Being Busy Can Make Your Grades Better

Being Busy Can Make Your Grades Better This semester, I have been doing four internships. They have all fulfilled me and kept me quite busy most of the time. While being busy can sometimes be fun, and other times maybe not so much, I found that the level of productivity that four internships requires has helped me academically. Because I spend much time and energy on internships, I am already in the habit of doing a lot of work when I approach homework. My internships are all related to advertising and social media, so it is a smooth transition from my internships to my homework. It seems that being involved in so much has offered a flow that I didnt know existed in college. Although four internships in one semester might not be for everyone, I have enjoyed the experience of being busy. I have learned that being in work mode for most of the semester can add to your ability to take on bigger and more challenging assignments. I understand that my next two semesters may not be quite as active as my current semester, but I hope to take my new approach to homework into my future semesters. I encourage everyone to get involved in internships and opportunities as they see fit. Keep an open mind to the possibility of learning new approaches to your schoolwork when taking on any extra projects. At the end of the day, finding new ways to be successful with your grades will translate into any project you will be a part of after college as well. Jacob Class of 2019 I’m an Advertising student within the College of Media. My hometown is a place called Fairmount, Illinois, which is about 30 minutes from campus. I began my Illinois journey in the Division of General Studies.

King Lear The Tragic Hero - 957 Words

There are many â€Å"tragic heroes† in literature in many different genres. The aspects of a tragic hero include a good man who has royalty in his blood, one tragic flaw, suffer, and then overcome their flaw once they finally open their eyes to what is really going on. Not only do tragic heroes suffer, but they cause others to suffer as well, but this can play a huge role in a work as a whole. King Lear is the tragic hero in, of course, King Lear. King Lear suffers from not knowing who he truly is, and this brings a major downfall on not only him, but the downfall on many others, including his family. The fatal flaw that every tragic hero has is the cause of their suffering. King Lear’s flaw is that he still has no idea who he truly is.†¦show more content†¦King Lear doesn’t really care about the deaths of these daughters, but cares more about the death of his youngest, Cordelia. King Lear’s favorite daughter suffered greatly due to her father’s actions. She was his only true loving daughter, but he was too blind to see that, and so he casts her out. King Lear even tells her, â€Å"Better thou Hadst not been born than not to have pleased me better?† (1.1) She has been so faithful to her father, but he basically disowned her just because she didn’t compare her love for him to her sisters. Later on, her and her father get taken to be imprisoned, but Edmund sentenced them to death, telling the Captain, â€Å"Come hither, captain; hark. Take thou this note: go follow them to prison: One step I have advanced thee; if thou dost As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way To noble fortunes.† (5.3) Cordelia dies, but Lear then kills the man that hung her. Later on, Lear enters the castle with Cordelia in his arms yelling at the men, â€Å"Howl, howl, howl, howl! O, you are men of stones: Had I your tongues and eyes, Iâ₠¬â„¢ld use them so That heaven’s vault should crack.† (5.3) Lear is so mad at himself for what Edmud did. He has this hint of hope in the end that maybe Cordelia is possibly alive. He tries putting a glass up to her mouth, a feather to her lips, and even just seeing her breathe. Even though it was hopeless, Lear was losingShow MoreRelatedKing Lear: Lear the Tragic Hero1662 Words   |  7 PagesKing Lear: Lear The Tragic Hero The definition of tragedy in the Oxford dictionary is, drama of elevated theme and diction and with unhappy ending; sad event, serious accident, calamity. However, the application of this terminology in Shakespearean Tragedy is more expressive. Tragedy does not only mean death or calamity, but in fact, it refers to a series of steps which leads to the downfall of the tragic hero and eventually to his tragic death. Lear, the main character in King Lear was affirmedRead MoreKing Lear as a Tragic Hero997 Words   |  4 PagesThe play of King Lear is a tragedy like many of Shakespeare’s plays, and many of them deal with the tragic hero that end up meeting their demise thanks to their tragic flaw. The tragic hero of this play is King Lear, and he is a man that is a ruler of the kingdom of Britain in the 8th century B.C. He is a very old