My sister took AP U.S. History during her junior year. The teacher’s handwriting was so difficult to read that half the class could barely decipher the comments on their essays. Grading seemed arbitrary. The weekend workload was enormous. She worked herself ragged and finished with a 90.

That grade represented a great deal more effort than someone looking at her transcript would ever know. The transcript could name the course and record the result. It could not explain what her weekends had looked like.

Two years later, I faced the same choice: take that class with that teacher, or choose something else. I chose something else. After watching my sister’s experience, I knew I did not want to spend that much of junior year on just one subject.

Now, as a college advisor, I am grateful my mother gave me room to make that decision. She wanted me to challenge myself, but she did not insist that every available AP belonged on my schedule.

Look at the Whole Schedule

Course rigor matters in admissions. Students should build a strong academic foundation and challenge themselves across subjects. That does not mean taking every advanced class their school offers. Yale’s admissions officers make this distinction explicitly in their guidance on course selection.

A demanding class can be a wonderful experience. It can introduce a student to a subject they love, help them become a better writer, or teach them how to work through material that does not come easily.

The question is what this particular class will ask of your student, and how it fits with everything else they are taking.

If AP Biology has an unusually heavy workload and your student has little interest in biology, look at the alternatives with their counselor. Consider their preparation, possible college interests, and the strength of the full schedule. A different advanced course may make more sense.

Ask Students Who Have Taken the Class

A course description can tell you what students will study. It rarely tells you how long the assignments take, how useful the feedback is, or what happens when someone needs help.

Students who took the class recently can fill in some of those details.

Encourage your student to speak with two or three upperclassmen. Ask what a typical week looked like, which assignments took the most time, and whether they felt they learned enough to justify the effort.

Listen for specifics. “That class is impossible” tells you much less than an explanation of the reading, writing, tests, and support available. Different students also experience the same teacher differently.

Understand the School’s Process

Before making a final decision, have your student ask their counselor about prerequisites, placement criteria, and how the course fits into future options. Confirm which rules apply to next year’s schedule.

An upperclassman can describe the experience. The counselor can explain what choosing the course, or choosing an alternative, would mean. Both perspectives are useful.

Before Your Student Commits

Sit down together and look at the full week the proposed schedule would create. Include activities, responsibilities at home, and enough time to sleep.

Then ask which classes your student is excited to work hard in, where they are likely to need support, and whether the combination is manageable. Some worthwhile classes will be difficult.

Your student may decide that a demanding history course deserves a substantial part of their time. What matters is that they understand the commitment and have a good reason for making it.

Deadline: Sunday, September 20, at 11:59 p.m.

Go behind the scenes at the Library and learn how exhibitions come together. Teen Curators work with professional curators and create original work inspired by the exhibitions they explore. The fall program runs October 20 through December 17, with orientation on October 17. Students meet Tuesday afternoons from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building and Thursdays at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library. Learn more and register →

Why it matters: For a student who enjoys art, history, books, or storytelling, this is a chance to see where those interests might lead. Working on an exhibition can introduce students to careers they may never have considered.

Deadline: Monday, September 28; one recommendation letter is required

Brooklyn Museum apprentices explore art and art history while learning to lead programs for museum visitors. During the school year, students meet Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., with occasional Friday and weekend events. The internship continues into July and August 2027, when apprentices work Wednesdays through Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Learn more and enter →

Why it matters: Students get paid experience explaining ideas, working with the public, and helping visitors connect with art. The summer commitment is substantial, so check the full schedule before applying. Ask a teacher or mentor for the recommendation now so they have time to write it.

Register by: Wednesday, September 30

Students tackle a real business problem and present their ideas to judges from companies including McKinsey, Microsoft, and Procter & Gamble. Participants compete individually, and no business experience is required. Top prizes include up to $3,000 and an internship at a startup. Learn more and apply →

Why it matters: You can enter on your own, which makes this accessible to students whose schools do not have a business club or competition team. It is a chance to practice researching a problem, making a case, and explaining why your proposed solution could work.

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