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Student story: High school classes

This student emphasizes the importance of challenging high school classes, like AP United States History, in preparing for college. Despite initial struggles, these difficult classes helped the student develop essential skills like reading, writing, and time management, ultimately setting them up for success in college.

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  • aqualine seed style avatar for user Student977
    What courses [ including challenging or advanced ones ] would you recommend for me, who is considering majoring in Education in college? Thank you!
    (2 votes)
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    • leaf red style avatar for user grahambgriffin
      This may sound jaded or rude, but don't major in education. You'll get shackled down to a low-paying, high-stress job. If you want to be a high school teacher, major in the subject you want to teach then get a job as X subject teacher. If you're interested in being a professor, you should definitely not major in education, because, again, it's better to major in the subject you want to teach.
      (13 votes)
  • duskpin ultimate style avatar for user David Awakim
    I wish this video was more specific. It kinda just stated: Take challenging classes because they prepare you for college.

    But the thing is, just about anyone or anything could tell you that. I was expecting an actual, real, fully fledged out (and maybe even emotional) story to go along with the video.
    (5 votes)
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  • duskpin ultimate style avatar for user David Awakim
    Any advice for time management in high school?
    (3 votes)
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    • duskpin ultimate style avatar for user kendra
      Hey David! The #1 piece of advice that I have is make a schedule for yourself. This is sooo important, in high school and in college. Plan out your day, when you will do your homework, if you have a job, if you volunteer, and free time. Make sure you set apart enough time to get all of your homework done. If there is a day where you know that you will have extra homework, set apart extra time. Also, get all of your homework done before your "free time". If you go hang out with your friends before your school work is done, you may have to stay up late to study for a test or finish your homework for the next day.
      Hope this helps!
      (5 votes)
  • blobby green style avatar for user S. K. Upadhyay
    Although I am taking advanced courses - Currently Precalc C in Freshman year, and some other AP courses - I currently have a C and i think I will have a B for the semester in math. If it weren't for this I would have a 4.0. Everyone in my year is taking precalc as well. In this case where I go to a school of overachievers, will it effect my chances of getting in to a top level college?
    Thanks in advance.
    (3 votes)
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    • leaf red style avatar for user Kirk Daulerio
      You can only perform to the best of your ability, and you shouldn't be concerned with comparing yourself to others in your Class. Admission officers will evaluate you as an individual. Take the most appropriately rigorous courseload available to you - be sure you can be successful (A or B level), and you will find you will have many opportunities to attend a college that suits your academic strengths and personal goals.
      (3 votes)
  • male robot hal style avatar for user Elias Wright
    Is Public School harder than HomeSchool?
    (2 votes)
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  • leafers ultimate style avatar for user Tárik/Petra
    I live in Brazil, and here education is not the best, most schools, like the one I frequent, don't offer any harder courses than the standard ones. What do you think I should do?
    (2 votes)
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  • blobby green style avatar for user Aisha Ahmad
    I am going to start high school next year I took Algebra 2 as an honor class in 8th grade and I am getting mostly B. Should I get honors in 9th grade?
    (3 votes)
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  • leaf green style avatar for user Abhirv
    i have just entered 9th grade can you help me how to get good grades and keep a balance with everything and get admissions in good colleges .I live in India so i don't know if we can give junior SAT. can you tell some books which could come handy in prepartions.
    (2 votes)
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  • hopper happy style avatar for user Wyatt Phillips
    I have not taken any Honors or AP classes and currently in Senior year of high school. However, I have a near to 4.0 GPA (93%) and have received six awards in different college prep subjects. Will this affect my chances of getting into a college if I have not taken any APs or honors?
    (3 votes)
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  • blobby green style avatar for user Meeqat Ghani
    I am a student doing American highschool from Pakistan, I did not take any AP courses in grade 9,10,11 but did take honours classes. Now, in grade 12 I get the opportunity to take 4 AP classes which I am doing. I have planned going to the best universities in US if I get the admissions.
    Not taking any AP class in grade 9,10, and 11 be a factor of not getting admissions in the top universities in America?
    (2 votes)
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    • spunky sam blue style avatar for user CZ
      No two or three AP exams with really good scores (5s) is enough to check that box with a top university. Instead focus on showcasing skills in your desired profession (career path). If you are doing programming for example, get a git account (on your favorite site) and write some programs for the the university to see. If you are pursuing another career path, try to show them what you are capable of. Go above and beyond if possible.
      (3 votes)

Video transcript

- So in high school, I had just moved from a different country and I came in straight when I was a 10th grader. I had none of the college prep that every other student in my high school had, and my high school was very focused on college prep. So I was very new and I had to figure it all out on my own. I remember things that really helped me later on in college was the difficult classes I took in high school. At the time, I felt like I was not doing well in them. They were super challenging, and those included my classes like AP United States History. I'll never forget how hard that class was, but it was actually the class that prepared me most for college because every single day we had to read so much and write so much and do these quizzes and that was exactly what college was like. I always wrote back to my teacher saying, "Thank you for challenging me in an AP class like that "because it really, really just set me up "for success later on".