man surrounded by grave responsibilities, which are taking care of the land and taking care of the citizens of the kingdom. Lear the tragic hero must feel suffering and contrast those goodRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of King Lear1310 Words   |  6 PagesKing Lear, one of William Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, depicts a society in uninviting circumstances. Tragedy is depicted by the downfall of a noble hero, usually through a combination of arrogance and fate. The tragic hero s wish to achieve a goal encounters limits, those of human inability, the gods, or nature. As with all t ragedies, there exists a tragic hero, one who possesses a calamitous flaw that establishes the tragedy and all the sufferings that follow. In this play, the tragic heroRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of King Lear1277 Words   |  6 Pagesthere is no salvation for the tragic hero or any sign of optimism in the conclusion. This bleak portrayal of King Lear, through his losses, makes him the ultimate tragic hero, and the play an ultimate tragedy. In every tragedy, of course, there is a tragic hero. A person who has good intentions, but leads the story to ruin through a fatal, and uncontrollable, flaw. The plot of the book centers around the consequences of King Lear’s flaw. Throughout the play, King Lear loses his land, his honorRead More King Lear: Lear The Tragic Hero Essay1617 Words   |  7 Pages King Lear: Lear The Tragic Hero nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The definition of tragedy in the Oxford dictionary is, quot;drama of elevated theme and diction and with unhappy ending; sad event, serious accident, calamity.quot; However, the application of this terminology in Shakespearean Tragedy is more expressive. Tragedy does not only mean death or calamity, but in fact, it refers to a series of steps which leads to the downfall of the tragic hero and eventually to his tragic death. Lear,Read MoreIs King Lear A Tragic Hero Essay1358 Words   |  6 PagesKing Lear, one of William Shakespeare s greatest tragedies, depicts a society in grim circumstances. As with all tragedies, there exists a tragic hero [1] , one who possesses a fatal flaw that initiates the tragedy and all the sufferings that follow. In this play, the tragic hero is undoubtedly the title character, King Lear. The plot is driven by the power and consequence of losses, more specifically, the losses of Lear. In the course the play, King Lear, because of his flaws, loses his authorityRead MoreKing Lear and Antigone as Tragic Hero Essay1626 Words   |  7 PagesBecause Lear is capable of change, he becomes a tragic hero; because Antigone is incapable of change, she never becomes a tragic heroine. Aristotle defines a tragic hero as someone, usually a male, who â€Å"falls from a high place mainly due to their fatal flaw.† During the highest point of the tragic hero’s life, something is revealed to the protagonist causing a reversal in their fortune. This reversal of fortune is caused by the flaw in their character. Tragedy evokes catharsis, a feeling ofRead More traglear Tragic Hero in King Lear Essay1591 Words   |  7 Pagesa series of steps that leads to the downfall of the tragic hero and eventually to his tragic death.nbsp; Lear, the main character in King Lear was affirmed as the tragic hero because the play meets all the requirements of a tragedy.nbsp;nbsp; In order for a character to be qualified as a tragic hero, he must be in a high status on the social chain and the hero also possesses a tragic flaw that initiates the tragedy.nbsp; The fall of the hero is not felt by him alone but creates a chain reactionRead MoreSuperheroes, Despite Their Differe nt Powers, All Possess1581 Words   |  7 Pagesmaintenance of strong morals. Similarly, King Lear, the tragic hero in William Shakespeare’s play, King Lear, possesses characteristics that define him as a tragic hero, as stated by Aristotle in Poetics via A.C. Bradley’s The Shakespearean Tragic Hero. King Lear is a character of high social status, and he possesses exceptional qualities that make him a well-respected king; however, throughout the play’s events, he suffers tremendously in an unusual manner. In addition, Lear, despite being a â€Å"good† characterRead MoreThe Tragedy Of King Lear By William Shakespeare1671 Words   |  7 Pagestragedy. Within his theory of tragedy is the concept of the tragic hero, whose great, ironic flaw leads to his own downfall. The tragic hero is of an elevated position in society but should, all the same, be a character with whom the audience can relate. The hero undergoes a massive revelation and experiences dramati c enlightenment. The tragedy of King Lear, written by William Shakespeare, illustrates the story of a proud and self-centered king, whose obtuse judgement shapes his demise. Lear’s impulsive

