Electives for Freshman Year

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

Alright, so I’m currently in 8th grade and we need to fix our schedules for freshman year. So far my 9th grade schedule is:

/ = class is a semester long class
// = class is every other day for a full year

  • = spot for free elective

Honors Geometry (I’m accelerated in Math by a year)
Honors English 9
AP World History 9
Earth Science
French II

Gym//Chorus

Honors Algebra II
Honors English 10
AP World History 10 or AP European History
Biology
French III
Gym//Chorus

Health/Psychology (SS Elective)

Pre-Calculus BC
AP English Language & Composition
AP US History 11
Chemistry
Honors French IV

Gym//Genetics

Calculus BC or AP Statistics
AP English Literature and Composition I/AP ELC II
AP Government//AP Macro Economics
AP Physics
AP French

Gym//Astronomy or Ecology

Nothing is really set in stone past 9th grade, but I’ve just made a basic outline of my classes past 9th.

Chorus is the only class besides gym that is every other day in Freshman year, most people either have labs or Study Hall then.

I’ve dropped lunch in order to take another elective. Lunch is too long(40 minutes), and we’re usually allowed to eat during classes. Just wondering if anyone else has done this and if there is anything really any good reason to keep lunch on your schedule.

I’m taking all the possible Honors and AP classes a Freshman can take.

To graduate we’re required to take certain classes:
3 yrs. Math
4 yrs. English
4 yrs. Social Studies
3 yrs. Science
3 yrs. Foreign Language
.5 yrs. Health Education
1 yr. Art or Music
.5 yrs. Computer Science
4 yrs. of Phys. Ed. (Gym)
at least 1 yr. of additional electives

Okay, so now on to the actual electives.

Art: There is plenty of Art classes from 2D Art, 3D Art, and Art History. In 12th you can get into Honors Art if you do a variety of Art classes and excel in them. You also prepare an Art portfolio for college. I’m a little hesitant to take it because I’m not very artistically talented, but I need those credits.

Business: You can join the Academy of Finance, which gives you a set course of classes to take throughout High School. These include iComp I and II (which can be used for the comp. credit), Accounting I, Leadership Skills and Development, Banking and Credit, Personal Finance, and Business Law. You’re also expected to participate in DECA (kind of like Young Business Leaders of America) and run the School bookstore. You take a paid internship over the summer between 11th and 12th grade. You can receive a Career Technical Endorsement on your diploma. Not a big deal, you can get them outside of school for more specific careers (ex. Health Careers)

English: In 11th and 12th you can take classes like Drama or classes that are specific to certain genres of books, such as Fantasy or Science Fiction, or Creative Writing Workshops.

Foreign Language: I can choose to add Latin or Spanish. I’m hesitant to take Spanish because I’ll always be a year behind from everyone my own age. I’ll be in a class with everyone who failed it in Middle School. And I’ll never get to AP level. As for Latin, it’s dead… I’m unsure of its practical application in real life. I would love if someone who has taken Latin to tell me what they think about it.

Computer Science (Math Elective): I can take Computer Programming I and II for 1 year and then take AP Computer Science in 12th.

Music: There is Orchestra, Band, and Chorus. There is also classes like Music Theory, Music Composition, etc. I’m taking Chorus. Only taking it because I have space in my schedule. I took Orchestra in Middle School, played viola. I hated it. I’m unsure whether I’ll dislike Band as well or if I was just playing the wrong instrument. There is also Jazz Band and Marching Band outside of school.

Science: Just worth mentioning that in 12th grade I can take AP Biology or AP Chemistry alongside AP Physics. There is also classes every other day starting in 11th, such as Genetics, Ecology, Anatomy, Oceanography, and Astrology.

Social Studies: Canadian Studies is the only SS elective available for freshman. It is basically useless, you just watch hockey and you have to do a project on the War of 1812 at the end of the semester. Its basically a pushover class. However, starting in 10th grade you can take Psychology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice.

Tech: Tons of Engineering classes that make up a STEM program, starting with classes such as Drawing and Design for Production and Computer Aided Drawing.

To sum it up I can take Art, Business, another Foreign Language, Music, or Tech as well as a combination of other things.

The reason I am asking for help picking a schedule is because I don’t know what will help me most. None of the electives really appeal to anything I’m interested in, or they are already base classes. Outside of school I like learning new languages (I learnt Hindi/Urdu without a teacher, I have a basic knowledge of Italian, and I’m looking to learn Mandarin Chinese). I like rapping. I like snowboarding, basketball, running, swimming, and biking. I’m in Boy Scouts, don’t really like it. I love researching history. I’m very interested in politics. I’ve started learning some stuff about the stock market. I love reading, especially classics. I do not know what I want to be when I grow up. I would like to go to the Ivy League.

No idea what to do, please help.

If you read this whole thing, thank you.

2

Take what you think has weight on college admissions. Also take what YOU think will benefit YOU later in life (for your major in college). It would be helpful if you just listed the electives that you’re interested instead of writing paragraphs for each subset of electives.

3

Also, DO NOT drop lunch. Lunch acts as a study hall and a break from classes, it also gives you a chance to socialize.

4

Latin is also great if you want to be in science, and is the basis for most of all language. Your school wouldn’t teach it if it was obsolete in life.

5

Take Design and Drawing. It’s different from the rest of your classes and not homework or test intensive which is nice when adjusting to a high school.

