For the Junior Class the time is drawing near to select your courses for your final year at Academic Magnet. From a current Senior looking back, the best advice I can offer is don’t overload your schedule. You will want to enjoy every moment you have and it is difficult to do that if you have a pile of work for your classes each night. My favorite thing about my final year has been the feeling of relief and accomplishment when I go home for the night knowing that I have no homework to complete and no examinations to study for. I know that many among you are already feeling the grip of Senioritis, and to you I say this: Heed my advice and choose your courses wisely.

Science

Most of you have spent hours at a time gazing at your body in the mirror. Wouldn’t you like to know the different parts that are making up that beautiful specimen? Well if your answer is yes then you should take Honors Anatomy and Physiology. While some may find the class to be a bit challenging it is a rewarding experience. I will warn those who are weak in the stomach to not take this class. If you think you would have a problem dissecting a cat, sheep brain, or an eyeball then this probably isn’t the class for you.

The other option I would suggest is Honors Marine. This class comes jam packed with field trips to exotic locations such as Folly Beach and the Aquarium. While I do hear my companions occasionally complaining about quizzes and study guides they seem to throughly enjoy their time with Ms. Roop. Who wouldn’t enjoy a class that involves polar bears and the blob fish?

Lastly we have our AP Sciences. These include Biology, Chemistry, Environmental, Physics 1 and Physics C. These classes offer a more in-depth and through exploration of topics you touch on in their honors counterparts. While they do allow you to further your knowledge in a topic of your choosing be warned: AP Bio and Chem are two day classes, meaning that you will give up your elective. Proceed cautiously.

History

All seniors are required to take both Government and Economics, and at the Magnet you have the option of either Honors or AP. From personal experience I have to favor Honors. Taking Honors allows you to move at a more modest pace through the material while also having a less demanding workload. Another great bonus is that at the end of the year, when motivation is at an astounding new low, there is no AP Exam.

English

A long debated decision has been over whether to take Honors English 4 or AP Lit. I have the answer: AP Lit. While a major draw back is having an AP Exam at the end of the year in the end it is worth it. If you were to get a 4 or 5 on the exam some colleges will exempt you from having to take English classes your freshman year. Nice.

Math

I cannot stress this enough. TAKE. HONORS. STATS. This class is a gift from God. Ms. Hooffstetter truly understands the pressures of Senior year and structures her class accordingly. This is one class that I look forward to going to every other day. Trust me on this one. Take the class. You won’t regret it.

Honors, AB, and BC Calculus are other options as well as AP Statistics which a large number of Seniors take. I recognize the value and necessity of these classes existing and being offered. However, I cannot wrap my mind around what would prompt someone to take these classes in their Senior year. Maybe this is just because I am not good at Math and could probably be classified as a “slacker”. Nonetheless, I stand by Honors Stats as being the best class at Magnet. If you cherish your life at all you will take this class.

Electives

Time to discuss those classes where you can explore your potential. First off we have Newspaper, a class where you can write about just about anything you want and then trick people into reading it to raise your viewer numbers. Next we have your fine arts classes. Now some of you may be thinking “oh, but I’ve already taken my fine arts class.” Incorrect. You can never have too much art so take one that you haven’t taken out of Guitar, Art, and Photography. Then we have the classes for the overachievers who want to take more than 1 of their Science, History, or Math classes. For you select few I have no advice as I do not understand the desire to “challenge yourself” in school. Unfortunately for y’all, you have to take AP Capstone vol. 2 (bummer), so you will have to choose your single elective wisely.