With the dawn of a new year and a new semester, students have started to consider their options for the upcoming school year. These options range from whether to try a completely new experience like Middle College to just choosing the right classes to take. When it comes to class choices, the school’s guidance counselors have plenty of advice.

“It depends on the student, what they’re interested in, what their other time commitments [are], and what [graduation] requirements they still need to take care of,” counselor Alinna Satake said.

Satake said that her recommendations are often based on how well a student is doing in his or her current courses. She cautions students who struggle in AP courses from taking the same path the following year and points students who “breeze through their courses” to a more rigorous course.

“The key is to take as many rigorous classes as possible without compromising the quality of your work,” Satake said.

She compared this strategy to working out and exercising.

“You need enough resistance to grow and develop, but not so much that you break something,” Satake said.

Satake also advised students about the importance of planning out their courses beforehand, considering it a display of initiative.

“Instead of getting into the year and getting overwhelmed, look now and see what [you] can fix in [the] schedule,” said counselor Frances Saiki. “Now is a good time to think about it.”

Remembering her own experiences with a four-year plan as a student at Saratoga High, Satake added that she had to “be flexible and recognize where [her] original plan was not going to be the best idea.”

Satake said that students should start thinking about their course options now as course offerings are available.

As was done last year, the procedure of signing up for classes starts with a grade meeting with guidance counselors in the McAfee Center. There, the “scope and sequences” are discussed, Satake said.

Afterwards, students go on their Aeries accounts to sign up for their desired courses.
In late February and early March, guidance counselors will visit each of the English classes to verify grades in transcripts as well as collect the necessary paperwork, and wrap up the class registration process.