AP, Honors, or dual enrollment? Which one?

At every college information session, a parent will ask, “Is it better to get a “B” in an AP class or an “A” in a regular class?” The admissions officer answers, “It’s better to get an “A” in an AP class,” and everyone moans. With an increasingly intense admissions process, decisions about what higher-level classes to take can feel daunting. Honors, Advanced Placement (AP), and Dual Enrollment all offer a competitive edge to applicants; however, there are differences between the levels of rigor, work, impact on GPA, and attainment of college credit.  

A student’s curriculum is evaluated in the context of their high school, so if ten AP courses are offered, and a student has just taken one, admissions officers at competitive colleges will wonder why. But if a high school only offers a couple of AP courses, students can’t be expected to take classes that don’t exist, and they would not be at a disadvantage in the admissions process. 

While students in honor classes usually cover the same material as in the regular class, honors provides a rigorous study of each subject, requiring more projects, tests, and time. Honors courses follow a teacher-designed curriculum. Honors are valued in the admissions process. However, unlike APs, they don’t offer college credit and are not as highly regarded.

APs are designed to give students a college-level course experience within a high school setting. We recommend that all students who take an AP course, take the exam in the spring.

AP exams are scored on a system from 1 to 5, with anything above 3 considered to be passing. While every university has a different policy, many colleges award credit for scores of 4 or 5 on an AP exam, and some for a score of 3. If they don’t give credit, APs can be used to place out of introductory courses, have the flexibility to double-major, or even help you have a lighter class schedule while doing an internship. 

In dual enrollment classes, high school students can take actual college courses taught by college professors or a high school teacher who has been trained and approved by the university. Programs, pricing, and course schedules vary by school. Classes are graded on assignments and tests, so unlike they AP system, one exam does not determine the outcome. Further, it’s not a guarantee that all dual enrollment classes will be accepted for college credit. 

Taking higher-level classes prepares students for a more successful future in college, while simultaneously giving them an extra nudge on the admissions table. Preparing for college is important, but so is preserving mental health and not overloading the plate with challenging classes. This might involve opting for AP classes in one’s stronger subjects or selecting a handful of APs to spread out throughout high school.

Admissions officers, of course, like to see intellectual curiosity, but they also like students who will contribute to the college community. Students who also spend time discovering and pursuing their passions outside the classroom will be attractive applicants. This means that finding a healthy balance between scholarly pursuits and extracurricular activities, community service, or other interests is just as important. Colleges are searching for dynamic individuals with various talents and perspectives who will diversify their campuses.

The Markers of College Readiness

Your teen may be academically ready to move on to college, but are they mature emotionally and psychologically? At home, they are surrounded by family and friends. Once they leave their support system, will they be able to thrive in their new surroundings?

In the book,The Stressed Years of Their Lives, authors, Hibbs and Rostain identify eight key components of social maturity that are considered predictors of college success:

Conscientiousness Is your teen ready to take responsibility for the consequences of their actions? For example, if they are caught cheating on a test, do they own it and understand why there are consequences, or do they make up excuses?

Self-management Are they ready to take over routine tasks? Can they wake up on their own? Can they complete their chores and make and keep appointments? Do they know how to rearrange their schedule, if needed? Are they able to demonstrate these skills in different environments?

Interpersonal skills Are your teens ready to make friends, deal with roommates, and find healthy social activities? One of the biggest challenges at college is navigating friendships and dealing with roommate conflicts and romantic relationships. Young adults with learning differences or social-interaction difficulties add another level of challenges. The impact of social media further complicates social relationships.

Self-control Can your teen resist temptation? Going off to college can feel like a free-for-all. They can stay up late, go out with friends, eat whatever they want, and play video games all night. Sounds simple, but do they know when and how to say no to staying out late, when there is a paper due the next day?

Grit Are they ready to cope with frustration, disappointment, and failure? Can your teen tolerate distress and find their motivation after a setback? Learning how to “hang in there” helps develop inner strength.

