Whether your child is in middle school or preparing for their first year of high school, there’s much to consider when choosing classes. Course selection can be overwhelming for both students and parents, but breaking it down into a few simple focus areas can make the process feel much smoother. Here’s what to keep in mind as your child chooses classes for the upcoming school year:

Required Credits

Before taking anything else into consideration, you need to look at which credits are required. Middle and high schools offer a wide variety of courses, but you have to figure out which ones will fill certain requirements or which ones fit on your child’s chosen pathway. There may be a fun science class your child wants to take, but before you sign up for it, make sure it fulfills the credit requirements in order to move on to the next grade level. Sit down with your child and take a close look at the course catalog when choosing classes.

Course Difficulty

Finding the right difficulty level for your child requires a bit of mindfulness and honesty. Honors or advanced placement classes can present students with a healthy challenge and may even look great on their transcripts, but piling on too many at once can lead to burnout and unnecessary stress. Have an honest conversation with your child about how they feel about certain subjects, what level of difficulty they realistically think they can handle and the workload they think is manageable for them. Make sure to keep in mind how much time they will have for homework, extracurricular activities and rest, and strive for balance.

Areas of Interest

Course selection isn’t all about academic requirements and rigor; it’s also a chance for your child to explore their interests and passions. Whether it’s art, music, technology, leadership or a foreign language, electives give your child an opportunity to dig into the subjects they’re genuinely curious about and that they enjoy. Encouraging them to follow their interests makes school more exciting and can even help them uncover their future academic and career paths.

Academic Goals

Every student’s academic goals look a little different. No two students have exactly the same interests, challenges or objectives. That’s what makes choosing classes so personal and unique. Some students are focused on a specific college or career path, while others want to explore as many interests as possible. Take time to talk with your child about what they’re hoping to achieve beyond the upcoming school year and how the courses they choose will help them get closer to their goal.

Advice from Guidance Counselors and Teachers

Your child’s guidance counselor and teachers are an incredible resource during the course selection process. Guidance counselors provide expertise on credit requirements, academic pathways and which courses will help your child stay on track with achieving their goals. Teachers can give you insight into how your child is doing in certain subjects and which difficulty level is appropriate for them. Schedule one-on-one meetings with your child’s teachers and guidance counselors. Ask plenty of questions and use their expertise to help guide your child’s course selections.

Course selection is an exciting time for students, one that encourages them to reflect on their current performance, future goals and potential interests. Lake Forrest Prep is a K-8 preparatory school in Orlando that is dedicated to helping students prepare for the next stage. We’re here to support students and their parents as they figure out the next steps on their academic journey. We believe that every child is truly unique, and their experience in school should reflect that. Learn more about our core values here or contact us online to schedule a campus tour.