Discover the High School Classes That Ivies Require

Preparing to attend an Ivy League school begins as soon as students start selecting their high school classes. From 9th to 12th grade, every student can pick which classes they will take. Students have a certain degree of freedom to choose what courses they will take. The question now is, if you’re interested in applying to Ivy Leagues, which high school classes should you pick?

In this blog, we’ll be sharing everything you need to know about the high school classes Ivy League schools require—including how to get into an Ivy League school, what they look for in qualified students, as well as how to increase your chances for admissions.

• What Are the High School Classes that Ivy Leagues Require?
• What’s the Typical American Curriculum Like?
• What High School Classes Should You Take?
• How Should You Choose Your High School Classes?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What Are the High School Classes that Ivies Require?

Depending on your academic interests and passions, you can tailor your curriculum to focus on specific areas, such as taking more laboratory and STEM classes for a science major or more writing courses for a communications major. The key is to have a general idea of the major you want to pursue in college.

The following are the high school classes that will give you an advantage for admission in each Ivy League university:

1. Harvard University

Harvard suggests an ideal curriculum that includes the following subjects:

• English: 4 years, with extensive practice in writing
• Math: 4 years
• Science: 4 years biology, chemistry, physics, and an advanced course in one of these subjects
• History and Social Studies: 3 years, including American and European history
• Foreign Language: 4 years of one foreign language

2. Brown University

Similar to Harvard, Brown also suggests a well-rounded high school curriculum with a focus on the following high school subjects:

• English: 4 years
• Math: at least 3 years, preferably 4 years
• Science: at least 3 years, including 2 years of lab science
• History and Social Studies: at least 2 years of history, including American history
• Foreign Language: at least 3 years, preferably 4 years of a single language

3. Columbia University

Columbia University’s general guidelines for high school students include the following subjects:

• English: 4 years of English literature and composition
• Math: 4 years
• History and/or Social Studies: 3-4 years
• Science: 3-4 years of laboratory science
• Foreign Language: 3-4 years of one foreign language (ancient or modern) – taken during high school

If you’re interested in taking Engineering at Columbia, they have a unique high school curriculum they suggest you should take:

• Mathematics: 4 years (through calculus)
• Science: 4 years of laboratory science, including one year of chemistry and one year of physics (preferably in the last two years of secondary school)
• English: 4 years of English literature and composition
• History and/or Social Studies: 3-4 years
• Foreign Language: 2-3 years of one foreign language (ancient or modern) – taken during high school

4. Dartmouth University

Dartmouth’s suggested high school curriculum is quite similar to Harvard (except for English), requiring the following subjects:

• Math: 4 years through calculus for students interested in engineering and the STEM disciplines
• Science: 3 years of laboratory science with 4 years including physics for students considering engineering
• Foreign language: 3 years of a single language (ancient or modern) with 4 preferred

5. Princeton University

Princeton requires the following high school classes: 

• English: 4 years of English (including continued practice in writing)
• Math: 4 years of mathematics (including calculus for students interested in engineering)
• Science: At least 2 years of laboratory science (including physics and chemistry for students interested in engineering)
• History: at least 2 years
• Foreign Language:  4 years of one foreign language

6. Cornell University

Cornell requires students to complete a minimum of 16 units of high school subjects. Cornell also has specific requirements depending on the school you are applying to:

College of Agriculture & Life Sciences

• English – 4 units
• Math – 4 units (including pre-calculus*)
• Science – 3 units (biology, chemistry, and physics, recommended)

*Calculus is required for Atmospheric Science, Biological Engineering, Biological Sciences, Biology & Society, Biometry & Statistics, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Environmental Engineering, Food Science, Global & Public Health Sciences, Information Science, and Nutritional Sciences.

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

All departments under this college require the following high school classes:

• English – 4 units
• Math – 3 units
• Science – 3 units
• Foreign Language – 3-4 years
• If you’re interested in joining the College of Architecture, you must have 4 years of math (calculus is recommended) and 1 year of physics.

College of Arts and Sciences

• English – 4 units
• Math – 3 units
• Science – 3 units
• One Foreign Language – 3 units or completion of at least the third level of a foreign language sequence (e.g., Spanish 3)

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

Cornell has its own suggested high school curriculum for the College of Business depending on your specialization. If you’re planning to apply for a specialization under The Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, you need:

• English – 4 units
• Math – 4 units (including calculus)
• Science – 3 units (biology, chemistry, and physics recommended)

If you want to enter The Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, you need: 

English – 4 units

• Math – 4 units (including 1 in pre-calculus)
• Science – 2 units (including 1 in chemistry)
• Foreign language – 3 units (one foreign language; successful completion of level 3)

College of Engineering

• Science – 2 units (1 in chemistry, 1 in physics)
• Math – 4 units ( (2 in algebra, 1 in geometry, and 1 in calculus)

College of Human Ecology

English – 4 units

Math – 4 units (calculus is strongly recommended)

Science – 4 (including 1 in biology, 1 in chemistry and/or physics, and additional core sciences such as advanced biology)

School of Industrial and Labor Relations

• English – 4 units
• Math – 4 units

7. University of Pennsylvania

UPenn encourages students to consistently take classes in core academic areas—English, social studies, math, science, and foreign language—throughout your four years in high school. They do not require a certain curriculum but they do ask for certain competencies that you should possess, depending on the department you’re interested in: 

If you’re interested in entering the College of Arts and Sciences, you should have:

• a curiosity in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences
• an ability to apply classroom knowledge to the real world
• a strong preparation in a balanced and advanced college preparatory curriculum

If you’re thinking of applying to UPenn Engineering, you should have:

• an ability to innovate, design, and practically apply scientific discoveries
• expressed reasons for pursuing an engineering education
• a strong preparation in physics and mathematics, particularly calculus

If you want to join the School of Nursing, you should have:

• a commitment to patient care
• a desire to explore issues in healthcare
• a strong preparation in the sciences, particularly in chemistry

If you’re interested in applying to The Wharton School, you should have:

• an interest in the business to fuel positive change to advance the world’s economic and social well-being
• demonstrated leadership
• a strong preparation in mathematics, particularly calculus

What’s the Typical American Curriculum Like?

