I'm a senior in high school and I'm finishing up this June. I originally applied for an advanced diploma. One of the ways to get this diploma is I have to pass 4 math subjects (Algebra I, II, Geometry and Calculus). Yeah, I'm not that good at math so I'm having trouble with the last core subject. Anyway, do colleges really care if you have an AD or no?
Most colleges care about your GPA, to a lesser extend your class rank, and your ACT\SAT scores. If it is a school with a lot of competition like Harvard or Yale, they care if your family are alumni and how much they have donated, and use things like AP and honors classes to raise the bar of entry. If you plan to go to state college, pursue a major that is not engineering\math focused, are not going for any scholorships that it is a prereq for, or your college of choice won't accept the calculus credit and make you take it again anyway, it is pointless to pursue that diploma. You getting that diploma is as much\more about your high school getting recognition as it is about you getting into college. Talk to the admissions department of colleges you are applying for and find out for sure - most of them will ask what the heck you are talking about. Ignore your high school guidance counselor, they have another agenda...
I was actually planning on become a graphic designer and a historian (two things that I like). My guidance counselor seems to put a lot of the more difficult classes in my schedule so I can try to get something I probably won't need.
Well, part of the job of a guidance conselor is to get the kids who can do well in classes into those classes. Some kids will be pushed towards shop or sports, others into math, others into english and history. It is to keep the grades up, and the test scores high. Also they might think what you want to do is stupid, they just can't say that so they encourage you to take other classes to "broaden your horizons" as it were without fear of reprisal from parents - or you http://pbfcomics.com/37/ Speaking for the USA, History majors have over a 15% unemployment rate out of college (most people don't work in that field when they do start working). Graphic Design is much better, but it is one of those location jobs - some towns have a lot of jobs, some don't. Most pay poorly at the beginning but if you do well it can be great. There is always something to be said for doing what you love
My dad does statistics for a community college. Here are the things he's learned. The single biggest determining factor for success in college is the level of courses you were taking in high school. The second highest is grades in your final semester. Third up is unweighted GPA. SAT scores mean little if anything. Take the most/hardest classes you can do well in. It'll prepare you the best for college. The advanced diploma may not mean anything on its own, but if it's requiring you to take better courses it should help. Unfortunately, schools don't always prioritize admissions in that order. The best way to get into a college you want to get in to is asking their admissions department directly.
It only matters if it includes other subjects as well. BTW your GPA isn't a big factor in getting into to some schools because that just compares you to others in your high-school while the SAT compares you to everyone in the country.
Are you already doing anything graphic design related? If you're not you should be. In that field it doesn't matter where you go to school its all about your skill and your portfolio. Same as in games.
You might get looked higher upon when finding a job right out of high school. That would be the best you can hope for out of it in my opinion. I did it anyway though, just because I am capable of it. I didn't feel it right to not excel. Besides, while I am applying for jobs, I get to put it on all my applications in hopes of cutting out someone else. That, and my 4 years of spanish lol.
Here's what happens to the most of Japanese people with an IQ of over 200+. "I'm so smart so I should spend millions of yen to enter the hardest college university in Japan, Tokyo Daigaku." *Spends millions* *Graduates* "Hmm, I'm a ToDai graduate so I'm sure I can pick whatever job I want." "What job should I pick?" ... *Still can't find a job.* *Does part time job 'til the rest of his life anyways*