Renewable and Nonrewable Energy Resources Essay - 1505 Words

Renewable and Nonrewable Energy Resources Energy is used as part of everyday lives and can be used in one form or another. Energy is about doing work and it is all around us. Animals need energy to live and machines need energy to work. Energy exists in many forms, such as: - Light - Heat - Electrical - Mechanical - Atomic - Chemical-etc. There are different types of energy resources. They go into two groups, which are Non-renewable and Renewable. NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES ============================== Once non-renewable resources (natural resources) are consumed they cannot be replaced. The main energy sources used by humans are non-renewable†¦show more content†¦It comes from tiny plants and animals remains that used to live in oceans over a million of years ago. As their remains built up on the ocean floor, layers of sediment were formed and gas was produced by heat and pressure. Gas is cleaned and processed after it has been taken from the ground to get rid of impurities. After this it is pumped into storage tanks and carried around the country. Natural gas really has no smell but the distinctive smell has been added as a warning of leaks. The advantages of gas are: - Shrinks when cooled - Turned into liquid, when put under pressure. - Easily portable in liquid form. The production platform of gas to homes: 1) Gas is pumped to processing plants on shore. 2) Sent to compressor station. 3) Into storage tanks. 4) Gas companies supply it. 5) Into peoples homes. 6) Gas metres record how much gas is used. Oil Oil is a very important fuel and is used for many mostly to make them run smoothly. Oil is used as one third of the energy we use today. There are many types and in many forms; one form is crude oil, which comes straight out of the ground. It can be used in many different ways, like: v In power stations- oil is burnt for the heat energy it can provide. v In engines- that convert heat energy

