[tadd]

One of the best things a highschool kid can do if they want to go to college is to head down the local community college while still in HS and take a few classes. Forget the AP, IB, and all that stuff.

Admissions rank having this as way above everything thing else the kid could do. Why? Community college is real college credit. Admissions job is to guess success from the application. SAT/ACT are just test predictors of college learning aptitude. Actually taking college classes and getting good grades isnt prediction, its proof of success. Plus its cheap.

The other benifit is that if they take the classes at night, they are typically in with adults with day jobs. Those folks usually want it, and are making time for it at night.

I never have taught HS, but have done science outreach so have some feel. I have never observed a HS class (AP, IP, whatever) that had the rigor of a college freshman chemistry class. Every AP student that I've ever had in organic chem who tested out of freshman chemistry had real issues finishing. The base knowlage just wasnt there. Not to say they cant or didnt do well, they just were learning two classes at once...

College is just a different enviroment than HS, especially after 2nd semester. They finally get that the Univeristy has their money and doesnt give a crap. Its all on them to learn.