Unfortunately, the educational class scheduling system is imperfect and has some flaws.

Worst case scenario is what most seniors experience daily; mandatory and basic classes they should have taken their freshman year, but didn’t. Classes such as art, health, ACE, pro comm, although they may not be high on the priority list, it’s important to get them out of the way early. This allows students to take more career prep and internship-based classes their senior year.

“I wish I would have taken welding and culinary classes during high school,” senior Zoe Reimers said. “Those would have been awesome skills to have. I’m not a very good cook, so culinary skills would have been useful for when I move out. However, I am glad I took Autotech class because it has taught me a lot about cars that I wouldn’t have known, and now mechanics can’t take advantage of me.”

But if a student does have the worst case scenario, they have to take mandatory classes their junior and senior year in place of electives that might better prepare them for the future.

“Throughout my years of high school I would have liked to have taken wrestling, because I used to wrestle before I moved here,” senior Michael McAurthur said. “When I arrived at Rouse, I was too shy to join a team of people who already knew each other. I am glad I took anatomy, though, because it’s important to know how your body works. Because I didn’t take all my mandatory classes early, I am now taking professional communications with a lot of underclassmen.”

Not taking college prerequisites as freshmen and sophomores is especially unfortunate for juniors and seniors, because at this point, most students have an idea as to what field of work they want to get into after high school. If they have to take classes they were supposed to have taken their freshman year, they are unable to get hands on experience like their classmates.

“I wish I would have taken cosmetology classes during high school, because I love doing makeup and could have advanced my skills professionally,” senior Megan Gripentrog said. “Knowing specifically what each product does would be helpful, because now I just do my makeup and hope it looks good. I’m glad I took photography, though, because it gives me a different perspective and it’s a stress reliever when I take photos of events at school.”

A final disadvantage to delaying core classes is that students have less time to take college credit classes. That means students will have to pay the much higher costs associated with taking the classes on the college level, and it means they will spend more years in college.

“For me, taking softball or basketball in high school would have been nice, but I didn’t do it because I was scared try out and not make the team,” senior Kylie Birchfield said. “I am glad I took journalism, though, because that helped me decide what I want to study in college and see this is a career I am passionate about.”
So, when choosing which classes take, and in which order, it is important to listen to the counselors’ advice, While it may be tempting to take a class because it sounds fun, that may not be your best bet. Remember, high school is a time to make memories and come up with plans to make your future better.