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Take Courses Recommended for College-Bound Students To prepare for college, there is no substitute for your child getting a solid and broad academic education. This means your child should take challenging courses in academic subjects and maintain good grades in high school. Your child's transcript will be an important part of his or her college application.A college education builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in earlier years. It is best for your child to start planning a high school course schedule early, in the seventh or eighth grade. Students who don't plan ahead may have difficulty completing all the required or recommended courses that will help them qualify for college.
Many high schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses and exams. AP courses are college-level courses in approximately 16 different subjects; they help students prepare for college-level work while they are still in high school. Students who take AP courses are often more prepared for the academic challenges presented in college. In addition, a student who takes an AP course, and who scores a grade of 3 or higher on an AP exam, can often receive advanced placement in college and/or credit for a college course. [Footnote: This can result in significant cost savings. However, not all colleges and universities give credit or advanced placement for earning a grade of 3 or higher on an AP exam. Write to the admissions office of the colleges that are of interest to your child to find out if they give credit for an AP exam grade of 3 or higher. Ask to obtain the college's AP policy in writing, or look for a discussion of the policy in the institution's catalog.] Talk to one of your child's teachers, your child's guidance counselor, or the principal of your child's school to find out if AP courses are offered at your child's high school. Chart 2 (below) lists the high school courses that many higher education associations and guidance counselors recommend for a college-bound student. These courses are especially recommended for students who want to attend a four-year college. Even if your child is interested in attending a junior college, community college, or technical college, he or she should take most of these courses since they provide the preparation necessary for all kinds of postsecondary education. (In addition, many students who attend two-year colleges go on to earn a B.A. or B.S. degree at a four-year college or university.)
High School Courses Recommended for College
Traditional English courses such as American and English literature will help students improve their writing skills, reading comprehension, and vocabulary. History and geography will help your child better understand our society as well as societies around the world. Mathematical and scientific concepts and skills learned in math classes are used in many disciplines outside of these courses. A recent study showed that students who take algebra and geometry in high school are much more likely to go on to college than students who do not. Research also indicates that students who take courses in the arts disciplines and who participate in the arts (performing arts and visual arts) often do better in school and on standardized tests. The arts help students to learn; they often give students a richer understanding of history, science, literature, and math. Thirty States require students to take some art course(s) (visual or performing) before graduating from high school; six State university systems require students to take at least one unit of art (visual or performing) at the high school level before gaining admission to the university. Many college admissions staff view participation in the arts as a valuable experience that broadens students' understanding and appreciation of the world around them.
Make Sure That All Courses Meet High Standards It is not only important for your child to enroll in the courses recommended for college-bound students; it is also essential that the material taught in those courses reflect high academic standards and high expectations for what students should know and be able to do. Research indicates that high expectations and high standards improve achievement and positively influence student learning.Efforts are under way in states and communities across the country to answer the question: "What is it that our children ought to know and be able to do . . . to participate fully in today's and tomorrow's economy?" Many states and local communities have been developing or revising their standards (sometimes called "curriculum frameworks") in core subject areas such as math, science, English, history, geography, foreign languages, civics, and the arts. These standards help provide parents with answers to questions such as:
"What is it that my child should know by the end of each grade?" In order to make sure that the curriculum in your child's school meets high academic standards, call your child's school to find out if State or local standards are being developed. Ask how you can get involved in the standard-setting process. Join with other parents, teachers, and your child's principal and compare your school's standards against the best schools and the best State standards.
Course Planner for Parent and Student This exercise will give you and your child a chance to look ahead and choose future courses, but be aware that some courses must be taken in sequence. On the form below, list your child's current courses or courses he or she will take this year. Then list courses that he or she will take during each year of high school. If you are not sure what courses your child should take, you should make an appointment with your child's guidance counselor and get some advice.
From: "Preparing Your Child for College" Copyright© 2000-01 The U.S. Department of Education, All Rights Reserved | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Most selective colleges (those with the highest admissions requirements)
prefer to admit students who have taken courses in certain subject areas. For
example, many colleges prefer that high school students take at least geometry
and trigonometry, rather than only general math and algebra. Basic computer
skills are now essential, and some colleges prefer three or four years of a
foreign language. Your child's guidance counselor can help your child determine
the high school courses required or preferred by different types of colleges. If
your child is interested in specific colleges, he or she can contact those
schools and ask about their admissions requirements.
