How to Choose High School Classes

Want to attend a live CATES webinar?
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As students gear up for a new school year, we’re diving into a topic on the minds of many parents and students as the school year begins: high school classes—and how to choose the right ones.

In the webinar, we provide key insights on choosing classes and dig into real students' transcripts to address top questions about course selection, including:

- What do colleges look for in terms of rigor, balance, and skills?
- When and how should families start planning high school course schedules?
- How should families factor in the impact of remote learning?
- What is recommended for honors, AP, and IB courses? Is more always better?
- Do class choices need to be fully aligned with college and career goals? Is there room for exploration?

Guiding you through the topic is CATES CEO and education consultant Chris Ajemian. He is joined by Michael Muska, the director of Relativity College Consulting and a former admissions officer at Brown and Cornell. We also hear from CATES’s Director of Client Services Paige Peterson, whose daughter is entering high school this year.

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0:00 - Introduction
2:48 - Context
7:58 - Planning & Requirements
16:37 - Choosing Electives
26:51 - Grades, Rigor, & Trends
36:15 - Workload & Time Management
45:27 - Example Transcripts
1:05:54 - Q&A
1:13:12 - Closing Remarks