The Best Classes to Help Students for College
While college prep should begin before high school—at least in terms of getting the right mindset—the real preparatory stuff comes into play during grades nine through twelve. When you’re in high school, you will need to take into consideration the classes you take because different colleges require that you take different courses. Since admission requirements vary between schools, you’ll need to do some research on the colleges you’d be interested in attending as well.
But besides research, you will need to plan your high school course schedule so that you meet all of the requirements of your potential college choices. This can be difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing, so let’s discuss some of the basics.
Common College Admissions Requirements
When it comes to the classes you need to take in high school in order to get admitted to college, the specifics vary, but there tends to be a general trend toward the following:
English
You will typically need four years of English in high school in order to qualify for most colleges. Now, when I refer to “most colleges” I mean four-year colleges and universities. Community colleges and vocational schools have different requirements that usually do not involve high school course choices. The English classes you are offered in high school each year are usually those that count toward college admission, though check with your counselor to make sure.
U.S. History
A lot of colleges require that you have one year of U.S. History. There may be additional history course requirements, but the one-year of U.S. History is pretty specific. Check to see what your college requires and what your high school offers.
U.S. Government
A year of government is another common college admissions requirement. This way, students have a sampling of all of the major departments in a college so that they can choose their field of study with more confidence. Likewise, a year of government is thought to help students understand politics and to become responsible voters.
Economics
While not required by every college, again, it is a pretty common requirement to need to take economics in high school. This is usually only a semester long course, so it can be taken alongside an elective or some other semester course—which are somewhat rare in high school.
Science
The science requirements for colleges vary, though you can count on needing to take chemistry, biology and most likely anatomy as well. Remember that the requirements to graduate high school and those to be admitted to college differ widely. Talk to your counselor to see what the college of your choice requires.
Mathematics
For most college admissions, you will need to have taken Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II. These are pretty standard requirements and are thought to give you a well rounded knowledge of mathematics so you’ll be ready for college level algebra. Again, check to see the specific requirements before you start selecting your classes.
Electives
Electives are that wide, general category that include everything else that hasn’t already been mentioned. You can fill the elective requirements with art classes, music classes, and additional classes from the above categories. There may be specific class requirements not included above that will count as elective credit in high school but fall under a different category in college. Double check everything!
No two high schools or colleges are the same. You need should always discuss your class choices with a counselor to make sure you are on the right track, but don’t rely on them for everything, either. Do your own research and find out what class requirements you need to fulfill in high school in order to be admitted to the college of your dreams. Failing to do this can lead to serious disappointment.