Course Selection Tips
It’s that time of year again…
Bacon Academy’s Powerschool portal is open from March 28th to April 28th, which means it’s time to pick classes that you would like to take next year. For both underclassmen and upperclassmen, this can be an overwhelming experience; it’s a lot of pressure to have the freedom to decide what you want to spend your school days studying. Here are some tips to relieve the stress!
Don’t overbook your schedule. It can be easy to not think the future through and load yourself with a ridiculous amount of AP classes for the next year. This is not to say that you shouldn’t challenge yourself, but it is important to think it through when committing to a hefty workload. While signing up for multiple difficult classes, it is often easy to forget the amount of time and effort each of them require; although colleges do commend people for taking AP classes, it is often too overwhelming to take several at a time while attempting to earn decent grades in each. It is perfectly okay to not take an a difficult class if you’re not completely comfortable with the idea of it.
Similarly, don’t under-book your schedule. Bacon Academy offers a wide variety of fun electives; take advantage of these opportunities, as it’s the last time you’ll be offered interesting classes for free.
Try something new! High school is one of the last times before college where you can experiment with a variety classes. If you’ve always taken art classes, maybe try a tech class such as Digital Design or architecture. If you love tech, try something a little out of your comfort zone, such as a culinary or business course. Who knows, you might discover that you love it, which could help you figure out what you would like to study and work with in the future!
Don’t choose classes based on what your friends are taking. This is an easy way to miss out on opportunities you could really enjoy, and is something you might regret in the future. Remember, taking classes you’re interested in will only benefit YOU, so why eliminate this opportunity? Furthermore, don’t succumb to the peer pressure of taking a popular class if you’re not interested in it. You’ll end up disliking it and regretting this decision in the future. Taking classes you are interested in also allows you the chance to become friends with people who share similar interests as you.
Listen to your teachers’ recommendations. They know you best when it comes to the level of difficulty you can handle in your core classes, and their opinions are often the most accurate opinions you will receive on the matter. This isn’t to say that overriding a course level is a poor decision, but it is something you should talk to your teacher about, listen to their opinion on, and thoroughly think through.
Don’t worry- the end of course selection, on April 28th, is not the last date in which you can customize your schedule. If you would like to change anything between then and the beginning of the school year, email your guidance counselor to do so. There is also a 5 day add/drop period at the beginning of each semester if you find that the classes you signed up for are not working for you.
If you don’t get into the electives you have chosen this upcoming school year, don’t stress; this happens often, as it is hard to fit everyone in the school into every class they want to take. Guidance counselors try their hardest every year to accommodate for everyone, but this can be very difficult. As you get older, your schedules become more and more prioritized, so you will be more likely to get into the classes of your choice by senior year. In order to make this process less hectic, try establishing which classes you would like to take the most, in order to get a feeling of which classes you are willing to sacrifice in order to fit your preferred classes into your schedule.
Check out the 2017-2018 Program of Studies for more information on classes available to you:
