Second semester is the start of many changes for everyone. In particular, March is course selection month, meaning students have to select courses for the next school year. In case you forgot, Bronx Science uses Naviance for the course selection process, an easy to navigate website that, students will also use as seniors to select colleges. As the deadline for selecting courses is coming up, we wanted to give students some tips on the course selection process, and how to craft the best schedule for yourself.

First off, one great idea is to go to the Elective Day if you can. This is an event that takes place after school in March, where you can visit different teachers in their rooms and get detailed information about the classes they teach. Here, you can get a first look at your future teachers, learn more about the classes available to you, and ask individualized questions. You can take a look at the course syllabus to come up with specific questions, such as if the class is more lecture based or focused on group work.

The classes you select on Naviance will affect your next school year, so make sure you’re making  smart choices.

Bronx Science students are also a great source for ‘intel’ on which courses are best to take. During the course selection process, the Bronx Science Facebook page for students is especially popular, with students posting questions about which classes to take. Upperclassmen will reply to their peers’ questions about the course, touching upon aspects such as workload, subject difficulty, and teachers. So, if you have a question about a particular class, it is a good idea to check social media, or ask a friend who has already taken it and find out their opinion. That being said, it is important to take everything with a grain of salt, since every student is different and has a unique experience. Remember that ultimately, you’re the one taking the class – keep the thoughts of others in mind, but do not make your decision solely based on that.

At the end of the day, you should be putting some good thought in this process. The classes you select on Naviance will effect your next school year, so make sure that you are making  smart choices. You can request a schedule change up until August, but it is difficulty to ensure that there will be enough space for you at that point in time, so pick carefully now!