It’s that time of year again—everyone is registering for next school year, and your counselor is calling you into their office to talk about course selections. You and your friends are comparing schedules and your mind is all scrambled! If you’re struggling to decide what your next step should be in your high school career, this guide is just for you! Here are four things you should keep in mind when choosing classes.
1. Mental Health
We always have a tendency to let our desires get ahead of us, but we often don’t consider the outcomes of the choices we make. I’ve heard of several instances where a student thinks they can keep up with their schedule, but they end up barely getting any sleep each night. It’s always good to choose hard classes to include on your transcript, but our mental health is so much more important because it can enhance our performance.
2. Interests
Whenever you’re choosing courses, you want to focus on building a profile at the same time. What are some things you’re interested in? If you love coding and your school offers one, you should try a Career Technology class! Similarly, if you would like to learn something new about a topic, choose a course that is centered around that subject as well. Being a part of sports teams and academic teams is always awesome too! It provides you with an amazing community to be a part of.
3. Know Your Limits
This is sort of similar to mental health, but more stressed in the academic area. Making an A in an easier class is more worth it than making a B in a harder one. Not only does it improve what is called your weighted GPA, it also puts less stress on you throughout the school year allowing you to focus on other activities.
4. Grade Point Average
Your GPA is something you should consider once you know your own strengths. A grade point average is what’s used to determine your class rank; however, a perfect GPA isn’t always everything. Building a profile and centering your courses around what you’re passionate about is much more significant. Yet, a good GPA is always something to keep in mind. What to know about your GPA is that taking a harder course (honors or advanced placement) typically gives you a higher number of points. This can help raise your ranking for graduation year, so consider taking one of those choices if you think you’re up for it!
For more helpful tips for choosing the right courses for you, read Ayona Roychowdhury’s perfect semester plan.
