Will not having honors classes or AP classes hurt if my school does not offer and I am a topper in the standard ones?Answered
Everywhere Classwork rigour is mentioned, but as a high schooler from India, there were no "advanced" classes in my institution. Will that hurt my admission chances or will admission committees understand my situation? I also have a 1510 on the SAT in one attempt.
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1 answer
Hi @23-M!
Admissions officers know that it's very rare to find AP/honors classes being offered in India, so not having those won't negatively affect your application. If you're at a CBSE/ICSE school, the regular level STEM classes in 11th and 12th are equivalent to AP classes (if not more advanced).
Unlike India, where you can be sure to get into colleges with a certain score on JEE/NEET/other exams, admissions in the US are holistic. You can't get in solely with academics; you'll need to prove yourself as a competitive candidate with commitment and achievements in extracurricular activities. You might be told that you should have a large variety of extracurriculars, but what's more important is that you have a specific area where you put the greatest effort. Rather than being average in 20 activities, it's better to be involved in 10 activities and be the best in a majority of them.
The next most important part of your application will be essays. If you're not sure how to go about writing them, search for college application essay tips online.
When making your college list, make sure you include some colleges where you have high chances of getting in (safeties) as backups in addition to your top choices.
Hope this helps!
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