Risk management Can they have fun without taking too many risks? Remember that the immature development of the late adolescent brain contributes to “risky decision-making and reward-seeking drives.” Keeping communication open with your teen is essential in helping them navigate the decisions they make or want to make.

Self-acceptance Can your teen accept their faults and tolerate their mistakes without too much guilt or shame?

Open mindset/Help-seeking Often teens see setbacks or failure as shameful. Asking for help is a sign of strength and maturity.  Encourage your teen to ask for help - whether from a friend, teacher, or parent - since it is an important life skill. Maturity in adolescence is a work in progress that takes time and patience. 

These eight points should be developed over time and used as a framework for giving teens the skills to navigate the road towards adulthood. Further, your teen should be mature enough to handle the change that college will bring to their lives

Focus on Major: Data Science

With the widespread adoption of mobile phones and computers and the resulting huge quantities of data generated from these devices, there is now a demand for analysts to extract knowledge and insights from that data. It is now easier for organizations to learn about their users as they interact with the company’s website, social media, or mobile channels, all of which leave records that can be accessed and analyzed. Such datasets are information-rich and can help guide organizations to improve products and services. Accessing and analyzing this data requires trained data scientists, and demand for them is high. To address this demand, many colleges and universities have created programs specifically focused on data science and ancillary studies. 

What is data science?

Data science is an interdisciplinary field. In this major, students learn to combine statistics, computer science, mathematics, information science, and knowledge about systems to pull and analyze data for a specific purpose. As this is a rapidly changing field, data science degree programs aim to teach students how to think about the field flexibly and to engage critically with new problems.

An undergraduate studying data science will start by building a basis of knowledge in mathematics, particularly calculus and linear algebra, and take several statistics and computer science courses. While computer science will provide the programming skills needed to extract data and use helpful software tools, a statistical background will provide students with the analytical skills needed to interpret data scientifically. In addition to focusing on these core subject areas, many data science programs have specialized fields of study:

Machine Learning is focused on using data to make predictions. To do this, students learn the basics of neural networks and artificial intelligence to mimic how neurons in the human brain work together to solve problems and arrive at conclusions.

Data Analytics uses large data sets to find trends and answer questions. Data Analytics can be valuable to businesses and other organizations not only to improve decision making, but also to increase employee productivity and help create personalized customer experiences. 

Inference uses experiments, predictive modeling, and A/B testing of data to predict outcomes. Inference typically requires additional courses in statistics. 

Natural Language Processing (NLP) uses Machine Learning (ML) technology to enable computers to understand natural language as humans do. Whether the language is spoken or written, natural language processing can use AI to take data, process it, and make sense of it in a way a computer can understand.

What careers stem from this major? 

With an undergraduate degree, students can pursue junior-level roles as data analysts or data engineers at a wide variety of companies. While analysts focus on organizing and interpreting raw data, data engineers help build the systems analysts use. These careers can be found at both large and small companies in industries as diverse as healthcare, agriculture, technology, and consulting, to name a few. 

Within the role of a data analyst, there are specialties such as risk management, market research, and business analysis. Risk management analysts tend to work for insurance companies or on risk prevention teams. Typically, the goal is to ensure maximum profit. Students may also become database administrators, focusing their skills on overseeing a company’s database.

To pursue higher-level positions or research-based careers, students may also choose to obtain a graduate degree, which can take up to two years or more while they attend full-time.

Career Paths for Data Science Majors

Database Administrator

Data Analyst

Data Engineer

Market Research Analyst

·Applications Architect

Tableau Developer

Operations Research Analyst

Data Scientist

Business Intelligence Analyst

Risk Management Analyst

Market Researcher

Business Analyst

Clinical Data Manager

Quantitative Researcher

Avoiding Senioritis

Senioritis is a condition of the mind when high school seniors become unmotivated and feel academically apathetic. This usually happens in the last quarter of high school when mid-term grades have been sent, and college acceptances have been received. Students might decide to skip classes or turn in subpar work. It is important to remember that colleges’ offers of admission are conditional and often state, "Your admission is contingent on your continued successful performance." This means colleges reserve the right to deny you admission should your senior year grades drop. Students are expected to maintain their academic performance throughout their senior year. Every year, colleges around the country rescind admission offers. 

