Why Is It Important to Take Challenging Classes in High School?
Like a hurricane, COVID-19 rampages through society, altering life as we know it. Countless opportunities are being cancelled, academic institutions are switching to partially or fully virtual learning, and many students are left worrying about their futures. Despite this, however, everyone is still required to decide on which courses they should take in preparation for college and beyond. Beyond The Five recommends taking a few challenging courses, and here are five reasons why!
By taking challenging classes, students can explore different interests and opportunities that are not available in standard-level classes. For example, standard-level classes may only cover the fundamental knowledge required of a subject, while challenging courses go much deeper and reveal different subject areas that one can explore.
To ensure that our students’ interests and curiosities are being met, Beyond The Five offers over 100 courses in nearly every subject area, ranging from Ordinary Differential Equations to AP® Chinese Language and Culture to African Literature. This way, everyone can truly go beyond the five standard subjects offered at school.
Many students often say that there is a gap in education between high school and college; high school courses do not finish where college classes begin. The primary difference between high school and college is that college classes move at a quicker pace and require more independent study sessions than their high school equivalents. For example, college students may need to come to class prepared to discuss readings and topics they should be familiar with by studying before class. However, in high school, students are typically introduced to content during class for the first time. To minimize this gap, students can take college-level courses, including Advanced Placement®, International Baccalaureate®, or Dual Enrollment, not only to challenge themselves but also to ensure their success at university.
Some students may also be unaware of college expectations and how to balance academic rigor with extracurriculars. The mere thought of taking college-level courses during high school can appear daunting to students, but instilling the right habits can improve collegiate performance.
To allow our students to increase their understanding of the material and its applications in the real world, Beyond The Five offers rigorous courses that cover more than the required curriculum. We, like most universities, allow students to create their own schedule to develop study habits and balance their course-load with extracurriculars and leisure time. By creating a college-like atmosphere, students get an early feel for college expectations and, as a result, increase their chances of success.
When taking advanced courses or self-studying for an AP® exam, many students feel unmotivated and unassisted. Oftentimes, these students are involved in many other extracurricular activities in addition to an already-challenging in-school curriculum. This leads to them feeling overwhelmed with their school work and academic life.
To combat this, Beyond The Five hosts challenges (ex: Science Olympiads, writing challenges, etc.) for high school students to unwind and relax while also stimulating their brain. Furthermore, our chatting platform allows students to establish study sessions with classmates who can help keep them accountable. Being in an intellectually challenging environment, students can grow and develop with help from their peers and classmates.