The more challenging the courses you take, the better. Another factor a college admission counselor probably will evaluate your you rank compared to others in your graduating class. The purpose of class rankings is to try to put the grades you've made in perspective so the counselor will know how you've performed in relation to your peers. Class rankings are determined by your grade point average. This process has pluses and minuses.
Some people view class rankings as important.
Others think they focus too narrowly and can easily misrepresent a student's work and abilities. Whatever school of thought may exist, class rankings are a criteria on which you will likely be judged. The Standardized Tests information page has more information about standardized tests, including tests required for admission to graduate and professional programs. If you've been in the workforce for a while and are just now considering going to college, your work and life experiences can go a long way toward gaining you college admission. Such experiences, often times, will be judged as more important than your high school transcript from many years ago or your SAT scores.