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Fight the Senioritis

Seniors in High School Should Take Classes of Interest to Them


Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash


Senior year is often the scariest yet the most exciting point in a student’s high school career. Applying to colleges, carefully deciding on majors and trying to finish out high school strong, seniors have many responsibilities to carry on their shoulders. Though many think that they should pile on the most rigorous coursework in their senior year, as it is the last chance to add to the college resume, it is far more valuable for seniors to explore classes that interest them as they try to find themselves and what they want to do in college.


To fight senioritis, a typical occurrence among high school seniors, students should be sure to pick their course load strategically. When a senior is so close to crossing the finish line, getting caught up in college and eager for the next step, they often fall into a cycle of losing motivation and putting less effort into their classes. Prioritizing classes that matter to a student during senior year can aid in motivation and fighting senioritis as best as possible to maintain good grades.


Additionally, senioritis can cause grades to slip. Advanced Placement (AP) and advanced honors classes are known to be more time consuming and tedious. As a senior, with motivation inevitably running thin, if taking too many rigorous classes causes a student’s grades to fall, colleges can and will rescind acceptances. It is important to maintain the grades the college accepted you for, so it is best to take classes that are possible to excel in rather than piling on APs for a grade point average (GPA) boost. Though it is important to maintain rigor during senior year, it is not necessary to exceed it by overloading. Prioritizing the quality of performance in classes rather than hyperfocusing on rigor is the best course of action for senior year.


Additionally, taking classes that interest you, especially as a senior, is a good way to figure out what path to take in college and later as a career. Piling on rigorous classes just for the label and not learning anything of interest won’t inspire anything. Even in terms of getting into college, many universities and institutions look for a specific focus of study that you will bring into your higher education. Moreover, studies have shown that students are more likely to succeed in classes that are interesting and enjoyable to them, which will ensure their grades stay up and they finish high school strong.


Some may argue that seniors need to take hard classes because colleges want to see increased rigor, and senior year is the last chance to do so. While this may be true, with too much increased rigor comes grades slipping. On the other hand, many think that senior year grades don’t matter, but that is not the case. Colleges will track your success and qualifications up until the end, so it is imperative to continue doing well even in the last semester.


All seniors in high school should take classes of interest to them to finish out strong and find their paths as they embark on a new journey in college. This may include some AP, honors or advanced classes, but no senior should feel the pressure to only take hard classes that they won’t be able to handle.

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