Heroism Free Essays

We need heroes in our society, or in any society, because they give us someone to model ourselves after. The average human being, however pushed around or caged in they may be is unwilling to brave the dangers inherent to resolving the problems that plague them. Crime may overwhelm a city, but we do not care until it affects us personally; and even then we only usually worry about whatever facet of it has impact on our own life. We will write a custom essay sample on Heroism or any similar topic only for you Order Now We are inherently selfish creatures, and are possessed of a vile need to protect our own before, or even at the cost of, others. ? However, in the image of a superhero we see somebody who is willing to sacrifice themselves in order to improve our lot. Whether this is a fictional superhero like Batman or Spiderman, or a real life hero such as a soldier who throws himself on a grenade to save those around him does not matter. What matters instead is that we are given role models that exemplify what we know we should morally do, but what we often cannot make ourselves do. We see somebody take the initiative and right the wrongs, despite the dangers to themselves. A society without superheroes is a society without hope, where the human condition inflicts despair and misery alone. Without somebody, real or fiction, to model our behavior after, we will only continue to behave as selfishly as we can. Every religion is based on this ideal, from Christianity to Buddhism to Islam; we follow the example of someone who sacrificed him or herself for a greater cause, and in doing so we improve the lives of those around us. These religious heroes serve just as important a purpose of any other role model; they give us somebody to pattern ourselves after. We have all had a role model at some point in our lives, and many of us still do. They are what we cling to when we face hardship or a difficult decision. They are the people we think of in dark times, and consider â€Å"What would Jesus, or Abe Lincoln, or Jackie Robinson, or even Superman do? † And the answer is the idealized moral choice, one that we see exemplified in another. It is that action, which we see another take, which gives us hope that there can be a choice other than the selfish one, that there is a reason to take the hard path. The mass media influences our society today in what many should look up and follow their steps to. They create role models for the youth to base their decisions in life so they follow their role model’s actions. â€Å"Research on violent television and films, video games, and music reveals unequivocal evidence that media violence increases the likelihood of aggressive and violent behavior in both immediate and long-term contexts† says Anderson, (Anderson, The Influence of Media Violence on the Youth). This generation lacks leaders that positively impact the youth into doing virtuous and productive actions. The media should expose role models that demonstration good qualities to influence the individuals into following them. Instead they show bad role models for people to follow or for the youth to look up to. Quality a modern day leader should possess, Inspiring words, actions and emotions that propel others to go beyond their preconceived limits. The motives of a successful leader should be genuine and not just for show. Good examples of genuine motives to do good deeds are saints, who fit in the classification of respectable role models to follow. If people were exposed to the saint’s actions by the media today, they might be influenced positively than what the mass media shows presently. Whether if it is what we should wear, act, eat, or believe in, the media today dubs a certain â€Å"normal† to it. Rayuso explains, â€Å"Young people are in a stage of life where they want to be accepted by their peers, they want to be loved and be successful. The media creates the ideal image of a beautiful men and women and tells you what the characteristics of a successful person are; you can see it in movies and TV† (Mass Media Influence on Society). Young people look up to celebrities and their identity is reflected on them. Sometimes it’s a good thing and other times it is a bad thing. Celebrities need to function as a role model to their audience because the society today is greatly influenced by them. The media is everywhere and it is difficult for society to ignore. The ideal modern day role model should possess different positive qualities. They should possess characteristics of being model for children by displaying a general care and concern for everyone, openness to communication, and executing good examples of how to deal with certain situations. An admirable leader should inspire someone to mimic their good deeds for the community and bring out the best in them. I think the ideal leader for the 21st century will be one who creates an environment that encourages everyone to stretch his or her capabilities. A role model provides inspiration and motivation to pursue accomplishments. One should treat other how him or her would want to be treated. Treating others with respect no matter where they came from and taking full responsibility for their actions are other qualities. â€Å"You’ve got to have the highest ethical standards to be an effective role model, and have to lead, and create an atmosphere of ethical behavior in the society. Having good morals is the main key in being an ideal role model for those looking up to you. Being a role model goes hand in hand with leadership skills and standing up for your beliefs and taking action. Making poor choices on whom you want to admire and be like, many of the youth go through a rough path because of their role model’s choices in life that they choose to follow too. Good successful leaders are needed to transfer people into choosing decent choices while also respecting them. For example, Successful leaders improved the performance of people by not being forceful or intimidating. Good leaders bring out the best in people through trust, respect, and inspiration. The youth should consider looking up to someone who has heroic like qualities instead of what the mass media is feeding to them. Forbes defines heroes, â€Å"Heroes are people who perform extraordinary deeds or provide selfless examples. They go beyond what is expected. We live in an age that does not want to acknowledge the hero. Rather, we want to look for people’s flaws. The media focusing on the celebrities poor choices and display it for the youth to see, making it common for them to be exposed to bad choices. The motives of the leader are important, and should be for pure intentions such as helping others, and not for the public recognition. Many people just desire to look good and do not really work hard to gain the rightful attention they deserve. he media today display celebrities that don’t have the best ethics or choices for the society to absorb from. The mass media tend to show celebrities partying, drinking, and using drugs, which if anything, influence the youth into following the celebs’ choices instead of encouraging them to do productive activities. They also do not hold up certain qualities needed to make an ideal role model, leader, or hero unlike saints. John water explains, â€Å"The young do not really have models, except perhaps from the television. They do not even know themselves. It is true because courage is an essential quality in heroism. Heroes have courage to be true to themselves. They are celebrated for their courage, nobility, or exploits. Our choice of hero / role model reveal what we value, and what is important to us therefore; we should base our choices on good examples seen in righteous models who have a vision and show their beliefs through their How to cite Heroism, Essay examples

Psychotherapy Matrix free essay sample

Select three approaches to summarize. Include examples of the types of psychological disorders appropriate for each therapy. {Insert type of therapy approach}{Insert type of therapy approach}{Insert type of therapy approach} Summary of Approach The psychodynamic approach to therapy seeks to bring unresolved and past conflicts from the unconscious to the conscious, meaning childhood memories and past memories that are buried deep in your memory or ones that you wanted to forget, are brought to the fore front to be discussed. Indivduals use repression to push threatening conflicts into the unconsciousness. This approach explores brakes down the unconsciousness for the therapist and the patient. The behavioral approach therapy build on the basic processes of learning such as reinforcement and extinction, and assume that normal and abnormal are both learned meaning that you will learn things to modify behavior using some sort of conditioning which is classical or adverse. These types of conditioning involve some sort of action that reduces the frequency of undesired behavior by pairing an unpleasant stimulus with the undesired behavior to teach or learn lessons. We will write a custom essay sample on Psychotherapy Matrix or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The cognitive approach to therapy teaches people to think in more adaptive ways by changing their dysfunctional cognitions about the world and themselves meaning the cognitive approach helps people understand the thoughts and feelings that influence behaviors. People learn how to change their thinking and behavior. Disorders appropriate for this therapyAnxiety disorders that are appropriate for this type of therapy such as obsessive-compulsion disorder, bi-polar disorder, and phobic disorders. Disorders that are appropriate for this type of therapy include anorexia, phobic disorders, ADHD, autism. Disorders that are appropriate for this type of therapy include phobic disorders, depression and anxiety disorders.

