The importance of taking electives in high school

“I can confidently say that one of the strongest parts of my college application was all my elective classes,” Plescia said.

Growing up with two high school teachers as parents, there was always a heavy encouragement to take elective classes. This spring, I will graduate with over 285 credits in classes. I only needed 220 credits to graduate and be eligible for UC admission.

I can confidently say that taking extra elective classes was the best decision I made in high school. From Advanced Placement (AP) Art History to Leadership, these classes have consistently been the highlight of my day.

My elective classmates have become a family to me at San Marin High School and taught me more than I could have ever expected. While this may seem silly, becoming confident scheduling Zoom calls to coordinating prom catering and demonstrating rally games in front of the entire school taught me more confidence and real-world adulting skills that I know I will need in my future. It has given me the confidence to grow into the person I want to be. You cannot learn that confidence in a core subject. You have to try new things and be in an environment where you can make mistakes.

Sophomore year, my dad advised me to take AP Human Geography. I did not know what human geography was and the teacher, Mr. Lacy, looked very intimidating standing outside his classroom, but the course description sounded interesting so my friends and I decided to sign up. Little did I know, AP Human Geography (APHG) would become my favorite class I have ever taken at school. For the first time, what I was learning in each unit was applicable to the real world.

When you are in classes where no one has to be there, but the class is full because everyone wants to be there, your relationship with school changes. APHG was the light switch that inspired me to pursue a path in government and challenged me to see the world from multiple perspectives. Elective classes push you past your comfort zone in academics.

As humans, we crave connection; we naturally want to find community. In these smaller close-knit classes, there is a natural sense of belonging and community. From starting every journalism period with a positive comment to potluck finals in AP French Language and Culture, these experiences build relationships and a genuine love of learning. By not taking these classes, you are actively missing out on one of the most critical and special parts of high school: community.

I have seen a lot of my friends and classmates choose to finish their language or art requirements online. While this fulfills the requirement, it is not the same experience. Taking art online is not equivalent to struggling your way through a clay hybrid project seventh period as a freshman in Art 1.

I took French 2 my freshman year and it quickly became one of my favorite classes. I loved being in an environment where my classmates were excited about travel and I was learning real world communication skills. Not only did I become legally bilingual, something I am really proud of, but it inspired me to apply for study abroad programs on my college applications. Hearing about my teacher’s experience working in Paris constantly reminded me exactly how big our world is.

As someone who always knew that I wanted to attend college, I understand wanting to max out on AP classes to get the highest GPA possible.

However, I can confidently say that one of the strongest parts of my college application was all my elective classes. They made me realize my passion in international studies and politics and taught me more than just course material but communication, leadership, and most of all friendship. I have made some of my closest friendships through these classes and it has built me into the person I am today. Without these experiences, I would have unknowingly missed out on my favorite parts of high school.