Choose your own adventure
Too many students sacrifice taking the classes they really want to take in order to take the classes they believe they should be taking. Many people seem to forget that the standard set of classes is not the best option for everyone.
Whenever there is a new opportunity at school, whether it is a class, a club, or an event, students are always being persuaded to join with the phrase, “it looks good on college applications.” I know with every academic decision I make, that phrase is present in the back of my mind.
Having the most prestigious list of achievements possible is a goal that many students hold onto throughout high school. Students tend to get so caught up with figuring out which classes will make them look the best, or taking the classes that everyone takes, that they forget to ask themselves what they really want to take.
When choosing our schedules, we are shown a list of classes that many students may take and it seems easiest to just stick to the model. I have no interest whatsoever in taking AP Human Geography, yet I thought it would be a good idea to sign up for it because it seemed to be what other people were doing.
High school is full of opportunities that are designed to allow students to try something new or to pursue what they’re interested in. The point of having such a wide variety of classes is for students to be able to focus on learning things that are of interest to them. However, when all students follow the same path that is supposed to lead to academic greatness, we lose the individuality that high school offers.
People fall into the same trap with Visual or Performing Arts (VPA). Students are most interested in finding the easiest way to earn their VPA credits and don’t consider whether or not the class is actually something they care about.
Taking a class because it’s an “easy A” wastes the opportunity to do something you’re really interested in. I have seen students sign up for electives knowing nothing about the class itself, just that it is rumored to be easy to pass. But what makes a VPA an ‘easy class’ is an actual interest in the subject and a desire to learn about it. Choosing something you’re curious about or have always wanted to try is a better use of your time than taking Photography because everyone else is.
I like to think of high school as an edition in the book series “Choose Your Own Adventure.” Each new page has options and you get to decide how the story unfolds. It is important to recognize that a certain class might not be the best option for every student.
Classes that allow you to pursue your own interests are just as important as every other class and taking all IB and AP classes in order to get into the best college does not necessarily guarantee success.
