AVID FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions:

More Frequently Asked Questions 

• Why rigorous classes? 

  • Studies have shown that the rigor of a student’s secondary - especially at the high school level -  curriculum is the single best predictor of success in college.  In his seminal study, The Tool Box Revisited: Paths to Degree Completion from High School Through College (Washington, DC: US Department of Education, 2006), Clifford Adelman demonstrated that the academic intensity of a high school curriculum is essential to student success in college.  The National Association for College Admission Counseling’s (NACAC) annual State of College Admissions survey consistently finds that student performance in college preparatory classes is the most important factor in the admission decision.  Students shouwl be encouraged to enroll in honors and AP courses even if they have the impression that only “topl” students should take these courses or the fear that taking a challenging course might result in a lower GPA.  Advanced-level courses are worth the extra effort. 

  • Students don’t understand how much weight college admission officers give to advanced-level courses on an applicant’s transcript.  Admission officers are not impressed with straight As when they are all earned in “easy” courses.  Many colleges recaluculate applicants’ GPAs, giving extra points for honors or AP courses.  Students shoul drake a balanced load, one that allows them to evote the necessary time to each course.  Colleges look for quality, not quantity.  According to Dan Saracino, former assistant provost for enrollment at the University of Notre Dame, “Nothing is more important that the quality of the course load.” 

  • Examples of rigorous classes: 

    • Dual Immersion program

    • Advanced Placement (AP) - These classes cover the breadth of information, skills, and assignments found in corresponding college courses.  They align with the standards and expectations of leading liberal arts and research institutions.  They also provide motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to study and learn at the college level. Most US colleges and universities have an AP Credit Policy that allows studens who have taken AP courses or exams to earn college credit, placement, or both. 

    • Concurrent enrollment - This is an educational program for high school students run by CWC.  It allows students to take college level classes in their high school and, as a result, earn college and high school credit free.