Keep lunch. As mentioned above, it’s a good study hall (great for studying with friends for afternoon tests) and at my kids’ school, many teachers are available for help and to answer questions. Since you won’t have a regular daily study hall, that could come in handy.

6

agree^ If you like business/stocks go for the techy computer electives, my school even has business electives- not sure if yours does. I would recommend getting the req’d ones like art out of the way first though.
and you asked about latin… I’m currently taking Latin and French in school, and I personally love it! It serves as a basis for a lot of things, and I’ve even learned more about other languages (even English) through it. Plus, if you like history it has that aspect.

7

Not a fan of Latin here, unless ancient Rome interests you enough to spend years learning Latin to read things in the original. If you want a second language I would go with Spanish. Latin’s use in science is vastly overstated by Latin fans. Ok good for anatomy and taxonomy, branches of science that many scientists never study.

Don’t drop lunch. You should enjoy high school. Spend some time with your friends and you can also use it as a study hall when needed.

With your two half years of chorus you have your arts requirement covered, don’t you? So forget about those music and art classes that don’t appeal to you.

So look at what is left that fits your interests and pick something. Consider that at some schools the grade requirements are not written in stone. If there is a class which really interests you, and if you feel confident about doing well in it, ask your counselor if freshmen can enroll.

8

Alright, thanks. You’ve helped me think a little more. I’m most likely taking Latin and Computer Programming. Mathyone, I get where you’re coming from on the Latin thing. I thought of it the same way for a while, but since I really enjoy French class I want to take Latin too. If it doesn’t help in Science, at least it will help English and French, like northeasterngirl24 said. I would’ve prioritized Spanish above Latin, however I cannot reach AP level in Spanish, but I can in Latin. I also thank you for letting me know the grade requirements aren’t set in stone - I can take AP Computer Science, a 12th grade course, in 10th grade if I succeed in Computer Programming. I decided to take Computer Programming for fun. However I found out I cannot do Chorus. I have to do a Science lab every other day (everyone does). So to get rid of my Music/Art requirement, I’m allowed to take certain Tech classes like Drawing and Design for Production, which I think I’ll do later in High school. I’m also considering taking Band instead of Latin, the middle school band teacher says I can try out the saxophone for a couple lessons and if I like it I can do Band in HS. The Academy of Finance may also be interesting, they’re just a certain pathway of business electives as well as extracurricular like an internship and DECA. It is a program you have to apply for, so if I get in I might reconsider Computer Programming. It may make my schedule quite inflexible though, especially if I’m still considering Latin or Band.

To basically sum up the previous paragraph, I’m taking Latin and Computer Programming, however this is not set in stone and can be changed any time I want.

Also, I realize that everyone, even my own parents, my doctor, and other students, have advised me not to drop lunch… however I think I’ll have to go on my own judgement for this and drop it anyway. By dropping lunch I have a more flexible schedule. Also, many other people are dropping lunch, I’d say about 20% of people are dropping lunch, both in Honors/AP classes and regular classes. Many other people are saying they’ll drop it after Freshman year so they can get used to the school. Thanks, though.

My Current Freshman Year Schedule:
Honors Geometry
Honors English
AP World History
Earth Science
French II
Latin I
Computer Programming I and II
Gym//Science Lab

Couple other general questions I have about High School, if anyone can help:

Should I double up on Science? The traditional, regular pathway would go Earth Science -> Biology -> Chemistry -> Physics or AP Physics and/or

However, if I double up and become accelerated in Science, then the pathway would be Biology -> Chemistry -> Physics (only regular) -> AP Physics and/or AP Biology and/or AP Chemistry

Would it be worth it getting rid of all my electives to double up on science? From what I see it gives you more options, but I feel like it basically makes you take regular Physics instead of going straight to AP.

Should I choose between Latin or French past Freshman year or should I continue both past Freshman year?

Should I graduate early? What are the pros and cons?

Any clubs/extracurriculars to look for? I’m currently playing guitar, snowboarding, learning Punjabi, doing Boy Scouts, and I go the gym every other day. What clubs/extracurriculars should I do?

In 11th grade I’ll take AP US History, and in 12 grade I’ll take both AP Government and AP Macro Economics every other day. However, for 9th grade, I can either take AP World History or just regular Global Studies. But in 10th grade, if I do AP World History I have to do AP World History 2 in 10th grade, but if I do Global Studies I can either do regular Global Studies 2, or I can do AP European History. So I can either do AP World History in 9th and 10th, or I can do regular Social Studies in 9th grade and do AP Euro History in 10th grade. Is AP Euro History worth missing 2 years of AP World History? Especially since I’m doing French and Latin. Of course, I can do AP Euro as an elective after 10th. What should I do?

Thanks again to everyone who answered.

9

I’ve had early graduation recommended several times by my GC, but I ultimately decided that- for the moment- I’d rather not.

Graduating early would place unneeded stress on my family and I. I’d have to pass up a whole summer where I could be pursuing my real interests, a whole year of the options and opportunities afforded high schoolers, and a whole last year with my friends. I’d need to adapt to being younger than my peers in an unfamiliar place, all while living away from home for the very first time.

I’d rather get the free guidance, comradery, opportunities, and plain old time to grow up available to me right now.
Use your head start on those dreaded requirements as license to pursue your passions. You’ve got time in the day; go make an app (or something)!
You do you!