Will a bad High School hurt my chances?

FourierSeries · 10-11-2012, 09:04 PM

Hello,

I'm a Senior male from a rural Indiana High School. We are rated in the bottom 50% of High Schools in the State, in one of the worst states nationally for education.

Sadly, there are also barely any colleges or universities at which I could have taken courses.

Instead, I have taken all AP courses possible as well as AP Calculus BC online and AP Biology online in addition to a self-study in Philosophy. I am also the only person in my HS's history to take AP Calculus AB as a Junior.

Will the ability to achieve beyond what is available at my school help my application, or will the strength of my HS lower my chances?

Thanks in advance, if you have any chances posts out there, I'll be more than willing to comment on them, just link me!

BeanTownGirl · 10-11-2012, 11:36 PM

Colleges look to see what your grades are AND how much you challenged yourself by taking the most difficult courses offered at your school. It looks like you have gone above and beyond in terms of what you have taken.
So it then comes down to your grades and test scores and the rest of your application package.
Colleges will not hold your high school against you. Continue to do the best you can and then do not worry about the things beyond your control.

Erin's Dad · 10-12-2012, 08:58 AM

I have no idea why you think IN is one of the worst states for education. By all evidence it is pretty much in the middle. Look at NMSF cutoffs and average ACT scores (which place it above the US average).

OperaDad · 10-12-2012, 01:03 PM

A bad school will hurt your chances, in as much as, you will not be as well prepared to take the SAT/ACT. Colleges adjust for differences in schools. But, if you scored a 29 on the ACT, but could have scored 32 on the ACT if you went to a better HS for 4 years ...

M's Mom · 10-12-2012, 06:32 PM

Actually, rural applicants are less common at many top schools so you have that in your favor. Don't undersell yourself!

And as others have said, you are evaluated against what was available to you. If you took the most rigorous coursework available, then you've done what you can. Sounds like you went above and beyond so don't lose sleep over it.