Here is what the NACAC writes about that: “College Board: The National Association of College Admission Counseling’s annual State of College Admissions survey consistently finds that student performance in college preparatory classes is the most important factor in the admission decision. With this in mind, encourage enrollments in honors courses…even if your student has the impression that only ‘top’ 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.”