The information below provides an idea of what highly selective colleges (top 50) expect in terms of course rigor in high school. However, there are almost three thousand four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. with wonderful and individual programs to suit every student. High school is a time to explore different interests and develop skills in how to problem solve, conduct research, work together with others, and implement ideas into action. Many of these skills are learned in the activities students pursue outside of the classroom. Some students think the more extracurricular activities they do the better. This is not true. 8th and 9th grade are the time to explore to see what a student is interested in. Then, over the next three years students should hone and deepen their involvement in the activities they have chosen with the goal of leaving a lasting impact on their school and surrounding community.