Signs of senioritis can be difficulty concentrating on schoolwork, caring less about grades, poor attitude, and out-of-control behavior. Suggestions for “curing” senioritis:

• Accept the feelings you are having and know that they are normal.

• Set academic goals in order to have a strong finish.

• Get a job and make some money to use for college.

• Find time to try something new that will feel invigorating, such as volunteering or trying a new activity.

• Spend time with family and friends.

• Celebrate your accomplishments. 

Colleges admit you based on the information in your application, and if there are any changes, you need to let the college know. If you have dropped a class that was listed on the transcript you submitted to colleges, your application has changed. Colleges receive your final transcript during the summer, and you don’t want to find out in July that you no longer have a place in the freshman class. 

It is much better to be proactive and explain why you dropped the class or your grades have dropped. If the drop in academic performance is severe enough to jeopardize your acceptance, admission officers can advise you on how to salvage your admission.
There’s another reason to keep working hard in school. It makes the transition to college-level work easier. That’s one of the advantages of taking AP courses, which require a high level of commitment throughout the senior year to prepare for AP exams in May. The anti-slacker curriculum built into AP classes will help you adjust to college coursework more easily.

If you start procrastinating during senior year, it’s difficult to get back to good study habits when you arrive at college, where there will be lots of distractions and no parents reminding you to finish your history paper before you go out for pizza with your friends.  

While you do need to keep your grades up, making sure you have some fun will help you avoid burnout. Just don’t go overboard. Summer is less than a few months away, and you will have plenty of time to work and play before going to college. 

It’s not only lower grades that can torpedo an offer of admission. While spray painting the school gym might seem like a fun prank to you and your friends, a disciplinary issue can also mean the end of your college acceptance.

Students who keep senioritis under control will get their reward when they embark on the great adventure of college, in just a few months. 

Steps to Success for High School Students

In the midst of worrying about college admissions, it can be easy to forget that your high school years aren’t just about getting into college. High school is an important time for developing the life skills necessary to do well in college and into adulthood. Here are five ways parents can help their high schoolers prepare for success in college.

Help your child choose the appropriate level of academic challenge. High school academics lay the foundation for academic success in college. However, this doesn’t mean that piling on a full slate of AP courses is right for every teen.  Encourage your child to make thoughtful course selections, taking into account both individual strengths and weaknesses, and a reasonable work-life balance. Also discuss how high school coursework aligns with what your student will be studying in college. For instance, strong quantitative skills are a requirement to do well in many college courses; taking math through senior year in high school can help make the transition to those courses go more smoothly, and is essential for all students planning a STEM major.

Cut the reins. It’s nice to be needed, but as your child nears the end of high school, your goal as a parent should be to be needed less. Gradually give your child more freedom to make their own decisions and manage their own schedule: for instance, making and attending a doctor's appointment alone, picking up a prescription from the pharmacy or dealing with a difficult coach. Sure, it’s likely that your child will make a few mistakes along the way, but it will be better to make those mistakes – and learn how to fix them – before going to college. 

Make reading a family affair. There are ways that you can help your child continue to develop the strong reading skills needed in college. Clip or email articles that might interest your child and suggest you discuss them. Ask questions about the books read in English class: What do you like about the book? What have you learned?  Better yet, get a copy of a few of the same books, read them yourself, and talk to your child about your thoughts and impressions of the books.  

Travel. College introduces students to many new ideas, cultures, and ways of doing things. Travel is a great way to help your teen get comfortable with new environments and people. You don’t have to go all the way to Europe on a fancy trip for your child to reap the rewards. Even a quick trip to a new city an hour or two from home can help your child begin to see how to approach the larger world that awaits them in college. 

