Course Selection and Expectations

High schools are beginning to plan for the next academic year. Counselors and students will soon start meeting to discuss what courses to choose. These conversations hold a lot of weight, and students need to be mindful of the impact these choices have. School Counselors know what courses are needed to meet graduation requirements for an expected diploma. They should have the course progression mapped out for each year of the student’s high school career. IECs may not know the state or school requirements, and should research this before offering any advice. The rest, however, is often at the student’s discretion. Decisions like weighing grade consistency, balancing rigor, enhancing critical thinking skills, and working toward post-high school interests should all be carefully considered.

There are several steps to creating a schedule. Start by looking at the options for the five main subjects: English, Social Studies, Math, Science, and Foreign Language. Are all five subjects required for four consecutive years? If the high school does not require it, do the colleges that the students are considering require it? I’ve worked with many students who do not have to take science or language senior year, but may be limiting options down the road if they choose to forgo them. When at all possible, I always try and encourage a fourth year of all five main subjects. It can be a good idea to show a student the recommended high school courses many colleges expect to see. When it comes to math and language often this requires more conversations.

Math is tricky. Depending on the major a student is hoping to declare in college, often calculus is the clear choice. I’ve seen many conversations lately about choosing statistics instead of calculus, and while I do think statistics is a great course and may even be better down the road, you would be hard pressed to find a college admissions officer saying they view them equally. When possible I would suggest a student trying for a competitive program try and take both. Often a math progression begins with algebra in ninth grade and doesn’t allow for anything more advanced than precalculus. If that is how the high school is set up it is fine, applicants will not be penalized for the way a school structures their course progressions. Just to confirm, a student can write in the Special Circumstances section of the Common Application that calculus was never an option for them.

Languages are also not always clear. Colleges will often state that they want to see a minimum of two or three years, but that does not mean it is what they prefer. When possible, four years of a consistent foreign language is always a good thing to have. If a high school offers Advanced Placement or Dual Enrollment I always recommend that because there is a good likelihood a student can place out of the requirement once enrolled in college.

With math and language out of the way, now the student needs to consider English, Social Studies, and Science. Here we need to discuss what they enjoy learning, how much rigor they can handle, and what they plan to major in. Taking all AP courses may look great on a transcript, but as I tell students and parents, nothing is more important than a student’s mental health. It is so important here to weigh options so there is balance. We want to see solid grades in challenging courses. That is not always easy to accomplish and looks different for each student. Future doctors and engineers will make choices based on their desire to show strength in science and analytics. Future lawyers and journalists may want to go heavy on the reading and critical analysis options.

Electives are another great way to show interest and strength. A future entrepreneur may want to take an optional finance course and a future social worker may want to learn about psychology. The best thing a student can do is read over their options, know their requirements, and discuss with their parents and counselors.