It feels like we just came back from break and believe it or not, its time to plan for our sophomore, junior, and senior years. Many of us (myself included) haven’t even thought about what we need to do next year.
Before you can think about all of the off periods and electives you’ll have, you have to remember the class credit requirements:
- 10th grade – 70 Credits
- 11th grade – 60 Credits
- 12th grade – 50 Credits
In basic terms, sophomores need a full seven period schedule, juniors receive one off period per semester, and seniors receive two off periods per semester. Semester classes account for five credits and yearlong classes account for 10. However, for those who do have the opportunity to have an off period, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t allowed to fill your schedule. Students are more than welcome to take a completely full schedule if they want to pursue more classes. Picking core classes should be the very first step. Discuss all of your options with your current teachers and decide what level of difficulty you want to take. Once you have those set, you can see where you have space for electives. Make sure that you have at least one class in your schedule that you know you will be excited for. No one wants to have to go to school every single day to classes you know you won’t enjoy. Having something to look forward to will make it easier when you have AP classes or challenging classes.
My biggest piece of advice is to take your graduation requirements into consideration while picking your classes. For example, everyone has to take wellness classes, including P.E. classes and health. Take them early on in your high school career. If you finish the required classes that you don’t necessarily want to take early then you will have more space as an upperclassman to take classes you enjoy.
Which brings me to my next point, take any class you think you might love. If you have the slightest interest in something, now is the time to explore it. If you think that you might be good at business, try it. If you have any interest in writing, take creative writing or journalism (hint, hint). You don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to find something you really enjoy early on, because at Fossil Ridge High School, we have so many different choices for everyone.
For those who are planning on going to college, it is more than important to consider what colleges are looking for. Graduation requirements at FRHS aren’t necessarily exactly what colleges look at. Some colleges many expect four years of foreign language, or four years of science.
In Advisory on Friday, Jan. 25, you will receive a Curriculum Guide that holds brief explanations for every class. Then right after Advisory, at 11 p.m., Naviance will open up and you can start selecting your classes. It will stay open until 3 p.m. the following Friday Feb. 1. Now hold on, don’t start planning your mad dash to the computers after Advisory. Schedule choices are not first come, first serve. All choices will be considered equally.
