College Admissions
College admissions is a tricky and ever changing landscape, even more so in the last five years in a post-COVID world. With schools becoming test-blind or test optional, many students need to determine innovative ways to make their applications stand out. Today we are going to dive deeper into some of the things colleges are really looking for.
Why Colleges Care about AP & Honors Classes
It’s not just about the GPA anymore. Colleges dig deeper than your transcript’s surface. They want to know: Did you challenge yourself? Did you opt into academic rigor when given the choice? That’s where Honors and AP courses matter.
These classes demonstrate a student’s willingness to take on complex material and push through demanding coursework. Colleges know it. More importantly, students feel it. A student who has wrestled with AP U.S. History or survived Honors Chemistry enters college with a sense of resilience and the academic stamina to match.
Do Test Scores Still Matter?
Short answer, yes! Long answer, it’s complicated! A college counselor is your best friend when it comes to navigating these particularly murky waters. But at the end of the day, it is better to have a good SAT or ACT score in your back pocket than not. AP exams matter too, so make sure you plan your students course load effectively.
The AJ Approach
At AJ Tutoring, we help students thrive in their more challenging courses. Success in AP and Honors classes signals more than intelligence—it shows drive, maturity, and college readiness. That’s a signal admissions officers won’t overlook. If your school doesn’t offer the class you are looking for, then meeting with our For-Credit team or reaching out to Cypress College Prep may be the best answer!
