Choosing electives is a tough task. There are so many options and what you end up choosing may have a positive or negative effect later on. We only have a limited amount of electives open and depending on what diploma you’re getting you may have even less space open. For example if you’re getting an advanced diploma you will need three years of a language, whereas it’s optional for a standard. 

Many students don’t take classes seriously because they assume that because they are only in their freshman year they can always make it up next year, or have time to make it up in their older years, but this is not the case

“Definitely prioritize your freshman and sophomore year grades because it counts the most in your GPA. By junior year you’ll have all your credits and apply to any college you want.” said senior Ghazal Habib. If you are planning to apply for colleges as early as your junior year you may want to start preparing from your younger years.

When choosing your classes it can be a really tough decision. People often think about their future and opt out of the fun things to focus on what they think will be useful for them in the future, while others do the complete opposite and choose what they think is fun and this may or may not affect you later on. It’s always best to have experience in things so you know what works for you and what doesn’t, but when choosing classes “Do your research on what exactly you want to do in the future and do what you think is fun.” said junior Jack Boles

Choosing a class that you want to sit in may make school a lot more tolerable than most think. When you are in a class that interests you or one where you like what you are doing it makes school a lot more fun and more of a happy thing. When you are doing something you like, time feels as if it is going by faster and as with classes, if you like the class you will definitely want to come back. “Do what makes you happy and want to go to school. You don’t want to choose a class that you feel bored or asleep in, because it tends to drain you and leave you less motivated,” said senior Tanaya Johnson.

“People should look out for the specifics in each class and make sure that it is something that you would like because you don’t want to regret taking a class and then having to put up with it for an entire school year. There is this one particular elective class that I was going to pick but decided not to and went in a different direction, I hear that people don’t like this class now because they regret it and it wasn’t what they were expecting,” said Christopher Doyle.

“What I did last year was pick out electives that were related to what I was interested in doing after high school. It’s good so you don’t jump into it after high school not knowing what you are getting yourself into, For example, if you are looking into nursing or anything that is in the medical field I think it’s a good idea to start with this class I took that’s called intro to health and medical science. I would really encourage freshmen and sophomores to do this when they are picking out their electives because this is how I became sure about doing nursing,” Angelica Herman said. 

Or if you don’t know any juniors and seniors to ask advice from, there are also other people you could ask who are also experts in what goes in the classes here at Osbourn High School.

“What I did was ask my counselor about each elective and what you do in those classes to see if it was something I would like. I also looked at the classes I would need to take for the advanced diploma I’m going for and picked the ones I was needing the most. People should get those classes that are required for a diploma as soon as possible so then you can take whatever classes you want,” Jason Kane said.

If there is a class you are interested in. It is a good idea to ask someone who has already been in the class, for example, if you are taking an interest in art classes, it is a good idea to look out for someone who has taken that class and hear what they have to say if you are feeling unsure.

“An elective I don’t regret selecting is art class because I am really artistic and I love painting, sketching, drawing, and crafting. It’s my favorite thing to do. People take this class because it is in their requirements to be able to graduate, but for me, it’s more than a requirement and it’s really fun. I would really encourage anyone who is even the least bit interested in art because I can confidently say that you won’t regret it,” said Ivy Griffin.

Parents often have a say in the decisions regarding the choice of classes. A lot of parents tend to make decisions about classes, and while this may help some individuals out, it may also be a bad thing.

“I remember my freshman year my mom had a lot to say about my classes, and I ended up taking a few classes with the intention of pleasing her, but in the end, it did not benefit me in any way. I honestly love my mom but you shouldn’t take classes because of what your parents think about them. Do what you like and hold to your own personality.” said junior Sophia Martinez.

The classes you take here at Osbourn High can help you discover what career is best for you and can lead you into the right direction.