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What are some unnecessary high school classes?

Been thinking a lot about my class load and what I really want to focus on, so I wanted to get a sense of what classes people think are, for lack of a better term...unnecessary. Just a heads up, I am not planning on dismissing anything important. I realize all knowledge can be valuable. Just curious!

a year ago

At the end of the day, the concept of "unnecessary" classes depends on your goals, interests, and aspirations. No class can be deemed entirely unnecessary without considering the specifics of your case.

However, if the idea is to optimize your high school course load with future goals in mind, some classes may arguably be more necessary than others. For instance, if you intend to pursue a STEM-related college major, courses such as calculus, biology, chemistry, and physics would be deemed more 'necessary,' and maybe courses like advanced art or music classes, which aren't related to your planned area of study, could be left out.

That said, it's still important to maintain a well-rounded curriculum, and colleges often prefer to see this incorporation of diversity in their classes. Aiming to strike a balance between your core subjects (math, science, history, English) and other diverse classes like arts, foreign languages, computer science, etc., can give you a more robust and versatile academic profile.

As an example, if you are passionate about literature, then choosing AP English Literature might be a priority for you, but if you have a greater inclination towards math or science, then perhaps spending an extra hour every day in an advanced literature class might feel unnecessary when you could be learning calculus, statistics, or advanced biology instead.

In summary, based on your interests and goals, carefully consider and select your classes, making sure to maintain balance. The key is to customize your course load in a way that it caters to, and develops, your own unique 'spike' or area of interest.

a year ago

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