Shot from back of classroom of diverse students raising hands, teacher at front

Video: How to Choose Classes for Senior Year of High School

Senior year is important in preparing for college, and your classes will play a large role in that. Here's some advice on how to choose your classes.

Senior year course selection can be a tricky thing. With only one year left of high school, you need to make sure you take all your required classes so you can get into the college of your dreams and graduate on time. Don’t go at it alone; seek out tips and advice and go to your school counselor for help too. You can start by checking out Isabella’s video below for tips on how to choose your senior year classes to fit your future goals and path to graduation.

Take college classes

If your high school offers college courses, make sure to take as many as you can comfortably fit into your schedule. Besides getting a taste of the college experience in high school, you’re also saving money by taking these classes ahead of time. Taking them now means you’ll most likely get college credit at whichever college you attend later, and there will be more room in your schedule for other classes when you get there.

Take AP classes

AP classes seem stressful and a lot of work, but they will really help you out in the long run. And if you pass the exams, you’ll get college credit for passing as well as a weighted GPA. Taking these courses during your junior and senior years is a good way to challenge yourself and prepare for college since they’re taught like a college course.

Related: What's the Difference Between AP and Dual Enrollment Classes?

Make sure you’re taking all required classes

Just because it’s your senior year doesn’t mean you don’t still have classes you’re required to take. Make sure you’re taking all required courses; for instance, if you’re in an accelerated STEM program, you likely need to take honors or AP Math and Science classes. Get advice from your school counselor about what classes you should be taking. They can also help you adjust your schedule if you’re not on track for graduation.

Choose classes you’ll enjoy

You don’t want to be miserable throughout the year because you chose a random filler class. You’ll end up in classes where you’re not motivated because no one around you wants to do the work either. Look over the available classes and find something that piques your interest—maybe drawing, painting, or another hobby that interests you.

Related: How to Choose Your High School Classes With College in Mind

We hope these tips help you choose your classes for senior year and make it as great a last year of high school as possible. Have a wonderful school year, and good luck with the rest of your college admission journey!

Once you choose your classes, it’s time to buckle down and get through the year. And you can do it with Our Best Advice for Senior Year of High School!

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:

About CollegeXpress

CollegeXpress

Welcome to CollegeXpress, your one-stop college shop! We’re a free college planning website used by millions of college-bound students, parents, and counselors—anyone who needs help navigating the college search and application process, financial aid opportunities, and more. You’ll find comprehensive College Search and Scholarship Search tools, tons of articles and expert advice, unique college Lists & Rankings, and lots of other resources to help make your life easier. Teen Vogue even named us one of the 7 Best College Search Websites! But current college students and recent grads also love CollegeXpress for our Graduate Program Search and endless information on student life, internships, and beyond. We really have something for everyone, no matter where you are in your college journey. Create a free account to start connecting with colleges, winning scholarships, and more!

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress

College Quick Connect

Swipe right to request information.
Swipe left if you're not interested.

Grace College

Winona Lake, IN


Jessica Rinker

Jessica Rinker

Student, Fairhaven High School; CollegeXpress Student Writer

My high school counselor introduced me to CollegeXpress freshman year. It has made such a difference in high school, and I plan to continue relying on it in college. CollegeXpress is my go-to because it addresses each aspect of being a student. There are the articles you’d expect regarding college applications and financial aid, but you will also find advice on things like de-stressing and maintaining relationships while balancing a heavy course load. CollegeXpress will also keep you updated on current scholarships through e-mails each Saturday. (They don’t harass you with any product promotion like so many other sites do.) CollegeXpress is a lot like an older sibling who has already conquered the challenges you are facing. Now, they are reaching out a helpful hand. I say take it.

Fabiola Rodriguez

Fabiola Rodriguez

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress helped me on my journey to get to the school of my first choice by showing me all the options I have. I didn’t know of the College of Southern Nevada until I went on this website, and it helped me look for other choices and compare what colleges would be right for me.

Kayla

Kayla

High School Class of 2021

CollegeXpress helped me organize the schools I wanted to choose from in one place, which I could then easily compare and find the school that was right for me!

Joseph Johnsly

Joseph Johnsly

High School Class of 2021

It's an honor for me to be writing to share a little about my experience with CollegeXpress. I've been using CollegeXpress for about a year now, and the reason why I chose it is because it provides astonishing scholarships for every student around the globe. Besides that, this organization dispenses all the information necessary to help students get to college. CollegeXpress has helped me have an easier experience with applying to colleges and choosing the best fit for myself.

Caio Matos

Caio Matos

High School Class of 2022

Starting the college admissions process as an international student was daunting. Thankfully, CollegeXpress was the first website I used for that cause and it helped me so much, from knowing where to start to deciding what my next move would be. I'll take a gap year, but I’m certainly using the website again when applying for fall 2023.