耶魯大學(xué)的高中選課建議

“我是必須上四年的社會(huì)研究課程，還是可以開始第二外語學(xué)習(xí)，而這正是我真正想做的?”

他說:“我明年想在我們社區(qū)的報(bào)紙上寫文章，但是這就意味著我沒有時(shí)間上大學(xué)預(yù)修化學(xué)課。這會(huì)影響我的入學(xué)機(jī)會(huì)嗎?”

許多高中二年級(jí)和三年級(jí)的學(xué)生(以及他們的父母)想知道應(yīng)該選什么課程來提高他們進(jìn)入耶魯和其他競(jìng)爭(zhēng)激烈的大學(xué)的機(jī)會(huì)。盡管每種情況都是不同的，但這里有一些建議可以幫助指導(dǎo)您做出這些決定。

全面的招生方法

高中成績單幾乎總是學(xué)生申請(qǐng)時(shí)最重要的文件。但很難想象，在成績單上出現(xiàn)(或不出現(xiàn))某一門課程會(huì)決定申請(qǐng)人的成績。招生委員會(huì)不會(huì)根據(jù)申請(qǐng)人的推薦信、考試成績、活動(dòng)或高中成績單的個(gè)別內(nèi)容來做出決定。它認(rèn)為每個(gè)申請(qǐng)都是該學(xué)生的全面情況。

當(dāng)招生委員會(huì)看你的成績單時(shí)，它不會(huì)關(guān)注你是否上過任何特定的課程。看到你用困難的課程來挑戰(zhàn)自己，并且做得很好，你會(huì)更感興趣。

軌跡和趨勢(shì)

趨勢(shì)是很重要的。請(qǐng)記住，招生委員會(huì)主要關(guān)心的是你將成為什么樣的耶魯學(xué)生。因此，在你的高中生活中，我們看到高水平(或不斷提高的程度)的嚴(yán)格和成功是非常重要的。這包括你的大四。如果你想讓你的申請(qǐng)成為最具競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力的，你必須參加一個(gè)具有挑戰(zhàn)性的高級(jí)課程，并在其中繼續(xù)出類拔萃。大四不是輕松學(xué)習(xí)的時(shí)候。不要染上“畢業(yè)倦怠癥”!“招生委員會(huì)會(huì)在錄取前檢查申請(qǐng)人的大四課程和表現(xiàn)。

請(qǐng)記住，我們正在尋找的學(xué)生將充分利用耶魯和他們的才能。了解你在高中的學(xué)習(xí)情況可以讓我們了解你在耶魯?shù)膶W(xué)習(xí)情況。如果你在大學(xué)四年級(jí)甚至更久的時(shí)間里一直努力讓自己出類拔萃，我們認(rèn)為這是一個(gè)好跡象，表明你在耶魯也會(huì)這么做。這就是我們歡迎的學(xué)生類型。

環(huán)境

你們學(xué)校開設(shè)AP課程嗎?國際學(xué)士學(xué)位課程?都有?既不?我們知道你們沒有設(shè)計(jì)你們學(xué)校的課程，我們只希望你們?cè)诟咧刑峁┻@些課程的情況下才能利用這些課程。不同的學(xué)校有不同的要求，這可能會(huì)限制你能上什么課程。再說一次，我們只希望你能在你所能獲得的機(jī)會(huì)中出類拔萃。

平衡

耶魯沒有任何特定的入學(xué)要求(例如，耶魯沒有外語入學(xué)要求)。但我們確實(shí)在尋找那些上過一套平衡的嚴(yán)格課程的學(xué)生。一般來說，你應(yīng)該嘗試每年學(xué)習(xí)英語、科學(xué)、數(shù)學(xué)、社會(huì)科學(xué)和外語。

我們鼓勵(lì)你追求你的智力興趣，只要它不以犧牲你的項(xiàng)目的整體嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)性或你對(duì)大學(xué)的準(zhǔn)備為代價(jià)。當(dāng)你在選擇不同的課程時(shí)，要對(duì)自己誠實(shí)。你選擇一門特定的課程是因?yàn)槟阏娴膶?duì)它和它所帶來的挑戰(zhàn)感到興奮，還是因?yàn)槟阋蚕氡荛_一門不同的學(xué)術(shù)科目?

