| If you are a high-achieving high school student, you | | | | an orientation toward quality by showing that |
| have probably been advised at some point to "take | | | | regardless of how difficult the class was, you were |
| the hardest classes your school offers." | | | | able to find out what was required and to meet the |
| You might have heard, "Colleges prefer a student who | | | | demands; skills employers and admissions boards like |
| took Advanced Placement classes and got A-'s or B's | | | | to see in applicants. |
| over a student who got A's but took only easy | | | | Also, just as colleges might ask, "Why should we admit |
| classes. They like to see that you have challenged | | | | someone who couldn't even attempt Advanced |
| yourself." | | | | Placement classes at the level of our easiest college |
| There's a reason elite colleges like to see that you | | | | classes?" graduate schools might ask, "Why should |
| have challenged yourself in high school: It's because | | | | we admit students who couldn't excel in the easiest |
| college courses are in general much more difficult than | | | | parts of our discipline (the fundamental courses) when |
| high school classes. If you have not been ready for the | | | | in college?" |
| challenge of Advanced Placement classes, how will | | | | So, as tempting as it might be to jump into cross-listed |
| you be ready for the challenge of the much more | | | | graduate courses or interesting upper-level courses in |
| difficult college classes? | | | | college, don't do this unless you are prepared and have |
| But it doesn't work like this in a top college. You don't | | | | the right qualifications. It might be a let-down to take |
| need to take the hardest classes available in order to | | | | "regular" classes after taking advanced classes much |
| prove that you are qualified for the next step, unless | | | | of your life, but the nature of the game has changed, |
| your next step is graduate qualifying exams or being a | | | | and now good grades in basic classes are vital. |
| professor yourself. Instead, if you are aiming for a job | | | | It's really the same message in both high school and |
| or graduate school, you need to earn good grades, | | | | college: Do well at the introductory and intermediate |
| starting in the foundational courses. | | | | college-level courses. However, in high school, this |
| The rule of thumb changes from, "Take the hardest | | | | strategy comes across as, "Take the hardest |
| classes available," to "Get the best grades possible in | | | | classes," whereas in college it's translated as, "Take |
| the basic courses." | | | | the medium classes; take what is recommended for |
| Why do grades matter? Good grades demonstrate | | | | students with your background. |