By Sophie Weyn

As we all familiarize ourselves with second semester of our junior year, it’s time my fellow junior class members and I truly dive into the college process. Since the start of the second semester, we’ve attended Junior Forum classes, scheduled “get-to-know-you” meetings with our counselors, and answered many online surveys about “where we see ourselves past high school”, or what we envision a “comfortable college atmosphere” to look like. We’ve dipped our toe in the pool, but it is now that expectations are rising in terms of what we need to do to get ready for college. We are striving to achieve the GPA we want as the semester comes to a close in May, because it is the last full semester’s grades that colleges will see on our transcript. With the intensified pressure that junior year brings also comes course selection for next year- our last year at HB!

As rising seniors, we all hope to find course selection for our last year quite simple. For some people, their paths have been mapped out for them since freshman year. It was clear to them what science they’d be taking each year, or what math class they would end up in as a senior. However, as some juniors find, it actually doesn’t all turn out that way. HB offers a variety of options for each subject we have here, and we are so grateful to be presented with so many choices. Although being so fortunate to truly choose the path we want to follow, it also bring challenges, and can be difficult to choose which of the several amazing classes you want to take.

I would argue that choosing your Capstone Course, or what class you will pursue your thesis work in, often determines what other classes you can consider taking, too. Although this only applies to the students who are graduating having written a thesis, that is a large number of the graduating class each year. This coming 2018-19 school year, HB is offering more capstone classes than before. Classes like Economics, World Literature, International Relations, Government, and Art History are still available as honors/capstone classes. However, this year Honors Psychology is also added to that list!

With this change brings more choice. More room to decide what subject we are truly passionate about, and what we are ready to dedicate our time to as seniors. Although making decisions can sometimes be hard, as you can fear what you are missing out on if you don’t take a course you really wish that you had, course selection is all about preparing yourself to be successful as you finish out your last year as an HB student. We are so lucky to be presented with so many options for classes, and so many teachers who dedicate their time to us, just as we dedicate our efforts to them and our work. I can say with confidence that the class of 2019 is getting ready for next year as best as possible. However, our senior class of 2018 isn’t gone just yet…  and we are enjoy watching them get into fabulous schools all over the country!