The 2022 – 2023 school year is approaching much faster than it seems. That means, soon, counselors will be visiting students’ English classes to confirm their course selections for the new year. With a plethora of courses and pathways to choose from, students may feel overwhelmed selecting their course for the new year. Here are a few things to consider before deciding their courses.

When choosing classes, students should consider the credits that they might need to graduate with either the standard or advanced diploma. To graduate with the advanced diploma students need at least three elective credits, and to graduate with the standard diploma, students need at least four elective credits. 

South Lakes offers many intriguing electives for students to choose from. That is the case with many of the electives at South Lakes: students can often end up gaining a lot more than they initially expected from the course. Other student-favorite courses included ceramics and the performing arts electives.

Additionally, there are many Career Technical Education courses (CTE) for students interested in preparing for and discovering future career paths. Students can take STEM design classes, Business Law and Management, Accounting courses, and much more. For more information on elective options, the Course Catalog offers a brief description of each course.

Though there are many courses for students to choose from and deciding between them can often get overwhelming, it’s important for students to remember that their counselor is there to help.

“What are your goals past high school? What do you enjoy learning about and/or doing?  What are your responsibilities outside of the classroom?” Dr. Mrowka, a South Lakes counselor, lists when suggesting that students ask themselves a few questions to guide their selection.

It’s important for students to consider their priorities. “You need to sleep at night, make time for your family and friends, do the non-academic things you love,” added Dr. Mrowka. Students should ensure that the courses they select will still leave them time in the day to pursue other non-academic activities. 

Counselors have already started meetings with students through their English classes. When making your schedule for the next year, make sure you can save some time for non-academic priorities and make sure to keep an open mind to things you may not have tried before.