Are you interested in majoring in art, or are you interested in taking Advanced Placement (AP) science classes? There’s a good chance you want to do something completely different than either of those, but everyone has a future ahead of them. The classes you take in high school serve as steppingstones toward your future, making it important for you to choose classes that are right for you.
How Course Selection Works
Class Choice is a feature in PowerSchool that allows students to pick their own courses. Eighth graders selecting their classes for next year have more limited class options, and every year students get more opportunities to choose classes that fit their personal needs. There are some
courses that are available in every grade and some that may only become available when you are a junior or a senior. There are some courses recommended by former teachers, but parents and students can access override forms if they believe a higher or lower class would be better for the student. Class Choice will be open from Feb. 1-21 2024. Students can access choices later in the year, and classes are locked in on Mar. 22.
Choosing Courses
Students should take their own interests and plans for the future into consideration. It’s helpful to talk to family, siblings, and friends to learn more about the subject or qualities of a course. To determine your academic standpoint in these courses and receive advice, visit your school counselor.
Freshman Megan Summer said that she “took Art Major and Ceramics” because of her interest and talent in art. Students can use a similar tactic; choosing classes that will give them the experience they need to have for their career interests.
Determining Your Future
You should consider certain things when you’re selecting your courses, and some aspects may be different for everyone. It’s important to think about your future life path. If you’re not planning on going to college, you should select some electives that help you gain life skills. If you are planning on going to college, some colleges have academic requirements. Classes that help you gain knowledge of your interests and future career are key. If you’re planning on majoring in Psychology, you should consider taking College Prep, Honors, or AP Psychology. If you want to have a future with physical education, you should take related classes such as Physical Education Major, PE, Health, etc.
Another thing to keep in mind aside from interests is your academic skill level. If you excel and want a challenge in a class, you should take AP or Honors classes, and if you want a class that will just prepare you for college, you should take a College Prep class. AP stands for Advanced
Placement and includes college-level courses that can earn you college credit if you score high enough on the overall exam. Sophomore Jack Cuffiteli took AP World History this year, stating that he did so to ‘get a step up for college’. One of his main interests is history, and the course taught him new skills, including better note taking, and writing short answers. AP can be rigorous, but it is also the right fit for some students.
An Important Factor: Graduation Requirements.
The course selection guide emailed to parents and students provides more information about courses at Hatboro-Horsham High School and includes the graduation requirements. Students can take the path of the traditional diploma or the scholar’s diploma. Both have different requirements than the other, which means that students should be considering how many credits they are taking of each needed section. For example, the normal graduation requirements include at least three credits of History while the scholar’s graduation requirements include four credits of History. Students doing the scholar’s diploma are also required to pass at least two AP courses.
Course Selection is a confusing concept, but knowing how to do it efficiently is important for your future. Consider taking classes that are the right fit for you!
