As it comes time for their senior year, students have the dilemma of which electives they should take. Some go for the easy grade, while others take the ones that will appeal to colleges. 

For the students that are aiming for the HOPE or Zell Miller scholarships, electives that count towards a specific subject, like speech, sociology, and forensics, might be more beneficial. Raawiya Khaan, 12, says to “definitely take the electives that you can get a high grade in and potentially help you with scholarships.” When asked about which electives she was taking, Raawiya responded with “US Film, Forensic Science, and AP Psychology because I heard that they were fun classes that would look good on my transcript.” 

However, for students that would rather focus on their core classes, there are many electives available. Zoe Merkins, 11, says that “I feel like by the time I become a senior I wouldn’t want to worry about my elective grades along with every other senior responsibility.” Most students can probably relate, so Zoe recommends “art classes if you have a creative spirit because they are pretty free-range and some sort of P.E. class if you would rather run around or if you’re athletic in general.” 

Out of surveyed students, most are currently taking or have been recommended to take AP Psychology. Students seem to enjoy the class and it doubles as a social studies credit. After psychology, 22% of students have some form of art classes as electives. Some students are also considering taking speech because it can help build real-world skills. 

No student thinks the same or have the same interests, which is why there are so many different classes they can take to help their academic career.