By Alice ’30
Classes at Harvard-Westlake are very versatile and can change what you want to do later on. It is very important to choose your courses with care and meaning for your education and enjoyment. These six tips will help you choose and plan your classes to maximize your experience at the school.
Tip 1: Think to the future. Your course selections, especially in high school will really dictate where you’ll go in school and in life. So don’t just pick the class your finger lands on. Take advanced and honors classes in areas that are exciting, and take the electives that really interest you. These things can change your experience at the school.
Tip 2: Don’t think about friends for a bit. I know it might seem tempting to coordinate courses with your friends but try not to, at least in the beginning. Have at least a pretty good understanding of what you’re going to pick before you start asking around. Even if my chosen classes aren’t with all of my friends, I’m still glad I’m in those classes.
Tip 3: Find your passion. I think my time at Harvard-Westlake would be a lot more dull if my classes were not interesting to me, from taking the more intense art classes to taking Latin instead of a “useful” language. Remember to always pick what you’re interested in, and not what others would want you to pick. Sure, Spanish would have been more useful, but why not try a dead language.
Tip 4: Try new things while you can. Once you get to 9th grade and the Upper School, your classes really become a bit more serious. There is still room to try things out but high school has a different focus. In 7th and 8th grade, try out everything you want to try. Try out all the things you might be interested in while you’re at the lower school, and try out all the sports and clubs you can. Explore, explore, explore!
Tip 5: Try to get those requirements done early. I made the mistake of thinking that doing my performing art elective in 8th grade would be easier. This left me with a pretty free 7th grade schedule. However, when I got to 8th grade, those requirements took up most of my elective spots and I only got the chance to take one class that was really my choice. I assure you, it’s better to just get those classes over early so you’re left with more choice.
Tip 6: Try other ways. Sometimes your schedule just doesn’t have room for all the things you want to try. But try joining clubs, teams, or activities outside of school. Just because you don’t take the course doesn’t mean you can’t learn it.
Classes are a huge opportunity to really dive deeper into subjects you love, and don’t waste a chance like this. Take advantage of all the courses here, and make sure you make the most of your time.
