08 Mar Road Map for March: Sophomores

This is the time that many students are choosing their classes for next year. Colleges like to see students challenging themselves—in fact it’s one of the most important criteria colleges look at in admissions—and junior year is often a time to step up your level of academic rigor. Most schools offer more AP classes starting in 11th grade, and students in an IB curriculum are beginning the courses in which they’ll ultimately take their IB exams. However, it’s important to maintain a healthy balance. My rule of thumb is to choose the most challenging classes you can do well in without becoming overwhelmed. If you take all of the hardest classes available at once and your grades suffer, it’s counterproductive.

If managing your course load or scheduling conflicts means you can’t take every class you might have wanted to, you’ll need to prioritize. I recommend taking the more challenging classes in the subjects you’re more likely to major in.  For example, a student who’s interested in engineering or business should consider taking a higher level math class. A prospective nursing student will want to show that he or she is well-prepared in the sciences, while a student who plans to study the social sciences might want to demonstrate strength in writing. For individual guidance on course selection or other topics, I hope you’ll contact me to schedule a consultation.