Hawksbill Sea Turtle Facts

Hawksbill Sea Turtle Facts The hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate) has a beautiful carapace, which caused this turtle to be hunted nearly to extinction. Here you can learn about the natural history of this species.   Hawksbill Turtle Identification The hawksbill turtle grows to lengths of 3.5 feet long and weights of up to 180 pounds. Hawksbill turtles were named for the shape of their beak, which looks similar to the beak of a raptor. The hawksbill was prized for its shell, which was used in combs, brushes, fans and even furniture. In Japan, hawksbill shell is referred to as bekko. Now the hawksbill is listed under Appendix I in CITES, which means that trade for commercial purposes is banned. In addition to its beautiful shell and hawklike beak, other identifying features of the hawksbill turtle include overlapping scutes, and 4 lateral scutes on each side of its carapace, a narrow, pointed head, and two visible claws on their flippers.   Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ReptiliaOrder: TestudinesFamily: CheloniidaeGenus: EretmochelysSpecies: imbricate Habitat and Distribution Hawksbill turtles occupy a large range that stretches throughout all but the worlds coldest waters. They travel hundreds of miles between feeding and nesting grounds. Major nesting grounds are in the Indian Ocean (e.g., Seychelles, Oman), Caribbean (e.g., Cuba, Mexico), Australia, and Indonesia. Hawsbills  forage around  coral reefs,  seagrass beds, near  mangroves  and in muddy lagoons. Feeding A study by Dr. Anne Meylan of the Florida Marine Research Institute showed that 95% of a hawksbills diet is made up of sponges (read more about hawksbill diet). In the Caribbean, these turtles feed on more than 300 sponge species. This is an interesting food choice - sponges have a skeleton made of needle-shaped spicules (made of silica, which is glass, calcium or protein), which essentially means, as James R. Spotila said in his book Sea Turtles, a hawkbills stomach is filled with small glass shards. Reproduction Female hawksbills nest on beaches, often under trees and other vegetation. They lay about 130 eggs at a time, and this process takes 1-1.5 hours. They will go back out to sea for 13-16 days before laying another nest. Hatchlings weigh .5 ounce when they hatch, and then spend their first 1-3 years at sea, where they may live on rafts of Sargassum. During this time they eat algae, barnacles, fish eggs, tunicates and crustaceans. When they reach 8-15 inches, they move closer to shore, where they eat primarily sponges as they grow larger. Conservation Hawksbill turtles are listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Redlist. The list of threats to hawsbills is similar to that of the other 6 turtle species. They are threatened by harvesting (for their shell, meat and eggs), although trade bans seem to be helping the population. Other threats include habitat destruction, pollution, and bycatch in fishing gear. Sources CITES. Status of Trade in Hawksbill Turtles (Online). CITES Web Site. Accessed February 20, 2011, as of August 2015, no longer accessible.Mortimer, J.A Donnelly, M. 2008. Eretmochelys imbricata (Online) IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. Accessed on February 20, 2011.NOAA Fisheries. Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). Accessed August 10, 2015.Spotila, James R. Sea Turtles: A Complete Guide to Their Biology, Behavior and Conservation 2004. The Johns Hopkins University Press.Turtles.org The Atlantic Green Turtle (Online). Accessed February 16, 2011.Waller, Geoffrey, ed. SeaLife: A Complete Guide to the Marine Environment. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, D.C. 1996.

