If you want college to be a part of your future, now is the time to start choosing the right high school courses not only to impress admissions officers with your course-load, but also to challenge yourself intellectually and prepare yourself for the next level of education. Here are some tips for selecting the classes you should take:
1.Don’t skimp on English: Although you should take all four core classes (Math, English, Science, and History) all four years of high school, such an option might be impossible at your school. But one class that virtually all high schools offer all four years is English, so don’t try to evade it. You must take an English class every year of high school in order to strengthen your reading and writing skills. Even if you are already an excellent writer and read above your grade level, it’s important to stay in practice.
2.Take AP/IB classes: If your school offers AP or IB classes, take as many as you can while still maintaining good grades. Although AP or IB classes are supposed to be college level, they usually aren’t, but colleges want proof that you are taking the most challenging course load available at your school. Also be sure to take the AP and IB tests, even if you doubt you’ll perform well on them. Colleges would rather see a low AP or IB test score than no attempt at all.
3.Enroll in academic electives: Plenty of students make the mistake of clogging their school schedules with classes like Chorus, Art, Guitar, or Gym. While it’s fine to take one of these classes each year, never take more than two. Your schedule should be filled with as many core classes as possible. It’s much better to choose electives like a foreign language, computer science, art history, economics, or anything else academic. If you are passionate about the arts or athletics, then take every level of the class available at your school (Art I, Art II, Art III, AP Studio Art, etc) because colleges admire consistency.
4.Take a foreign language: If your school offers foreign language courses, choose one (or possibly two if you’re a linguistic person), and take it every year if possible. If your school offers literature classes in a foreign language or AP/IB foreign language courses, try taking one if you think you can handle it. DO NOT take a foreign language for only one or two years and then jump to another one. Stick the same one for as many levels as your school will allow you to take.
5.These classes are winners: Certain classes never fail to impress colleges, so take them if you can: Calculus (especially BC if you’re a math or science whiz), literature classes (but avoid quirky ones like Symbolism in Dr. Seuss), advanced computer science classes, AP/IB history or English, advanced science classes, and the fourth level (or higher) of a foreign language.
6.Choose a focus: If you attend a big high school with a wide variety of course options, it can be especially overwhelming deciding what to take. Besides choosing a challenging course load, choosing a focus is probably the most important thing you can do when selecting classes. If you love history and think you might major in social science in college, then try to take as many history classes as you can, while still taking courses in the other three core subject areas. Here are some examples of focused course 9th through 12th grade sequences that would impress colleges:
For the Math or Science Whiz:
*Math: Honors Geometry, Honors Algebra II, Honors Precalculus, AP Calculus
*English: English 9, English 10, English 11, English 12
*Science: Honors Biology, Honors Chemistry, Honors Physics, AP Physics
*History: World History, Geography, United States History, Government
*Foreign Language: Latin I, Latin II, Latin III, AP Latin
*Elective I: Computer Science I, Computer Science II, Computer Science III, AP Computer Science
*Elective II: Gym I, Gym II, Honors Earth-Space Science, Probability and Statistics
For the Humanities Fan:
*Math: Geometry, Algebra II, Precalculus, AP Probability and Statistics
*English: Honors English 9, Honors English 10, AP English 11, AP English 12
*Science: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth-Space Science
*History: Honors World History, Honors Geography, AP United States History, AP Government
*Foreign Language: Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, AP Spanish
*Elective I: Economics, World Literature, AP World History, AP Human Geography
*Elective II: Gym I, Gym II, French I, French II
For the Artsy Kid:
*Math: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Precalculus
*English: Honors English 9, Honors English 10, AP English 11, AP English 12
*Science: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth-Space Science
*History: World History, Geography, United States History, Government
*Foreign Language: German I, German II, German III, AP German
*Elective I: Art I, Art II, Art III, AP Studio Art
*Elective II: Gym I, Gym II, AP Art History, Graphic Design
Planning for college is a long and often arduous process, but if you begin by taking the courses you need to succeed, you’re well on your way to getting into the school of your choice.
