College Guide/Choosing Classes

English You should take an English class all four years of high school. If possible, take the AP Language and Composition class in ../Junior year/, and AP Literature in ../Senior year/. Math Try to take the most challenging course that you can handle. A B- in Algebra 2 looks better on your transcript than an A- in Math 3. You should take 4 years of math, too. Science Try and take 3 years of science, 2 of which have labs. If you are planning on majoring in a science field, take science lab courses all 4 years. History Colleges would like to see at least two years of history - one of world history, and the other of American History. Again, this depends on your intended major - political science majors should probably take 3 years of history (1 AP) and AP Government in Senior year. Foreign Language Most colleges require two years of foreign language, if they require a foreign language at all. However, this does not mean you should stop learning a second language after ../Sophomore year/. Learning Spanish, Arabic, or Chinese can take you to places and jobs you never could've otherwise had. Electives If you enjoyed a specific elective in middle school, stick with it! Especially if it is in the performing arts, this can be a way to show your talent. Music electives impress colleges more than non-academic electives (such as woodworking or pottery), but unless you are very skilled at music, an academic elective (computer science, journalism) may be a better choice. Note that those electives mentioned are recommendations for exploration. If you already have a dream or passion, follow it, and choose the electives you really want to do. Admission officers look for individual stories and common threads expressed through your application instead of what's popular.