Entering high school has all the jitters associated with anything new – new friends, new activities to join, larger classes (maybe) – and, of course, the choice of classes to take. There are strategies to ensuring that your child successfully navigates the academic side of high school.

First and foremost, learn the graduation requirements for your school or district. Four years of English, four years of math, two years of a laboratory science, etc., are the common ones. Foreign language? Yes, for college-bound students, there will be a two-year requirement.

But graduation requirements are a trap. A requirement is a minimum. It is the least a student must take and pass to receive a high school diploma. Meeting a requirement is no guarantee for college admission. This is the most common misconception we hear from students – “I’ve already taken enough ______ (fill in the blank with their least favorite subject) – why do I need to take more?” The answer is, truly, you don’t NEED to. You can certainly take the minimum and earn your diploma. However, if you are thinking about attending college, you will have to adjust your college expectations to the fullness of your high school academic experience.

Next, rigor is a pertinent factor for the selected academics. How hard should the classes be? All regular? Some honors? AP? There is no one answer, as every student is different, has differing capabilities for managing difficult work in a variety of subjects, and may not be mature enough for the stress associated with multiple higher-level classes. However, colleges in general want to see increased rigor year over year, so thinking about adding rigor in the subjects that a student is successful in is often an appropriate plan.

Finally, as a student gets closer towards the end of high school, and especially if they have an inkling of what they want to study in the future, building an academic narrative can be crucial, especially if highly competitive colleges are in their application plans (and all state flagships, including UF, UGA, and U Michigan, are highly competitive). Selecting classes that build this narrative will strengthen an application and is a smart strategic choice.

High school class selection is not an activity that should be taken lightly; each year a family has the chance to intentionally set a path that can lead their student toward a successful journey towards college. Makes these selections thoughtfully, giving your son or daughter the opportunity to shine.

Marjorie Licht
Milestone College Prep
Director of College Advising