Recommended High School Curriculum

We suggest the following list of courses as a minimum to be a strong candidate for competitive colleges and scholarships. Below the recommended curriculum is a list of suggested elective courses. Extracurricular activities are also important to report on college and scholarship applications. Finally, there is a link for FAQ about college and college application fee waivers.

 

Freshman Year

  • English I Honors
  • Math (honors level)
  • Science (honors level)
  • History (honors level)
  • Physical Education
  • Arts, World Language, Academic oriented or Career-related elective
  • Arts, World Language, Academic oriented or Career-related elective
  • Arts, World Language, Academic oriented or Career-related elective

*We recommend that students avoid AP courses until junior year.

 

Sophomore Year

  • English II Honors
  • Math (honors level)
  • Science (honors level)
  • History (honors level)
  • World Language
  • Arts, World Language, Academic oriented or Career-related elective
  • Arts, World Language, Academic oriented or Career-related elective
  • Arts, World Language, Academic oriented or Career-related elective

*We recommend that students avoid AP courses until junior year.

 

Junior Year

  • English III Honors
  • Science (AP or honors level)
  • Math (AP or honors level)
  • History (AP or honors level)
  • World Language
  • Arts, World Language, Academic oriented or Career-related elective OR a course at Alamance Community College
  • Arts, World Language, Academic oriented or Career-related elective OR a course at Alamance Community College
  • Arts, World Language, Academic oriented or Career-related elective OR a course at Alamance Community College

 

Senior Year

*We recommend that students avoid early release, late-in, or graduating early.

Recommended Electives

There are many different electives, these are the ones we recommend for a college bound student.

  • AP level electives
  • Advanced Digital Media Honors
  • Anatomy
  • Art
  • Band/Orchestra
  • Chorus
  • Computer Integrated Manufacturing Honors
  • Computer Programming I Honors
  • Computer Programming II Honors
  • Computer Science Principles Honors
  • Creative Writing
  • Dance
  • Digital Media Honors
  • Drafting
  • Engineering Design and Development Honors
  • Game Art Design Honors
  • Geography
  • Introduction to Engineering Design Honors
  • Medical Careers
  • Photography
  • Political Science
  • Principles of Engineering Honors
  • Psychology
  • Scientific Visualization Honors
  • Sociology
  • World Languages
  • Theatre

High School Clubs

Student involvement in high school clubs allows students to develop valuable skills, helps students to stand apart in college/scholarship application, and allows college admissions offices/scholarship committees to see student interests that go “beyond the grades”. For more information about clubs at your high school, see your school counselor.

FAQ

Standardized Tests

The SAT and the ACT are two standardized tests required by many colleges and universities as part of the admission process. These test scores are just one part of what most schools consider when evaluating an applicant. High school transcripts (both the courses taken and GPA), extracurricular activities (including work, volunteer activities, sports, and school club participation), and teacher or administrator recommendations are also reviewed for admission decisions. The Elon Academy recommends that our scholars take both the SAT and ACT during their junior year of high school. In order to be well prepared for the exams, advance planning and consistent test prep is recommended. The following test prep guides provide additional information on the SAT and ACT, including test dates, sample questions, and what content to expect on each exam.