How to Pick Your Classes

will ap chem get you into harvard? find out below

Sup mentee,

I know, I know, it’s been a while since we last spoke. I apologize for that, and I promise (hopefully) to be better (maybe).

Today, we’ll discuss tips for choosing classes for next year, but first, I want to wish all my Muslim followers a belated Ramadan Mubarak! And for everyone else, we’d love for you to join us on a day of fasting, and no, not even water. Let’s get into the tips!

Tip #1: GO HARD OR GO HOME

It’s common knowledge by now that the difficulty of your classes matters for college admissions. And I’m assuming if you’re signed up for this newsletter, you’re nerdy enough to want to go to a top school. In that case – I truly mean it when I say GO HARD OR GO HOME.

Course rigor — the difficulty of your high school schedule — is a key indicator of your academic readiness and is something top colleges look closely at. In fact, colleges will literally tell you how much course rigor matters in their admissions.

Most U.S. colleges release an annual document called the Common Data Set (CDS) with information on their admissions — and according to Yale’s CDS on page 10 — course rigor is “very important” in admissions.

So, how do you increase your course rigor? Take AP, IB, and dual enrollment classes (more on those later). We will focus on AP for now, as that’s what most of you will take.

Now, there’s no magic number of AP classes that will get you into the Ivy League — because your class schedule and rigor are directly tied to what your school offers. If your school only offers 4-5 AP classes and you take them all, you’re no worse off than someone who took 10 when their school offered 20.

Now, don’t immediately take 5 APs your freshman year – start with 1-3 and see how you adjust to the college-level difficulty. Maxing out on APs is not worth sacrificing your GPA and sanity — instead, you want to find a good balance of APs and Honors. For reference, I took 0 APs in 9th grade, 3 in 10th grade, 4 in 11th grade, and 5 in 12th grade. See the gradual scale-up?

Tip #2: See What Colleges Want

Speaking of the Common Data Set, this document also lists the classes colleges recommend or require. For example, on page 9 of Harvard’s CDS, they recommend four years of English, Math, Science, and a foreign language. They also recommend three years of Social Studies and two years of History.

I definitely recommend taking four years of the core subjects (English, Math, and Science), but it is okay to reduce your years of foreign language to make room for a harder class.

In fact, I only took two years of Spanish in high school since it stopped fitting into my schedule—and I still got into Harvard.

That said, Harvard itself understands that “there is no single academic path we expect all students to follow, but the strongest applicants take the most rigorous secondary school curricula available to them.” So, when in doubt, take four years of your core subjects while prioritizing course rigor.

Still, perusing colleges’ Common Data Sets to see what classes they require or recommend is helpful. Just Google a college’s name + the phrase “Common Data Set,” and check out section C5.

Tip #3: To Dual or Not to Dual

Whenever I make a video about AP classes, my comment section is full of people saying, “Dual enrollment is the best thing on the planet,” or “Dual enrollment is SUCH a better experience.”

I prefer AP classes because they offer a standardized exam, are nationally recognized, and have tons of free resources online. Still, I can’t lie—dual enrollment is a clutch program.

Dual enrollment is a program that allows you to take college-level courses at local universities. Real professors teach you and may even earn college credit and a GPA boost at your high school.

For more information on dual enrollment programs in your high school, I’d recommend emailing your guidance counselor one simple message:

“Hi, can you please send me any information on how to sign up for local dual enrollment programs?”

Well, those are my best three tips for choosing your classes! As per tradition, this week’s photo of the week is: “No, not even water”

#1 question every year

---

If you enjoyed this newsletter, shoot me a 😁 over DM at @mahadthementor on Instagram! And for all my Muslim readers, let me know how Ramadan is going for you.

And if you need help with college applications, check out Next Admit! We have a team of Ivy League consultants eager to help you navigate the admissions process.

Best,

Mahad(theMentor)