The courses you take matter in high school, as this is likely the first time in your academic career that you have any choice in what classes you will take. There are electives, honor courses, AP classes, and different tracks you can follow. While your choices are limited, and some are made for you, your options grow more expansive as you advance through high school.
In this article we will outline how tracking and course selection work in high schools generally, give general advice on how to select courses, and then go through some of the questions we hear most often from students on course selection. For advice on AP courses specifically, see our guide to AP classes, or our International Baccalaureate guide for advice on them. Let’s get started!
High School Course Tracking
Most high schools have several “tracks” of coursework that students follow. Generally these are remedial, on level, and honors/advanced. We recommend all students who are interested in college pursue the honors/advanced track if possible. Colleges use your high school course load to estimate both your academic aptitude and motivation, and taking a less-than-challenging course load indicates to admissions officers that you aren’t fully committed academically.
It can be difficult to change which track you are on once it is set. Once you are “behind,” it becomes much harder to catch up. We recommend all students aim for the honors track when they first enter high school, or earlier if it is an option before then.
Which track you end up on is determined by school, but is usually based on performance in middle school, and your teacher’s recommendations there. Parental advocacy can be a thumb on the scale here however. If you are concerned about which track you are on, and which courses are available to you, scheduling a meeting with a guidance counselor can be useful. These should be polite, and framed in the context of trying to get your student the resources that will best serve them.
Some schools have specific tests which determine which track you will be on. These are generally administered at the end of 8th grade. Other schools begin tracking even earlier, with the separation between honors and on-level students beginning in middle school. Each district, and often each individual school handles this differently, based on the edicts of their particular school board, state, principal, and other influences.
How Course Selection Works Logistically
This varies greatly between high schools, but most have some basic requirements you need to fulfill in order to graduate. You need a certain number of years of English, math, science, social science/history, a foreign language, and gym. Individual schools can have their own requirements, such as health courses or driver’s ed. These are the minimum requirements to graduate; more than the minimum is generally expected by admissions officers.
Around and within these requirements, you have room for electives. This again varies greatly by high school, as are which courses are available. Most actual course selection is done online now, though you will likely be required to meet with a counselor to gear recommendations on courses to take, and to advise you on the process generally. Most counselors will agree with any plan you present to them, so we recommend formulating a plan early on in high school to take you through all four years.
One time counselors will not automatically sign off on a schedule is when they think you are taking a course which is not on-level for you; this can mean taking a course they think is above your level, or one which is too easy for you. To take a harder course, you may need to get your parents involved, or find a teacher willing to vouch that you are prepared for the more rigorous curriculum.
Some courses also have limited availability. There are only so many teachers at a school who are qualified to teach AP Calculus for example, and they can only offer so many sections of it. Schools will try to balance supply and demand, but yearly variations can cause issues here. If you are unable to get into a course you requested online, you will need to meet with your counselor in person to try to resolve the issue.
High School Course Selection FAQ
Here are some of the most common questions we hear from students and parents regarding course selection.
Is it better to get a B in an AP or an A in a regular class?
We generally recommend going for the AP class. Admissions officers prefer to see that students have challenged themselves academically. A perfect GPA is less impressive if admissions officers see that you avoided courses which are generally considered difficult. They may also question if you are ready for the rigors of college if you went out of your way to avoid classes which are advertised as “college level.”
Can I take free periods?
We generally recommend this only if you are involved with an extracurricular at a very high level which takes up almost all of their time (such as preparing for a sport at an Olympic level), or are taking the most challenging load of courses and really need the extra time to work on homework and studying. In most cases, even a less challenging elective looks better on a transcript than simply taking time off. You should never have more than one free period per semester.
Some schools have built in free periods, which come opposite double length “lab” periods for science classes. Having these as free periods is fine, and will not impact your admissions chances.
We do recommend taking lunch every year, even if you do have the option to take another class instead. Proper nutrition is very important for growing students, and the extra class you take will not matter to admissions officers.
Do language APs still count if it’s my first/second language?
Yes. While it may not be the best class to take if you are already fluent, taking the AP exam can confirm fluency, or taking the class can help you solidify a less formal grasp on grammar and construction.
Note that this is also why AP Chinese is usually rated as one of the easiest AP classes, despite being taken by so few students. There is no shame in taking a language you are already fluent in, indeed, it is a common strategy for students to get an “easy” AP credit in.
What if there’s an elective I want to take that doesn’t relate to my main focus?
That depends on how much time it will take, and whether your schedule will be better served by another course. My high school limited the number of academic courses you could take, so I had elective credits in cooking, personal finance, and acting. That said, if an elective requires a major investment of time, then you should consider why you want to take it in the first place. If the course represents a major passion of yours that you want to explore, you can consider making it a larger portion of your Candidacy Building, and part of the activities you pursue more generally for colleges.
Are AP or IB courses better?
Colleges do not favor AP or IB over each other in a vacuum. Both can allow you to qualify for college credit, and both are generally the most challenging courses offered by a high school. For more information on what each program offers specifically, see our guide to AP courses, and our guide to the IB curriculum.
Do I need four years of each core academic subject?
While the actual course requirements for entry vary greatly by college, most do want you to have three or four years in each core academic subject at a minimum. The question we respond with is therefore: what else would you do instead? What courses would you take in place of your core subjects?
We generally recommend sticking with the core, unless you are replacing one with an extracurricular for a specific purpose. AP credits in high school can get you out of taking the same courses again in college, and most schools want to admit students who have gone above and beyond the bare minimum of academic preparation.
Final Thoughts
We have done our best to cover the most common questions we are asked about course selection by high school students, but we know we haven’t covered every eventuality. There are thousands of schools, each with their own quirks and courses, and their own problems to vex students and parents alike.
If you are looking for advice specific to your own situation, or want our help plotting your course through high school, schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can help you. Our candidacy building service is designed to help students like you make the most of your time in high school, and we always enjoy hearing from you, and helping you succeed.