Teach life skills. Academic success is important, but in order to live independently in college, your teen still needs to know how to do laundry, balance a checkbook, and make simple meals.   Make a list of all of the basic day-to-day tasks you do for your child today, and gradually teach your child how to do each one on the list. Along with practical skills, teens should also work on the communication skills that are essential when living with a roommate. Coping with their emotions and interpersonal skills are also important as they venture into their new environment. Don’t wait until the summer before college to get started. The sooner your child is able to confidently handle these tasks, the easier the transition to college will be.

Dealing with Deferrals

Early decision, early action, and priority applicants receive admission decisions in a time frame that coincides with the holidays. Some will be thrilled with acceptance, others disappointed by being denied, and still others left in limbo by a letter deferring the decision until a later time.  While disappointing, a deferral is actually a “maybe;” it’s important to stay positive and proactive. 

Understand that each college has its own institutional priorities. A deferral is their way of expressing that they want to measure you against the applicants who apply for regular decision. If this is a college that you are really excited about attending, understanding what the admission committee would like to see from you is essential.

Colleges may defer applicants because they need more information to make a decision.  Sometimes, the applicant’s grades may be in question; the admission committee would like to see some senior year grades before acting on your application.  A strong showing in challenging senior classes will help sway the committee to “accept.”  Have your mid year grades sent as soon as they are available to your designated admissions officer at your college.  Be sure to tell your school college counselor about any new achievements (academic and co-curricular) so they can mention these in their mid-year report.

Read the college’s deferral letter carefully; it will state exactly what type of updated information they would welcome.  Do not send information they are not seeking, and follow their requirements to the letter. If you’ve retaken the SAT or ACT in winter, have the testing agency send the new scores to the college.  If you have applied for Test Optional, inquire if other additional information might be helpful. Another strong recommendation letter (perhaps from a senior year teacher or an employer), copies of articles you’ve written for the newspaper, or other more recent evidence of achievement could be sent to support your application. But always send only what the college requests.

Sometimes, the decision is determined by circumstances that are beyond your control.  The college may be looking to increase diversity or, perhaps, has too many qualified applicants from your region.  You may be able to influence the final decision by letting “Deferral U” know your interest in attending. If appropriate, write directly to the admission officer in charge of your region, expressing your continued interest in attending and asking if any additional information would be helpful. 

Stay resilient and rethink all of your college options—many other colleges on your list are a perfect fit! Your journey doesn't end with a deferral; it can be an opportunity for personal and academic growth.

What's Next After Submitting Applications

Your applications are in and you are enjoying that wonderful feeling of relief that comes with the last early submission, but don’t put away those usernames and passwords just yet. Make sure to check your emails at least weekly, as well as the specific application portals for each college. Do not panic if you are notified that your application is incomplete, as the missing document probably has not been logged into the system yet by your high school. 

If you are applying for financial aid, make sure you are submitting required documents such as the FAFSA and the CSS Profile.

Be sure to keep up with schoolwork. Even if you have been accepted early at your favorite school, an offer of admission is always contingent upon successful completion of senior year. If your grades are significantly lower or you have lightened your course load, you could be jeopardizing your admission. Be sure to notify the admission office if you decide to drop a class or make any other changes to your schedule than what was noted in your application.

Some colleges will request interviews after you have submitted your application. Make sure to be prepared by practicing your interview skills. You may be asked to discuss your interests and experiences. Make sure you can answer the question about why you want to attend that particular school. It is also a good idea to have questions prepared for the interviewer. If you are invited to an interview and would like to prepare with your Journey Ahead counselor, feel free to text us or set a meeting to discuss.

Most importantly, celebrate your achievements despite the outcome of admission decisions. Be open to alternate plans. Sometimes they work out better than you expect.

It will likely be a few months before you learn whether you’ve been admitted. Try not to obsess about upcoming decisions. You have put your best foot forward, and it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your hard work during high school.