It’s that time of the year: course selection! It can be a stressful process for the underclassmen who are not used to making such big decisions. Luckily, this article will help answer any questions you may have and get some insight from upperclassmen.
To start, let’s cover the basics. Course selection opens March 6 and closes March 20. That’s a solid chunk of time to debate and submit. You can find the course selection form on your Sapphire Community Portal once it is opened. As long as the form is open, you can go in and edit whenever you want. If you don’t submit the form, then expect to be placed in whatever electives your counselor chooses for you.
Despite this, course selection can be really fun! I mean, you’re choosing the courses that will shape the rest of your high school career. At the same time, that’s a lot of pressure on your shoulders. Luckily, there are upperclassmen to help you along the way.
For starters, it’s important to stay organized through the process. I’d recommend keeping a list, whether it be on a device or on paper, where you keep track of the classes you’ve taken and how many credits they are. Make sure to track whether they are required or not as well. This strategy makes sure you complete all required courses, keep track of what you have taken and what you want to take in the future.
If you get through course selection, happy with your classes, but then get into class next year and realize that it’s not quite for you, fear not: there is an add-drop period where you can drop a class if it’s not working out. Since this is so readily available, I’d recommend giving your classes a chance, even the ones you’re not 100% sure about. Because it’s always undoable. If you don’t like it you can always drop, but maybe you’ll find something new you love. If that still doesn’t convince you, you can always reach out to upperclassmen who have taken the class or the teacher to discuss the course load.
But don’t take this all from me, take it from some of the other upperclassmen who have two to three years of course selection experience under their belt. First of all, let’s address the levels of classes. MT offers a wide range of levels such as CP, honors, AP and IB. But which is right for you?
Senior Addison Journey said that she really enjoys history and English and felt she would excel in honors and AP classes for those. However, she felt she would do better in CP STEM classes. Consider not only your strengths but also what you enjoy in a class. My suggestion is that if you don’t like a subject, then don’t take a rigorous class on that topic. You can also move levels during the add-drop period with the help of your teacher and counselor. Don’t feel the need to take harder classes because they “look good.” Do what is right for you! It will make your high school experience exponentially more enjoyable in the end.
On the same note, if you and your teacher disagree on what level you should pursue then you can always have a conversation with your counselor about what is right for you. Your teacher’s opinion is not the final say, but it is important to take their suggestion into consideration.
Many classes, especially honors and AP, have summer assignments that you’ll need to complete before the first day of school. The best way to prepare for the upcoming year is to simply do these assignments. Some of these assignments are longer than others. However, a good rule of thumb is to space it out over the course of the summer. Your future self will thank you later.
There are also online classes to take into consideration. While they can be helpful if you want a study hall, they are known to be more challenging in time management than regular classes. Online classes are self paced and pretty much all on your own time. If you want a class that is up to you to keep up with, then it would be a great option for you. However, if you find it hard to force yourself to do the work then maybe you’ll just want to take the regular class. Keep in mind that every class and teacher is different when it comes to course loads. One class may have much more work than another. I personally took online health and really enjoyed it. While others may have felt it was too much work at once.
Senior Carina Panzini took online Personal Financial Literacy (PFL) and felt that the workload was relatively light. However, that is not applicable to all online classes, seeing as senior Carissa Lusk felt that her online gym class was harder than any of the regular ones. These online classes are also available over the summer. Although summer courses can be relatively expensive, at least you can get the credit out of the way.
For those who have no clue what classes to take, here are some great suggestions: Journey said her favorite gym class was Lifetime Activities. She said this class was fun and sporty but doable for anyone. Senior Keegan Kavanaugh loved Team Aerobic Games (TAG) with Mr. Ammon since she prefers team games.
Journey also recommended AP Government and Western Literature and Thought (WeLT) since they are entertaining classes to be in. Senior Sean O’Brien said he loved Sociology because it allowed for conversation between peers in a controlled environment. He also enjoyed American Studies in Context because the topics covered are interesting and it’s a good alternative to your basic English class because it focuses on relevant pop culture and history rather than just reading some books.
I recommend any of the art classes offered because they are a great way to express yourself. Mr. Bear and Mr. Jones both give lots of room for creative liberty, which I find refreshing.
And if you’re still a little lost, you can always reach out to your teachers, counselors or other upperclassmen to help you plan your upcoming year. Good luck!
