Approximately 2,300 students are each choosing their five, six, or seven classes for next year.
The course selection process is in full swing at Carlmont High School. Each student has had — or will have — at least one 30-minute meeting with their counselor to select their courses.
“I try to guide students,” said Akia Washington, a counselor at Carlmont. “I feel like if it was up to students, you guys would load on way more than what’s needed.”
When counselors and students consider the impact courses may have on students’ futures, the class selection process can be stressful.
“I am making sure that you guys are in the appropriate classes to make sure that whatever you want to do after high school, you’re able to,” Washington said.
For American high school students, school itself is the most common source of stress, followed by college or other post-high school plans, according to the American Psychological Association.
Students try to find a school-life balance particularly when they decide on their advanced and Advanced Placement courses.
“I want to be able to have fun, but I also want to be able to learn a lot of things,” said Kerem Olgun, a Carlmont junior. “So I’m considering what my course rigor is going to look like and how much homework I’m going to have.”
A survey in the Journal of Human Resources examined AP Biology and AP Chemistry courses in 23 American high schools. In the survey, AP science students were twice as likely to say their physical or emotional health was negatively impacted by their AP course as students not taking an AP science course.
“For the most part, I tend to lean toward doing AP courses, but I’m thinking about my future and my school life balance,” Olgun said.
Olgun said he talks to his teachers for recommendations when he is deciding his courses.
Gregory Fung teaches regular and AP Physics at Carlmont. He went over potential courses for his students in class.
“Since I teach AP Physics, I can talk specifically about the number of hours and what the workload looks like,” Fung said.
Both Fung and Washington said student advocacy was important in the course selection process. Washington emphasized the importance of teacher-student collaboration, while Fung said he trusted student decisions.
Fung does not initiate meetings with every single student and expressed that he focused his time on teaching his physics material.
“When it comes to course offerings, I don’t necessarily need to make sure I know exactly the reasoning students are taking the course they signed up for,” Fung said.
Washington said teachers have a better view of students’ academic progress and spend more time with students in general.
“The more involved, the better,” Washington said about the course selection process.
Fung, Washington, and Olgun all urged students to reach out to upperclassmen, teachers, and counselors during the course selection process.
“This is your education, so you have to take it in your hands,“ Washington said. “Advocate for yourself.”
