“Can I drop Spanish?” and Other High School Curriculum Questions

Story by Anne Keogh
April 18, 2024

High school curriculum choices have gotten almost as complicated as placing a drink order at Starbucks.

“Yes, I’d like a Regular Science, please, medium difficulty so not too hot, with a block schedule if you have it, and a track to AP on the side…”

Regular, College Prep, DE, Honors, Advanced, Pre-AP, AP, IB… that’s just the beginning of the matrix of choices.

At least Starbucks doesn’t approve your drink order based on how you handled the last drink they sold you. Can you imagine?

“I’m sorry, kid. We know you spilled your drink in the car when you removed the lid to stir it two years ago, so even though you passionately love lattes, you are not allowed to order that drink again. How about a cake pop instead?”

High schools have long memories. Teachers have long memories. Transcripts have long memories.

The B- you fought for in Honors Biology in 9^th grade with a difficult teacher might actually come back to haunt you when you want to take AP Environmental Studies in 12^th grade. When you go to “order” it up, you might find that the handbook states you need an average science grade of 92 or higher to take APES, for example. Or you need the recommendation from your current science teacher (“I have an A-, but I don’t think she likes me…”). Or you have to meet with faculty or write a letter explaining your passion, appealing to a higher authority at the school. And then, even if you get approved for the class you want to take, you might get the news over the summer that it could not fit in your schedule after all because it conflicted with Orchestra.  

No wonder kids prefer Starbucks over school!

And then, there is the worry. The worry that the classes you do take will somehow be the “wrong” ones or won’t look competitive enough. That if you take AP when other kids take DE, your class rank might go down because AP classes take up a full year, whereas DE classes only take a semester. There’s the worry over who is teaching the class – not all teachers are great, and some can make a year miserable. Is it worth taking the class you want, if the teacher attached to it has a bad rep? There is also the worry about increasing rigor. Kids feel anxious: they want to drop world language after 3 years – but should they? They fear Calculus and would rather take Stats – but is that okay? And is it okay to take Study Hall?

First, mental health is important. Do not suffer through a year with a “terrible” (in your eyes) teacher. If you think the class is going to be stressful and go badly, then it probably will. No one wants you to have a terrible year.

But the transcript is important. It is the first place the Admissions Officer looks when opening your application file. When choosing classes, you want to keep your own sanity in mind first – but also keep in mind what Admissions Officers are looking for. Try to strike a balance.

Ideally, you will take all five core classes (English, History, Science, Math, World Language) every year in high school. And you want to take those five core classes at the greatest level of rigor you feel you can handle.

Admissions Officers know students *can* drop world language after 2 or 3 years, so they are impressed when students journey on to years 4, 5 or even AP. It sets you apart in your academic rigor.

Same with History, Math, and Science. Often, by end of junior year, you have satisfied graduation requirements with 3 courses in each. But press on! Admissions Officers love to see that you *could* have dropped science – but didn’t.

It is fine to take Study Hall!

Similarly, you can take any electives that you are interested in. Admissions Officers don’t really care about electives for the most part. They know you are satisfying a curriculum to graduate from high school. They do not prefer dance over art over fashion design – their eyes skim over these electives. So, along those lines, don’t pile your schedule with extra electives thinking it will look impressive. Electives, for the most part, never sway an AO. They are focusing on your performance and rigor in the five core classes. After that, they don’t really care.

At the other end of the spectrum: you don’t need to double up in two hard sciences in one year, either. AOs are not looking for you to take both AP Chem and AP Bio in the same year. Those are tough classes. Just taking one of them is all you need to show academic rigor. You also don’t need to spend your summers taking additional classes. AOs want to see you do something interesting in the summer – and school isn’t it.

There are a few tips to keep in mind: If you are interested in applying as a business or STEM major, you will be most competitive if you have taken Calculus by senior year. Stats is a popular class, but AOs are old-fashioned in many ways and want to see Calculus on the transcript.

So, as you stand at the “counter” about to order up classes, remember: the most important thing is to try to keep taking your core classes each year, at the highest level of rigor you can manage. And as long as you try to do that, you will succeed!

Now, I’m off to Starbucks…

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