Which High School Classes Do Ivy League Schools Require

Which High School Classes Do Ivy League Schools Require SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips College admissions can seem like a giant puzzle, especially if you’re hoping to attend an Ivy League or other extremely selective school. Planning your high school schedule carefully is definitely important, but these schools' expectations aren’t as inflexible as you might think they are. In this article, I’ll provide a conciseoverview of what Ivy League admission requirements are forhigh school transcripts and give you some tips on how to map out your classes so you have the best shot at being accepted. What Are Ivy League Schools Looking For in Your Transcript? Ivy League schools want to see students who have consistently challenged themselves throughout high schoolby taking progressively more advanced courses and earning high grades. Here area few examples of Ivy League admission requirements from the school websites so you can see exactly what they say about their expectations for applicants' transcripts. All bold emphasis is mine. Yale â€Å"It is very important that we see a high level (or an improving degree) of rigor and success throughout your high school years.† â€Å"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.† Columbia â€Å"We hope to see that a student is challenging herself or himself with a rigorous course load.† â€Å"The admissions process at Columbia is a 'holistic' one, taking many factors into careful consideration. We do not rely on standardized testing and grades alone and instead look at all parts of every application to help inform our judgment.† Dartmouth â€Å"The majority of applicants have taken the following courses: 4 years of English 4 years of mathematics (often through calculus, if available) 4 years of social science 4 years of laboratory science 4 years of a foreign language† â€Å"Here’s what we want to know: Given the courses that your school offers, have you enrolled in a challenging curriculum? Have you had academic success that suggests that you'll thrive in the classroom at Dartmouth? If we answer YES to these two questions, then we look deeper into your application to better understand your particular areas of academic strength and weakness, subjects that interest you most, and your motivation for learning.† Based on these statements, you can expect a comprehensive review of your application by admissions officers at Ivy League schools, with an eye toward overall course rigor combined with impressive grades. If you’re taking the most challenging courses available at your high school and earning high grades, you’re on your way to a strong application.In the next section, I’ll talk more specifically about which classes you should take if you’re hoping to attend an Ivy League school. Start strong and stay on track. Keep running in circles until you realize that you have homework to do and this was just a metaphor. Which Classes Should You Actually Take? If you want to get into an Ivy League school, you’ll need to take the highest level classes that are available to you (usually Honors and AP courses) in most subjects.These schools expect you to challenge yourself more and more throughout high school and earn high grades up through your senior year. That being said, you don’t have to go crazy with a million APs senior yearto show how much you’ve grown.If you have a strong interest in math and science, for example, and aren't such a fan of English and foreign languages, you might be able to get by without taking the most difficult classes in your weaker subject areas. As long as you show that you are an extremely strong student in your specific area of interest (and have relevant extracurricular achievements to back it up), you will have a solid chance at Ivy League colleges. We saw in the section above that the majority of Dartmouth applicants have taken four classes in each core subject,which isn't too out of the ordinary.To give an even less demanding example of curriculum requirements for applicants, Princeton expects students to take four years of math (with calculus for students interested in engineering), English, and foreign language, and at least two years each of history and lab science.This is a perfectly reasonable expectation for almost any high school student. The mentality of â€Å"the more classes the better† can be very harmful.Don't overload yourself with extra courses in which you could end up dropping the ball.A failing grade is not something you want on your transcript, no matter how many hard classes you take! If you’re looking to fill out your schedule beyond the core curriculum, decide which subject areas are of special interest to you, and then take the most challenging classes or electivesavailable in those areas. Don't put yourself in a situation in which you're doing the academic equivalent of one-handed no-legged (?) pushups and trying desperately not to fumble. I'll give you a sample of what your core course record might look like in high school if you’re hoping to attend an Ivy League school. This isn't the be-all and end-all of schedules, so don't feel as though you have to copy it. It's just helpful to see everything laid out: Freshman Year Honors French 2 Honors Geometry Honors English Honors World History Honors Science and Engineering Sophomore Year Honors French 3 Honors Algebra 2 Honors English AP US History AP Biology Junior Year Honors French 4 Honors Pre-Calculus Honors English AP Government AP Chemistry Senior Year AP French AP Calculus AP Literature AP Psychology Honors Physics I modeled this loosely after my own high school schedule (which I can verify did get me into Dartmouth), and as you can see, it’s not an insane number of classes. Keep in mind that this is just a sample. Your school might offer more or fewerAP classes, or structure course tracks differently.For example, some schools have AP World History or Economics