<p>Hi,
What is the meaning of a rigorous class? How do I know if I’m in a rigorous class or not</p>
<p>Tougher than a usual class. Is it honors or AP? Dual-enrollment? These would be a sign of some rigor. </p>
<p>Rigorous is relative. A math class that is rigorous for you (and the other average math students) might be a piece of cake for a math genius. The meaning is to send you out of your comfort study zone and to challenge your brain. </p>
<p>For purposes of college admissions discussed here, it means Compared to what other options you had. For example, our high school district had four levels for many core subjects: standard/honors/GT/AP. If a class is only standard or honors, then honors is rigorous. If it has all four options than honors is more rigorous than standard, but less rigorous than AP. </p>
<p>It can be a bit more complicated - in our school there are no 9th grade honors classes - so no extra rigorousness unless you take 10th grade level courses. Generally though if a school offers multiple levels of the same course College Prep < Honors< AP.</p>
<p>A “most rigorous” class schedule would generally mean that you take every course at the highest level available to you at your school, and you take four years of English and foreign language, math through Calc, the full sequence of sciences (Bio, Chem, and Physics), and three years of history, plus whatever arts/gym/health/etc classes are required at your school. You would also take the maximum course load available, so that depending on how things are structured at your school, you might double up in languages, sciences, or some other academic area. (This might well leave you with few or no study halls.) Every step down from this is slightly less rigorous, but in my experience the GC will still check off the “most rigorous” box if you don’t double up, for example. It really depends on the GC’s POV regarding where the threshold lies.</p>
<p>In our school system you have to be labeled “gifted” to take the gifted version of the class. We don’t have honors classes. So if you do not qualify to take the gifted version then you are still taking the most “rigorous” class available to you. On the other hand if you are labeled gifted and don’t take the gifted version then you are not going to get the most rigorous box checked.</p>
<p>AP or actual college class would be the most rigorous available to HS student. However, some schools do not offer many APs, they simply do not believe in calling classes “AP”. As my D. discovered in college, her regular HS Chemistry class was higher level than most others AP Chemistry classes. She ended up being hired as Supplemental Instructor and was teaching a lot of kids who had AP Chem., they were thankful for her clear instructions also. So, what is called the most rigorous in one school may not be so in comparison to another school. D. graduated from very small private HS that sends 100% of graduates to 4 year colleges. She never had anything below 100+% in her college Chemistry tests. It does not mean that all classes were like that, not at all. Most science college classes were very very challenging. </p>
<p>how can colleges tell if I’m not in the highest class as possible</p>
<p>how can colleges tell if I’m not in the highest class as possible </p>
<p>When your high school sends your transcripts to a college, they are accompanied by something call the school profile. This lists the courses your school offers, and how many are honors, and AP. This allows the colleges to gauge how rigorous your courseload was relative to what your school offers.</p>
<p>The school profile also includes the range of GPAs for your class.</p>