Being a high school student can be a challenging job. It is even more difficult with the variety of classes and their varying difficulties throughout freshman through senior year.

That’s why I think that it is better if students can choose their own academic classes, specifically their history classes. 

Throughout high school, students generally will take 3-4ish social studies classes(the required classes have changed in the last few years), and they cover a variety of topics. “I really wish that I could choose my classes because I think that I could be taking a better history class than having to take the required/chosen class for my grade,”- Zachery Jordan(Junior). However, there are a lot more other history classes that are either not offered or offered as electives(which is fine). Sure, the classes required now can be important, but the other potential history classes can be important too, and might even help students know more about the world.

For example, a sophomore may want to take European history so he can be a professor in France; however, he has to learn world history that year, but because he can’t remember a large number of facts, he fails the class and has to retake it, which wastes a whole year. And in that year, he could’ve been taking a college/elective class that helps people with their teaching skills. “Last year, I took World History, and I didn’t really enjoy the class, and I barely passed. I wanted to learn about Latin America, and I wished that they offered that type of class, because I would be way more engaged and would do better,”- Maya Frias(Sophomore).

And if you let students choose their classes, they are more likely to actually be engaged in the class. And, because they pay attention more, they are more likely to pass the class and excel in other classes related to that class.

However, some people might not support this idea because some schools can’t offer funding for the amount of social studies there are in the world. There are two solutions for this issue. First, you can offer some general, common history classes that more students are likely to take; however, not everyone can be satisfied. Or you can put social studies classes in a computer lab so that while the teacher is teaching the regular “curriculum”, the other students can take their other classes online at school.

So overall, I personally think students should choose their own history classes because it can lead to them passing more often and leave them happier, and offer a lot more opportunities in college.