Freshman Year: Spring, Step 3

Set yourself up for college success by selecting a sophomore schedule that emphasizes college prep.

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By now you know the routine: at the end of each school year you get together with your parents and then your counselor to figure out which classes you’re going to take the following year. Setting up your sophomore schedule correctly can lay the groundwork for success.

At the beginning of the year, you put together a loose plan of the classes you wanted to take throughout your high school career. Now is the time to build on this plan and think about the specific classes you’ll take your sophomore year. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you complete your schedule:

• It’s not unheard of for students to have a sophomore schedule chock-full of Advanced Placement (AP) and honors courses. A student who is very serious about college prep might have a schedule that looks like this:

- English II Honors
- Chemistry Honors
- AP World History
- AP Statistics
- AP Biology
- Spanish III
- AP Calculus AB
- AP Environmental Science

• If you’re not quite ready for AP courses, many schools offer pre-AP courses that develop skills and behavior that will help students succeed in AP classes later in their high school careers.

• Don’t forget about foreign language classes. Many colleges require a certain number of foreign language classes. In fact, some high schools require foreign language courses to graduate.

• For more tips and tactics, visit our Guide to Sophomore Year College Prep Schedules.
  

Related Tools and Checklists

High School Freshman Timeline and Checklist
High School Sophomore Timeline and Checklist

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