你也應(yīng)該記住，許多其他的名牌大學(xué)對(duì)入學(xué)學(xué)生都有最低的課程要求。最好是對(duì)每一所學(xué)校進(jìn)行個(gè)別研究。

問自己以下問題

當(dāng)你為即將到來的一年權(quán)衡你的課程選擇時(shí)，以下是一些需要考慮的事情:

我是否參加了一個(gè)平衡良好的學(xué)術(shù)項(xiàng)目，為我上大學(xué)打下了良好的基礎(chǔ)?

我準(zhǔn)備好學(xué)習(xí)大學(xué)水平的數(shù)學(xué)、寫作和科學(xué)課程了嗎?

我覺得我所上的課程有挑戰(zhàn)性嗎?

我的課程是否屬于學(xué)校里比較嚴(yán)格的課程?

我是在尋求挑戰(zhàn)還是在逃避挑戰(zhàn)?

總的來說，我的四年高中課程是我們學(xué)校最具挑戰(zhàn)性的課程之一嗎?

明智的做法是，首先向你的老師和高中輔導(dǎo)員咨詢哪些課程最適合你。毫無疑問，你將不得不做出一些艱難的決定，選擇哪些課程，如何平衡學(xué)業(yè)和課外活動(dòng)。我們希望這些建議能在您做出這些決定時(shí)有所幫助。

以下是原文：

“Do I have to take a fourth year of social studies or can I start a second foreign language instead, which is what I really want to do?”“I’d like to write for our community newspaper next year, but that means I won’t have time for an AP Chemistry class. Will that hurt my chances of getting in?”

Many high school sophomores and juniors (and their parents) want to know what courses to take to improve their chances for admission to Yale and other highly competitive colleges. With the caveat that every situation is different, here is some advice to help guide you as you make these decisions.

A Holistic Approach to Admissions

The high school transcript is almost always the most important document in a student’s application. But it is hard to conceive of a situation in which the appearance (or absence) of any one particular class on a transcript would determine the applicant’s outcome. The admissions committee does not make its decisions based on a piecemeal review of an applicant’s recommendations, test scores, activities, or individual elements of a high school transcript. It considers each application as a comprehensive picture of that student.

When the admissions committee looks at your transcript, it will not focus on whether you have taken any specific course. It will be far more interested to see that you have challenged yourself with difficult coursework, and have done well.

Trajectories & Trends

Trends are important. Remember, the admissions committee is primarily concerned with what kind of Yale student you will be. So it is very important that we see a high level (or an improving degree) of rigor and success throughout your high school years. This includes your senior year. If you wish to make your application among the most competitive, you must take a challenging senior program and continue to excel in it. Senior year is not the time to take a light course load. Do not catch “senioritis!” The admissions committee will check an applicant’s senior year program and performance before offering admission.

Remember that we are looking for students who will make the most of Yale and the most of their talents. Knowing how you have engaged in high school gives us an idea of how you might engage at Yale. If you push yourself to excel all the way through your senior year and beyond, we take that to be a good sign that you will do the same at Yale. And that is the type of student we welcome.

Context, Context, Context

Does your school offer AP courses? An International Baccalaureate program? Both? Neither? We know you did not design your school’s curriculum, and we only expect you to take advantage of such courses if your high school provides them. Different schools have different requirements that may restrict what courses you can take. Again, we only expect that you will excel in the opportunities to which you have access.

Balance

Yale does not have any specific entrance requirements (for example, there is no foreign language requirement for admission to Yale). But we do look for students who have taken a balanced set of the rigorous classes available to them. Generally speaking, you should try to take courses each year in English, science, math, the social sciences, and foreign language.

We encourage you to pursue your intellectual interests, so long as it is not at the expense of your program’s overall rigor or your preparedness for college. Be honest with yourself when you are deciding between different courses. Are you choosing a particular course because you are truly excited about it and the challenge it presents, or are you also motivated by a desire to avoid a different academic subject?

You should also bear in mind that many other selective colleges do have minimum course requirements for entering students. It is best to research each school individually.

Ask Yourself These Questions

When weighing your course selection for the upcoming year, here are a few things to consider:

Am I taking a well-balanced academic program that will provide me with a good foundation for college?

Am I prepared to take college-level math, writing, and science courses?

Do I feel challenged by the courses that I am taking?

Are my courses among the more rigorous ones available to me at my school?

Am I seeking challenge or avoiding it?

Overall, is my four-year high school program among the most challenging programs available at my school?

It is wise to first consult your teachers and high school counselor on what courses are most appropriate for you at your high school. You will doubtless have to make some difficult decisions about which courses to take and how to balance your schoolwork and your extracurricular pursuits. We hope that this advice helps inform you as you make those decisions.