Before deciding on what high school classes you should take, we’d like to familiarize you with the general curriculum that a typical student takes in the US. The curriculums of American high schools are divided into three levels with varying difficulties: Academic courses, AP courses, and Honors courses. There are six types of academic courses students will encounter:

1. English
2. Math
3. Science
4. History and Social Science
5. Foreign Language
6. Arts

Now, talking about rigor—academic/regular courses are the starting point; afterward, Advanced/Honors and then AP, or Advanced Placement. Courses labeled as Honors would be challenging, emphasize rigorous thinking and independence, and have content difficulty around the college level. To enhance your academic profile, taking high school classes  under these advanced courses can be beneficial.

Students who take honors courses learn the breadth and depth of topics covered within the class at a more accelerated pace. The AP courses let students take the final AP exam for credits, including language credits for college if applicable. AP Courses are taught according to a syllabus developed by the College Board and provided to American high schools. All the classes have the same level of difficulty as introductory courses offered at U.S. universities.

What High School Classes Should You Take?

If you want to get into an Ivy League school, you’ll need to take the highest-level classes available to you—usually Honors, IB, or AP courses—in most subjects. These schools expect you to continuously challenge yourself throughout high school and maintain stellar grades through your senior year.

However, you don’t need to overwhelm yourself with an excessive number of AP courses in your senior year to demonstrate growth. If you have a strong interest in math and science, for example, and aren’t as enthusiastic about English or foreign languages, you might not need to take the most difficult classes in your weaker subjects.

As long as you excel in your area of interest and have relevant extracurricular achievements to support it, you’ll have a solid chance of getting into an Ivy League college.

For instance, Dartmouth generally prefers applicants to have taken four classes in each core subject, which is fairly standard. Princeton, on the other hand, expects students to take four years of math (including calculus for those interested in engineering), English, and a foreign language, along with at least two years each of history and lab science. These are reasonable expectations for most high school students.

The mindset of “the more classes, the better” can be harmful. Don’t overload yourself with extra courses that could cause you to struggle. A failing grade is not something you want on your transcript, no matter how many challenging classes you take.

When filling out your schedule beyond the core curriculum, focus on the subject areas that interest you the most, and take the most challenging classes or electives available in those areas.

How Should You Choose Your High School Classes?

You can plan your entire high school schedule early on in your freshman year.

Structure your schedule to take courses that align with your strengths as a student while also fulfilling core curricular requirements. Your school should have a course directory that you can review for this purpose.

Leave some flexibility in your schedule to accommodate changes in your goals as you progress through high school. For example, if you’re interested in both AP Psychology and AP Government but only have room for one, you can keep your options open and decide later on.

It’s also a good idea to consult with your guidance counselor when selecting your classes. If you have a specific college in mind, check the application requirements to ensure you’ll meet them.

Since your guidance counselor will know how other students with similar course schedules have fared in the college application process, they might be able to offer advice based on the experiences of past students who were admitted to the school that interests you.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.  Do you need 2 years of foreign language to get into college?

It depends on the university you’re applying for. However, it’s advisable to take at least two years of foreign language learning to earn valuable language credits for college.

2. How many AP classes are required for Ivy League admission?

As a general rule, you should take as many AP or advanced high school classes as you can handle without letting your grades slip.

Because the Ivy League represents the seven most prestigious schools in the country—and possibly the world—high school applicants are expected to present the best version of themselves. This means taking the most challenging classes available in each subject because doing so allows you to push yourself academically and makes high grades even more valuable in your college application.

However, you should pace your courses according to your abilities and interests. For example, if you’re stronger in foreign languages than in math and science, it wouldn’t make sense to take the most challenging math classes available. Don’t force yourself into courses you feel unprepared for, as low grades can do more harm than good.

3. What grades should I get in standardized tests for Ivy League admission?

Your standardized test scores will be important to Ivy League colleges.

You should aim for at least a 1550 on the SAT or a 35 on the ACT for a solid chance at admission. Expectations might be even higher depending on the specific Ivy League school you’re targeting. Keep in mind that some Ivies are now requiring test scores again after being test-optional in recent years.

Dartmouth and Brown announced earlier in 2024 that they will be making the SAT and ACT scores mandatory again. Yale also eliminated its test-optional policy but applicants can choose to submit their Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exam scores instead of ACT or SAT scores.

To improve your chances, especially at the most selective Ivies, you’ll also need to strengthen your application beyond test scores and grades.

If you can achieve something during high school that sets you apart from most students, you’ll stand out. This could be anything from winning an artistic competition to designing an app or making a significant impact on your community.

Takeaways

• If you’re interested in entering any of the Ivy Leagues, preparation is key. Learn the requirements early in high school so you can tailor fit your high school classes to your dream university’s curriculum.
• Your high school grades are important, but keep in mind that your extracurriculars are also a factor in Ivy League admissions. Balance is key!
• Ready to start making the perfect Ivy League application? We got you! At AdmissionSight, we have over ten years of experience in helping students achieve their dreams.