Are you wondering what a typical high school curriculum looks like? Do you want to know what classes you'll be taking as a high school student? Show Read this guide to learn about the standard high school curriculum, high school graduation requirements, and what classes colleges expect you to have taken.
How to Find Your School's CurriculumThis is a general guide to high school curricula. It was created by researching national education standards, as well as the curricula of high schools across the country. While the information below applies to many students, not all high schools teach the same courses, follow the same course sequence, or have the same curriculum requirements. Use this information as a guideline to research your own high school's curriculum more in-depth. To find your own school's curriculum, talk to your academic adviser. You can also look on your school's website, searching for "graduation requirements", "course sequence" or something similar. Your high school's course catalog will also usually contain this information.
Which Subjects Should You Take More Rigorous Courses In?In addition to explaining typical graduation requirements, each core subject in this guide includes ways to exceed basic requirements and strengthen your transcript. However, trying to go the extra mile in every subject can be exhausting and lead to you getting burned out. Because colleges appreciate depth more than breadth, concentrate on putting extra effort in the area(s) you plan to continue studying in college. For example, if you plan on majoring in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) field, try to follow our guidelines for exceeding expectations in your math and science classes, and worry less about taking advanced courses in English and history (although still work to get solid grades in those courses). Similarly, if you plan on majoring in something like journalism, concentrate most of your effort on taking advanced English classes and additional English electives. Also, if you are looking at attending a highly competitive college, know that most expect applicants to have taken honors or advanced classes if their school offers them, and most also require or highly recommend completing four years in each core subject (math, science, English, and social studies).
Standard High School CurriculumBelow is information on the typical classes a high school student will be expected to take, organized by subject. Each subject includes classes that are required to graduate high school, classes colleges expect students to have taken, and suggestions for ways to impress by going beyond these expectations.
EnglishRequirements:
To Exceed Expectations:
MathRequirements:
To Exceed Expectations:
ScienceRequirements
To Exceed Expectations:
Social StudiesRequirements:
To Exceed Expectations:
Foreign LanguageRequirements:
To Exceed Expectations:
Other ClassesThese are classes that are not part of the core curriculum, but may still be a part of graduation requirements.
How to Use This InformationNow that you know what the typical high school curriculum looks like, you can use this information to make more informed decisions about your own high school classes. Some actions to take include:
What's Next?Wondering if you're taking enough challenging classes? Check out our guide to learn what a rigorous high school course load looks like. Do you know what colleges look for on your transcript? Learn what a high school transcript is and why it's so important to colleges. Want to get more detailed information about the classes you should take? Check out our guides to choosing classes for English, Math, Science, History, and Foreign Languages!
Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Christine Sarikas About the Author Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries. |