High School Course Selection: Things to Consider
Which courses you take in high school might be more important than you think.
Colleges consider a variety of things when assessing an applicant, from extracurricular activities to test scores. However, according to a 2016 report from the National Association for College Admission Counseling, grades and rigor of high school courses are among the most important factors that college admissions officers consider when reviewing freshman applicants.
Below are four important things to consider when planning your high school curriculum:
Challenge yourself with rigorous courses, such as honors or AP courses, but don’t overload yourself.
Have a conversation with teachers about what classes push you appropriately. Colleges love to see that students are challenging themselves with difficult course loads, but not beyond what they can handle. Choosing courses that are the appropriate challenge level allows you to ensure that you have enough studying time across all of your classes; you don’t want to compromise your grades too much just because you want the most difficult courses on your transcript. In general, it is better to take a harder course that you believe you can get a B or above in than an easier course that you’re sure to ace.
Focus on your strengths and interests.
High school is relatively early to commit to a career choice, but it is the perfect time to identify which areas of study interest you. If you have some idea of what you want to study in college, you can show colleges your dedication and interest by taking more courses in this field. However, while specializing in a certain area is helpful both for you to explore this interest and to show colleges what you might continue to study at their institution, it is important to maintain a sufficiently well-rounded course load (ex: if you’re interested in science, you still need to be taking english courses; you can’t only take science courses). Most high school graduation requirements require taking diversified courses anyway, but try to take electives in areas of interest rather than at random.
Think about your future plans.
Do you intend to go to a four-year college after graduation? Do you want to enter the workforce right away? Do you want to attend a military academy? Each of these paths warrants different considerations when selecting your courses in high school. If you plan to attend college, it’s important to challenge yourself with your courses even early on in high school. If you plan to enter the workforce, it’s important to identify an interest your career path might follow. Consult your college counselor for more insight on which courses you should be taking for certain career paths. Regardless of your future plans, you need to be sure you are fulfilling your high school’s graduation requirements with the courses you select.
Research the requirements of colleges that interest you.
Certain colleges have specific course requirements that you must fulfill if you plan to apply to their institutions. As early as you can, research colleges that interest you and ensure that you are choosing courses that satisfy any requirements. For example, the University of California requires that students take four years of English; if you are a STEM-oriented student who is considering applying to these schools, it is critical that you continue taking English courses all the way through high school, even if it is not your primary area of interest. Similarly, MIT requires that you take one year each of physics, chemistry, and biology, and math through calculus. They, like the UC schools, also require four years of English, despite being a STEM-heavy school. Check the websites of colleges to which you plan to apply to prevent missing out on crucial information that will influence your course selections.
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