Guide/02 Grades 9–11
Courses, Rigor & Grades
How colleges read your transcript, how many APs (or IB or dual-enrollment classes) is enough, and how to balance challenge with grades.
Chapter 7 of 863 min readUpdated October 1, 2026 Preview
Your transcript is the most important part of your application at nearly every college. Admissions officers read two things in it: how well you did, and how hard the courses were, compared with what your school offers.
This chapter explains "rigor," how many advanced courses is enough, the AP vs. IB vs. dual-enrollment question, and what to do about a bad grade...
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What’s in this chapter
- 1Rigor is judged in context
- 2How many advanced courses is enough?
- 3AP vs. IB vs. dual enrollment
- 4Balancing challenge and grades
- 5Grades and trends
- 6GPA: weighted vs. unweighted
- 7If you get a bad grade