Thought you were done making your schedule? (Not until you read this)

Accelerated Physics: Simply put, don’t take Accelerated Physics. I hope this reaches some eighth graders out there because Accelerated Physics is easily the worst tradeoff in history. You do more homework and don’t get the GPA boost/inflated grade that comes with every other honors-level course KHS offers. God knows why Accelerated Physics isn’t just Honors Physics. Only take this class if you ...

Launch or PeLA, through the school year or doing summer, online PE is not recommended by those who’ve taken it. You have to film yourself performing exercises or track your steps to complete your assignments. Taking an in-person PE class that consists of throwing a frisbee into a target is a much better option.

 I know you did well in middle school math. I know you want to take as many honors classes as possible during your freshman year. But consider this: Are you even that good at math? Or are you just good at studying? If you fall into the second category, reconsider taking Honors Geometry. It’s hard, and you’ll have to do those horrible proofs. Just ask anyone ever....

I admire the Science department’s determination to create the worst courses possible because this is next on our do-not-take-at-all-costs list. Chemistry is hard enough, but Honors Chemistry is the bane of sophomore overachievers’ existence. Even though you are getting that 0.33 boost to your GPA, it’s not worth it. The class is ridiculously hard and the teachers don’t let you take notes fo...

Precalculus is already an honors-level course. Honors Precalculus is another beast. Some of the teachers of this class refer to it as “the hardest in the school.” Especially if you don’t plan to take a calculus course your senior year, heavily consider opting for regular Precalculus.

Even if World History was a piece of cake, think twice before you take on APUSH. Each student is assigned a 700-page textbook, of which you will skip exactly zero chapters. Ask yourself two questions before choosing it: “Do I like history?” and “How are my reading comprehension and essay-writing skills?” If you dislike history and doubt your ability to read dense passages and decipher them, t...

Another class sequence with a massive jump is the third year of a world language. In the second year of a language, you’re expected to understand basic nouns and use the present tense. In the third year, you’re expected to cry. Some colleges don’t require a third year of a world language, so consider that. That’s not to say that it isn’t a rewarding class, though.

If you can’t swim, and you don’t necessarily want to learn how to, this is not the class for you. You should also consider that you will have the class in the middle of the day, meaning you’ll walk to your next class with wet hair. If you’re up for that, be my guest.

 I don’t know how I ended up with a B in Drawing I, but it happened. I’ve heard cases where kids got C’s and D’s. Here’s the thing: drawing is hard and discouraging. When you try new concepts and you don’t get them, you will want to shut down. The teacher may let you scroll through TikTok, but you’ll still get that zero in Infinite Campus for not turning in your portfolio. Maybe look somewhere...

If you’re on the private story of someone taking AP Art History, you’re already familiar with how difficult this class can be. It turns out, humans have been making art since before recorded history, all over the world! That means a lot of material to cover between August and May. It’s an AP, after all.

Consider this. If you took Health or Personal Finance over the regular school year you’d have three to four months to cover all material. On PeLA (Pioneer e-Learning Academy) you’ll do it all in a month. That’s not to say these classes are incredibly difficult, but I wouldn’t plan on blowing them off.

If you survived APUSH, you’ll be walking on clouds taking AP Gov. Even if you took regular U.S. History, it’s a good subject to take your first AP in.

By far the easiest AP class KHS offers. It’s also a fun one. Expect two or three 30-minute assignments a week and plenty of discussion in class on topics like language, religion, populations and economics.

Heading into senior year and looking for an elective? Public speaking is an engaging class where you’ll get experience speaking in front of the class. So if you’ve got stage fright, maybe skip this one, or don’t —if you’re up for a challenge. Mr. Hughes is great and incorporates feedback from the class throughout the semester. If you want to pick up some useful skills, this class is high...

After your freshman year, you’re going to need that IP/study block. Even if you scroll through TikTok the whole hour, it’s one less teacher that can give you homework. If you’re a junior or senior with a car, consider a Late Start or Early Dismissal instead of an IP. Waking up or leaving school 45 minutes later? Yes, please.

Everybody at KHS has to find a class that satisfies KHS’ graduation requirement of 0.5 credits in Practical Arts. Since no one but rising seniors can seem to get into these, check out Intro to Law. It’s one of those classes that has a lot of in-class discussions and not a lot of homework. Besides, law is kinda interesting. Kinda.