At The Ivy Institute, we go beyond traditional methods to help students achieve their academic dreams. We actively engage in online forums, like Reddit and Quora, where we interact with diverse students navigating the path to higher education.

Our Reddit and Quora presence exposes us to unique and thought-provoking questions that often go unaddressed by readily available and mainstream resources. These questions reflect the various challenges and aspirations of students worldwide. To share their value with a broader audience, we've curated select questions and dialogues from Reddit.

Through these exchanges, our goal is to offer a deeper understanding of the college admissions process, provide guidance, and highlight the individuality in each student's journey. By sharing these exceptional questions and our expert responses, we aim to empower students aspiring to join Ivy League and top-tier institutions.

Recently, The Ivy Institute was asked this question on Quora, and we felt it would be beneficial to a far wider audience—particularly because we encounter this question a lot from students, especially those in rural school settings or urban schools with less resources.

So, if your school offers little to no AP/IB courses, will it hurt your chances of college acceptance?

The short answer is no.

It's important to note that colleges use a comprehensive approach when evaluating applicants. They take multiple elements into account, including your academic performance concerning the educational opportunities provided by your school. The absence of AP/IB or honors courses at your institution will not be held against you. Admissions committees recognize that not all high schools can offer these programs, and they evaluate your abilities and potential within the context of the resources only available to you.

With that said, what truly distinguishes successful college applicants is their proactive attitude towards learning and their dedication to self-improvement. Whether a school has 0 AP/IB classes or over 20 (and everything between), colleges will look to see how a student first maximized all of the options at their school and then sought opportunities beyond their school’s limitations. Given that a school doesn't offer advanced classes, a student has a unique opportunity to distinguish themself by going above and beyond to demonstrate their commitment to academic excellence.

At The Ivy Institute, we highly recommend exploring dual enrollment classes, summer courses at a community college, and online, self-paced AP or college-credit courses. Organizations like BYU Independent Study offer a wide range of AP classes that a student can complete at their own pace. This not only showcases a student’s passion for learning but also highlights their ability to handle challenging coursework independently.

Furthermore, a student in this situation might consider enrolling in online college-credit courses, such as those provided by the Harvard Extension School. These courses provide valuable exposure to college-level material and underscore a student’s readiness for the academic demands of higher education.

By taking these proactive measures, students not only enrich their knowledge and skills but also present themselves as a determined and motivated learner. This proactive approach can significantly enhance a student’s college application, making them a more competitive candidate.

Here is a list of colleges and organizations that offer online, self-paced AP and college-credit courses for high school students, along with their respective links:

1. BYU Independent Study

   • Website: BYU Independent Study

   • Courses: Offers a wide range of self-paced online AP courses.

2. Harvard Extension School

   • Website: Harvard Extension School

   • Courses: Provides online college-credit courses for high school students.

3. Stanford Online High School

   • Website: Stanford Online High School

   • Courses: Offers a selection of advanced courses for high school students.

4. Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY)

   • Website: Johns Hopkins CTY

   • Courses: Provides online courses for academically gifted students, including advanced options.

5. Excel High School

   • Website: Excel High School

   • Courses: Excel High School offers fully accredited online, self-paced AP, and ACE college-credit courses for high school students.

6. Indiana University High School

   • Website: Indiana University High School

   • Courses: Offers online high school courses, including some at the AP level.

7. University of California, Irvine Division of Continuing Education

   • Website: UC Irvine DCE

   • Courses: Provides online college-credit courses for high school students.

8. Penn Foster High School

   • Website: Penn Foster High School

   • Courses: Offers a range of online high school courses, including those at the college-credit level.

9. K12

   • Website: K12

   • Courses: Provides online high school courses, some of which are advanced.

10. Michigan Virtual School

    • Website: Michigan Virtual School

    • Courses: Offers online courses, including AP options.

11. EdX

    • Website: EdX

    • Courses: Provides online courses from universities worldwide, including some at the college-credit level.

Please note that the availability of courses may vary by institution and location, so it's advisable to visit their respective websites for the most up-to-date information on course offerings and enrollment details.