Admissions officials say that both the rigor of your coursework and your GPA are critical factors in determining whether you will be admitted to their college or university. Many also say that they are very interested in a student’s “intellectual vitality,” i.e., ways in which you express genuine interest in learning through stimulating discussions with students, teachers and others; pursuing knowledge about topics that interest you; and living a life with an active, curious mind.

1. From freshman year on, make sure you take the courses that meet the requirements of the colleges you might want to attend.
2. Develop a plan for which Honors, AP and/or IB courses you want to take and when.
3. If you find that a course is giving you trouble; don’t be shy about getting help.
   • First, talk with your teacher
   • Consider working with a tutor

   Good athletes use sports coaches. Good students often use academic coaches (aka, tutors) to help them excel, do better in a class, or face challenges.

4. Many colleges are interested in students who have a true love of learning and/or are innately curious about something–almost any topic or content will do!
   • If you love to read and/or write, colleges are going to love you back
   • If you’re into languages, doing research of any kind, pursuing a long-term interest in something such as computers, photography, animals-bugs-fish-dinosaurs, music, art, you name it, any and all of these pursuits will be of interest to admissions people.
5. For students who want to get involved with academic experiences beyond what their own school offers, there are many exciting ways. (For examples, see Guide 1: Courses, Grades And Intellectual Pursuits.) More importantly, these experiences are useful in expanding your educational resume.

	Freshman Year Freshman courses set the stage for what you take during the rest of high school. Discuss with your high school counselor what classes you will enroll in the 9th grade, and how that influences what you will take in the 10th, 11th and 12th grades. Freshman year is the time to establish yourself as a good student, especially if you think you might want to apply to very competitive colleges.
	Sophomore Year 10th grade is when students usually start taking advanced courses, such as your first AP course and/or a couple of Honors courses. Sophomore year is the time when grades become increasingly important. Look for courses and activities that turn you on intellectually.
	Junior Year Colleges are particularly interested what you do academically in the 11th grade. This is the year to take the most rigorous courses and get the best grades you can, while keeping a proper balance in your life. Continue demonstrating your love of learning.
	Senior Year Admissions offices expect students to continue taking rigorous courses and getting good grades during their last year of high school. Don’t even think about slacking off, because that could hurt your chances of getting into colleges you like. If you are an athlete with a very demanding practice and game schedule or someone with learning issues, carefully choose the courses you take.
	Parents There is a lot you can do to support your child’s academic and intellectual interests. Whenever you can–especially at the dinner table in the evening–get involved with discussions about current events, what’s happening in the world, and other topical issues. Encourage your child to express him or herself and to have opinions different from your own. Support any interest your child has in reading books, whatever they might be. Colleges say that there is no better preparation for college than reading. If you notice that your child seems to be struggling with a class, consult with his/her teacher and find out what’s going on. If needed, identify tutors or educational coaches to help. If problems persist, have your child tested by an educational psychologist to see if learning issues might be blocking him or her from doing well. Be especially supportive and understanding during senior year, when all students struggle with the college admissions process.

If you want more information about any of the above, or

• A list of the courses that most U.S. colleges require or recommend
• Directions for finding the special required/recommended courses for Ivy League and other competitive schools
• How to increase your vocabulary
• How to learn to write more effectively
• What to do pursue your academic or intellectual interests through:
  • Academic competitions
  • Regional and state Talent Search summer programs
  • Internships
  • Online courses and tutorials
  • Early College Enrollment programs
  • Pre-enrichment programs for low income, first-generation or underrepresented students
  • Semester, year-long and summer programs abroad
  • Summer college programs for high school students
• Recommended websites and books

If you want to gain access to Guide 1, Courses Grades and Intellectual Pursuits for free, click here for an online, bare bones version.

You can also purchase an illustrated, formatted, printable, PDF color version of this guide for $2.50. We offer this and 14 other printable color guides in order to support the upkeep of this website and to develop a future Spanish language version.

How the color PDF version differs from the free online one can best be demonstrated by your viewing a free guide by clicking here.