II, Earth Science II, Calculus, Programming, Classic philosophy and Ethics, and Music Appreciation and Criticism.
Each contains more complex content of previously attended subjects. (Meaning of Big Bang -> Steps of Big Bang)
I saw "Accelerated" and "Advanced" category in Common App subject section, should I select one of them for those subjects?
And colleges will consider about no AP/IB classes provided?
Thanks in advance!
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2 answers
Hi, yes it is true that S.Korean Public Schools do not offer AP/IB coursework because it is not in the the interest or mandate of any government-supported education system to advocate or support another countries curriculum or aptitude tests. Does that make sense? And furthermore just because a lot of S.Korean kids want to study in the US, doesn't make that a priority for any State-run educational system whose job is to educate S.Koreans and retain S.Koreans to help its country grow and prosper.
Nevertheless, if you decide to apply to US schools using the common app, you should pick the category of classes that makes the most sense. Accelerated in the US means taking a class that covers more material than you would normally be exposed to in a single year. So if you took Accelerated Chemistry in the US, that would cover more subjects and topics than normal standard Chemistry. Whereas if you took advanced Chemistry, that would focus on advanced topics not baseline or core chemistry topics, so it would be like taking Chemistry II if there were such a thing. Neither of these would be as rigorous as AP or IB Chemistry which are college-level courses, but you get the picture of what I'm trying to say. So I think you could state all the career selective subjects designated with II (2) after it is as advanced. That would be Physics II, Earth Science II. Also in the US, Calculus is typically taught as an AP class, either AP Calc A/B or AP Calc B/C so it would be acceptable to write in Calculus as an advanced math class as well. The other classes you listed would really have no qualifications for the "Accelerated or Advanced" course since they are considered core courses here in the US.
I don't know how exactly college will treat your application without AP or IB courses. I would ask both older students or older brothers/sisters how their college process worked out for them or talk to your college counselor and ask them if any students got into Top colleges without APs or IBs from your high school. It's too late to worry about that now since you are filling out the Common App already.
For any South Korean 9th, 10th, 11th graders reading this post, I've provided a list of Korean Private Schools that offer AP and IB coursework. For the younger students, it might be a good time to think about switching high schools in order to have a better transcript if you are planning on applying to American Top colleges.
AP Schools in South Korea
Asia Pacific International School (APIS)
BC Collegiate
Big Heart Christian School
BIS, 33 Jeongjail-ro, Bundang-Gu, Seongnam
Bugil Academy
Busan Foreign School
Centennial Christian School
Chadwick International School
CheongShim International Academy
CityHill Academy
CMIS Canada #B1076 Igc Support Center Songdomunhwa-Ro 119 Yeonsu-Gu
Cornerstone Academy of Seoul
Crossway Prep
Daegu Middle/High School
Disciple International Christian School
Edible International Academy
Eucon International School
Fayston Preparatory School
Gangnam International School
GIA Micro School
Gimcheon High School
Global Christian Foreign School
Global Christian School of Seoul
Global Prodigy Academy
Global Vision Christian School
Goyang Foreign Language School
Gyeongnam Intl Foreign School
Han Young Foreign Lang HS
Hana Academy Seoul
Hankuk Academy
Haven Christian School
Humphreys High School
Incheon Haewon HS
Incheon Intl HS
Indianhead School
International Christian School - Pyeongtaek
International Christian School Uijeongbu (ICSU)
International School of Koje
Korea Christian Intl School
Korea International School, Jeju Campus
Korea International School Pangyo
Korea Kent Foreign School
Korea Minjok Leadership Academy
Kwangju Foreign School
Phileo Intl Academy
Saint Paul Academy Daechi
Saint Paul Preparatory School
Seoul America Middle/High
Seoul Christian School
Seoul Foreign School
Seoul Global HS
Seoul International School
Seoul Scholars International
Shepherd Intl Education
St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju
Valor International Scholars
Yongsan International School of Seoul : YISS
IB Schools in South Korea
Branksome Hall Asia
British International Academy
Chadwick International
Chung Nam Samsung Academy
Dulwich College Seoul
Dwight School Seoul
Gyeonggi Academy of Foreign Languages
Gyeonggi Suwon International School
Gyeongnam International Foreign School
International School of Busan
Korea Foreign School
Kyungpook National University Elementary School
Kyungpook National University Middle School
Namsan International Kindergarten
North London Collegiate School Jeju
Seoul Foreign School
Taejon Christian International School
The Fulbright Organization administers AP exams for HS students unable to take them
Hi! Colleges will look at your individual circumstances to see if you were challenging yourself with your coursework. If no AP/IB Classes are available to you, they will not hold this against you and take this into account when they make an admissions decision.
In the US, if your high school had no AP classes to take, you wouldn't be on a "lower level" than someone who took 8 AP's at a school that had 20 AP Classes to the admissions officers. This is because those opportunities were simply not available to you.
However, if you want to show that you are strong academically, take the most rigorous coursework available to you if you are aiming for top schools. If all your classes are the same level, make sure you get good grades and maintain your GPA.
As for Accelerated vs Advanced, some schools have students select classes, based on level. There could be a lower level, accelerated or honors to choose from. Since you did not have this, I think you could choose the title that best fits your class.
Good Luck with everything!
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