Course selection. A daunting task for any student. When that time of year rolls around you may have an overwhelming amount of questions and doubts. Have no fear because some senior advice is here.

As a freshman (or even a sophomore/junior), I would often struggle to decide what courses to take the following year. The most important questions to ask yourself are the following: what am I interested in? What will give me a boost for college? What can I excel in?

Understandably, you might not have the answers to all those questions but, if you can figure it out along the way, selecting your courses might come a lot easier later on.

One important note is that choosing to take harder classes does look good- if you can do well in them. Burdening yourself with a workload that you might not be able to handle is both impractical and counterproductive. With that being said, most students rise to the challenge and end up succeeding in the harder choice. If that sounds like you, just take the more difficult class. It is worth the extra work. Laziness or indifference should never dictate your course selection but your capabilities should.

Another key tip is to make sure that the classes you take are increasingly difficult. Colleges like to see that you have continued to challenge yourself throughout your highschool career rather than stay at the same, comfortable level. So, for example, if you took a regular science class your freshman year, dare to select an honors science course your sophomore year and maybe even an AP your junior year. The key is to push yourself.

It may seem hard to stand out in a school of very smart and talented students but there are many ways the courses you select can not only help your chances for college, but continue to advance your education in a certain field of your interest. Although it’s important to be well rounded in all aspects of school, universities look out for students who excel in a specific area. For example, investing in french classes during your first couple of years will pay off if you continue to be involved by joining the French Honor Society and holding a leadership position your senior year.

So, next time you feel pressured to take the AP instead of the honors class… take it. Unless, of course, you feel as though it won’t help you in the long run. At the end of the day, the purpose of course selection is so that you can pick what interests you!

Go above and beyond in a certain subject. Look for leadership positions through a class, pick classes that show a focus on something. Continue to level up in your subjects. Colleges will notice. Most importantly, take picking your classes seriously because deciding to pass up on a harder class should not be because you’re too tired to work hard. In reality, working hard means playing hard. Get the best education you can in highschool so that when you get into college, it’s smooth(er) sailing. Good luck!