classes, which were not an option at my high school.Other schools might offer only a few AP classes or none at all, in which case you'd just take all Honors classes (or IB classes, if that’s an option).Colleges are aware of these limitations and will take them into account when reviewing your application. If you're an advanced student, you might finish the course track at your high school for a subject before your senior year. This happens especially with math and language classes. If you're done with AP Calculus after your sophomore or junior year, don't worry about being penalized if you decide not to take another math class in high school; you've already reached the level in math that Ivy League schools expect from most students. In this case, you might double up on science classes or classes in other academic areas that interest you during your last one or two years of high school. Try to maintain a relatively even balance of courses in different core subject areas as a baseline, while also taking care to emphasize your strengths. Not too interested in languages but love social studies classes? Even if you haven't finished the entire language course track, you can make the choice to take two social studies classes and lose the language.This shouldn’t hurt your chances as long as you’ve taken a language for three years already and are enrolled in the most challenging social studies classes. Make your passions apparent so your transcript gives colleges a sense of the unique qualities you’ll bring to the school. If you don't like studying languages, this might as well say "Welcome ... to your nightmares (a sus pesadillas)!" What’s More Important: Good Grades or Course Difficulty? Overall, selective colleges value a rigorous course load over perfect grades.An Ivy League school might accept a student who had all As and one or two Bs in the highest-level classes, but it probably wouldn’t accept a student who had flawless grades in mid- or low-level classes. These schools are looking for students who are up for an intellectual challenge and genuinely enjoy learning.If you’re in lower-level classes and earning straight As, you might not be challenging yourself enough.Taking the easy route to a good grade won't win you any points on your application. On the flip side, be careful about enrolling in a course schedule that's too intense for you.If your schedule becomes overwhelming, you might end up tanking your GPA (and your mental health!). It’s a delicate balance to strike between earning high grades and taking hard classes. Just know that you don’t have to take eight AP classes your senior year to get into an Ivy League school. If your schedule gets too intense, your hair could start turning gray, and in severe cases you might even be driven to purchase shutter shades. How Should You Go About Actually Choosing Your Classes? If you're the planning type (which you probably are since you're reading this article), you can map out your entire high school schedule early on in your freshman year. Structure your schedule so that you end up taking courses that are relevant to your strengths as a student while also fulfilling core curricular requirements.Your school shouldhave a course directory that you can look through for this purpose. Leave some spots in your schedule open to more than one option in case your goals change as you progress through high school. For example, if you're interested in both AP Psychology and AP Government but only have room for one, you can give yourself the option to pick between them later on. It's also smart to consult with your guidance counselor in the process of choosing which classes you'll take. If you have a specific college in mind, look at the application requirements toverify you'll fulfill them.Since your guidance counselor will know how other students with certain course schedules fared in the college application process, he or she might be able to give you advice based on the experiences of past students who were admitted to the school that interests you. Talking to your guidance counselor can be helpful, but make sure they're always holding an official-looking folder. That's the only way you know you can trust them. Stock photos never lie. What Else Should You Do If You Hope to Attend an Ivy League School? Apart from your grades and course schedule, your test scores will also be important to these colleges. On the SAT, you should score above 1500 for a solid chance of admission.On the ACT, you should score at least 33.Expectations might even be a bit higher depending on which Ivy League school you're targeting. If you want a good chance of attending one of these schools, especially the most selective Ivies, you'll also need to develop your application apart from test scores and grades. If you can accomplish something in high school that goes above and beyond what most students have done, you'll stand out from the crowd.This could be anything from winning an artistic competition to designing an app to making a breakthrough scientific discovery.These are just random suggestions, and everyone is different. But if you show that you're passionate about something and capable of acting on that passion to produce something unique, you'll have a leg up on the competition. For more details, read our comprehensive guide on how to get into an Ivy League school! Become one with the yellow flower. What's Next? If you're hoping to attend a very competitive college, you may be interested in your high school class rank. Read this article to find out what a good class rank might mean for you. Think you might be interested in branching out on your own academically in high school? Learn more about how to take an independent study class. If you've already completed a semester (or a few semesters) of high school, you can use the information in this article to calculate your current GPA and see how you measure up. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: