Help High Schoolers Make the Best Course Choices for Success in College
It’s not uncommon for high school students to allow their school’s counseling department to choose their course load - they’re the experts, right?
However, students who take control of their high school education and make conscious course selections with an eye toward their future build a solid foundation on which they can build on in college. To make the most of high school academia, students should be working to attain academic rigor and mastery - both of which are displayed through their course load and GPA.
There’s a myth that colleges are impressed by certain courses listed on an application; when in reality, colleges are focused on the student’s performance in those courses. Were those courses taken at the right level? Were they the right academic fit? Did that student challenge themselves, needlessly struggle, or just coast? Did the courses taken throughout high school build on one another?
Colleges want to see that the courses chosen in high school benefitted the student and their long-term academic goals rather than taken just to look good on college applications. Courses taken in high school matter.
The High School Courses Colleges Want to See
Colleges want to see at least 5 solid academic courses taken every semester.
ELA: At least 1 English course should be taken every year. ELA courses (i.e., American and English Literature) teach reading, writing, communication, linguistic, comprehension, and vocabulary skills. These skills are vital to any academic discipline or professional future.
Math: Most colleges want to see at least 3 years of basic high school math (i.e., Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry), and top-tier colleges are expecting to see 4 years with advanced math courses like Trigonometry and Calculus.
The basic math courses teach students how to develop mathematical knowledge (e.g., functions and equations, statistics and probability) as well as logical- and critical-thinking skills. These skills will prepare students for the content on the ACT® and SAT® math sections as well as developmental- and regular-level college math courses. However, high-level math courses show colleges that the applicant can handle more advanced-level college math courses.
Depending on the student’s intended major, having those advanced courses under their belt before college could make a massive difference for their college course load.Science: At least 3 years of laboratory science courses are a must for most colleges, with top-tier colleges looking to see 4 years. Lab sciences (i.e., Earth and Space Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics) teach students how to think empirically and analytically - skills that will serve them well both in taking standardized tests and undoubtedly throughout college and beyond.
Social Studies: Colleges are looking for students to take at least 1 full year of US History and at least ½ a year of US government, World History, and/or Geography.
Social Studies courses help students develop reading and writing skills as well as understanding of local and world events and cultures. Students learn how to analyze primary and secondary sources, compare and contrast ideas and viewpoints, and categorize information - all skills needed to excel on the ACT® and SAT®, but also in college-level courses.Foreign Languages: Most colleges want to see at least 2 years of the same high school-level foreign language. Top-tier colleges want to see more than 2 years. The specific language taken does not matter, as some high schools offer a wide variety, while other schools only offer one or two languages for students to study.
Foreign Language courses teach students problem-solving skills, concentration, improved memory, and mental flexibility - all skills that serve students well no matter what they choose to study in college.
In addition to the core 5 academic courses, colleges also want to see students who push themselves beyond the basics. Students who participate in the arts (e.g., art, music, journalism, fashion, filmmaking) and students who take challenging courses (i.e., honors, AP, IB-program [also known as International Baccalaureate] courses) show colleges that they want to stretch beyond ordinary high school courses. The arts teach students how to expand their minds and think outside the box, while advanced-level courses display a solid work ethic and higher-level academic goals.
Advice for High Schoolers
Create a plan with short and long-term goals. Students should be planning their course loads in advance with the help of their school counselors to be sure that they have chosen a cross-disciplinary track to follow. They should be proactive in getting placed in their preferred classes and regularly check in with their counselor to be sure that they’re being placed in the course levels that are the right academic fit while meeting their long-term goals.
Meet the high school requirements. Every high school has required courses and credits that students must complete in order to graduate. Regardless of long-term goals, these high school requirements must be met in the short-term; therefore, students must be proactive in making sure that they are ticking off these required courses every year.
Create an effective course work pattern. Colleges want to see students taking succeeding courses from the core 5 subject areas. Taking courses that build on one another (e.g., Algebra I and Algebra II, Spanish I and Spanish II, US History I, US History II - you get the idea) displays a positive and effective course work pattern as well as rigor and mastery in those subject areas.
Include electives that display intellectual interests. Colleges want to see applicants with well-rounded, comprehensive high school educations. Part of that breadth and depth is choosing electives that propel and challenge that student personally and creatively.
Colleges will want to see an applicant who chose to focus on electives from a specific discipline. For example, a student who takes Concert Band, Orchestra, Music Theory I, and Music Theory II shows that they challenge themselves personally and creatively rather than a student who takes Computer Programming, Fashion, Art I, and Woodworking. The latter shows a student who may have a lot of interests, but very little focus.
Seek advice from guidance counselors and teachers. While students may have the big picture in focus, they can benefit from seeking advice from their guidance counselors and teachers who can see little-picture issues that students may need to tackle and offer valuable feedback. Counselors and teachers are also assets for helping students find the right balance between school and extracurriculars.
Consider taking higher-level high school and college-level courses. Students should always be striving to challenge themselves. Maybe they entered into regular-level Algebra I their freshman year and had success. It may be worth considering an advanced-level Geometry or Algebra II course for the following year. Keep in mind, struggling is not the same as being challenged; this is why students who are considering higher-level courses would benefit from seeking advice from their counselors or, in this scenario, their Algebra I teacher.
As for college-level courses, many local colleges offer online and dual-enrollment college courses. If an advanced course is not offered at their school (say, Calculus II), high school students can enroll in an online college course or dual enrollment and earn college credits. Rowan College of South Jersey, for example, offers a High School Option Program (HSOP) which allows high school students to take Rowan College courses at a reduced tuition rate. Likewise, the University of Holy Cross offers high school students Dual Enrollment so that qualified juniors and seniors can get a leg up on college credits. Depending on their long-term goals, getting a head start on college-level courses could pay dividends for students in the long run.
College prep tutors need to be prepared to offer advice like this to their clients. It represents a value-add beyond what the test-prep giants offer and shows a dedication to truly personalizing a wholistic educational support experience.
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