After the holidays, many students and parents find themselves staring at a course planning sheet. These sheets list class after class that students can choose from to fill their schedules for the following year. While some classes are required each year (we’re looking at you, English), others are elective, meaning students can opt-in to take classes like different types of PE or music.
While choosing your classes can be fun and exciting, we know it can also be stressful, especially the closer you get to graduating. That’s why this month we’re giving you our best course planning tips here on the blog. Stay tuned all month long!
Why does course selection matter in early high school?
Whichever grade you’re heading into next fall, your course selection matters. In grades nine and ten, students can use their course selection to explore their interests and ensure they’re taking the necessary prerequisites for courses in their later years of high school.
For instance, if a grade 10 student thinks they’re interested in marketing, now might be the perfect time to take your school’s Media Design course. Similarly, it’ll be important that that same student ensures they’re taking the right math class at their school to allow them to take Pre-Calculus later.
Furthermore, being strategic in a student’s early years of high school could mean fewer classes to take during their busiest high school years. For example, if a student chose to take Pre-Calculus 11 over the summer between grades 10 and 11, they might choose to take Pre-Calculus 12 during grade 11, allowing them to take Calculus 12 in grade 12 (instead of trying to take Pre-Calculus 12 and Calculus 12 in the same year).
Why does course selection matter in later high school?
In grades 11 and 12, careful course selection becomes even more crucial. Now, students must consider which courses keep which doors open for the programs they’re interested in at university or college, so planning their high school courses with the future in mind is essential.
Strategic course planning becomes increasingly valuable during a student’s final years of high school, allowing them to have the right classes and the right number of classes for admissions. Some students may opt to take a socials 12 like Comparative Cultures 12 or Law Studies 12 in grade 11, meaning they have one more useable course for university admissions (we’ll talk more about useable and not useable courses next week).
Moreover, it allows for better distribution of a student’s workload and better time management during students’ busiest years of high school. Depending on how strategic students have been with their course planning, they may even have room for spares or work experience classes, which can give busy students more time to study or work.
If you need help with your individual course planning or have questions about the requirements for different universities and their programs, now is the perfect time to chat with one of our educational consultants. We’re also running our Course Planning 101 Workshop in February. Facilitated by Options founder and CEO Melinda Giampetro, this workshop arms students and parents with everything they need to know to tackle course-planning with ease.
