Why Elective Courses Might Just Be the Best Decision for High Schoolers.
Why is it so important to choose elective classes in high school? Why do I include elective classes on my timeline towards college? I believe that high school is a time for experimentation and discovery- and that includes discovering what kind of learning style works best for you, what topics students are most interested in, and trying out career experiences. Elective courses might just be the key to all of these things and to making high school a little more bearable- and a lot more fun.
There are five reasons why I think it’s important to choose elective courses in high school instead of filling our schedules with only core subjects:
- The first reason is they empower you as an individual. When you’re given a little freedom over how you spend your waking days outside the classroom you get to choose. Choosing elective classes gives you the freedom to decide, and to be bold and experiment with different topics of what to learn.
- Electives can help you find your passion. A lot of times, the things we love the most aren’t always the things that come naturally to us, or the things that we’re “supposed” to like because of our background or upbringing. Trying new things is how we discover what we’re really good at- and what we really enjoy.
- Third, because students enjoy elective classes (because they choose them), students find success, confidence, and typically get really good grades. Win and win! It can be really easy to get bogged down by all the things we *have* to learn in our required classes, and feel like we’re not good at anything else. But when we take the time to learn about things we’re passionate about, in a less formal setting, it can really help us feel confident and successful in all areas of our life.
- Taking different courses can help students build a well-rounded skill set. The world is ever-changing, and employers are looking for people who are adaptable and have a variety of knowledge and experience to offer. So students, even if you think you know exactly what you want to do with your life, it never hurts to keep your options open!
- Lastly, elective classes give students a chance to explore their interests and talents outside of the core subjects. Students need to “try on” different careers before college, and elective classes are the perfect place to start.
So there you have it- five reasons why I believe elective courses are important for high school students. Do you agree? What are some of your favorite electives that you’ve taken (or wish you could take)? Let us know in the comments below!
Want to know what else I included on my Basic College Planning Timeline? You know I put elective courses on there 😉 Get it for free here!