Oakton High School offers numerous science classes, and sometimes the sheer amount can seem daunting to students choosing which classes to take. Whether you like biology or chemistry or neither, there is a science class for you. In freshmen and sophomore year, students are required to take biology and chemistry whether that be honors or non-honors (keep in mind that honors mean doing the science fair). However, once you reach junior and senior year you have a much bigger choice on what sciences to take. Also, remember that taking either geo-systems or physics is required (some students can substitute that by taking AP environmental science). Oakton offers many science classes that can help you figure out what you might want to major in in college. For example, if you are interested in the medical field it will be very helpful to take anatomy and AP Bio to tell if that material is interesting to you.

When choosing the right science class to take there are many different elements that go into the decision, such as, the workload, difficulty, and the material. If you’re unsure ask around and get other student’s opinion. In an interview with Sophia Stroud (12), she was asked what her least favorite science class was and said, “ I regret taking AP Chem, [It was] very difficult, I just didn’t understand anything, like no matter how much effort I put into the class, it didn’t work.” However don’t let this experience scare you, chemistry is not for everyone. In another interview, Talise Lindorf (12) explains how she actually regretted taking AP Chem saying, “I do regret not taking AP chem this year though because chemistry in college is very hard.” So it really goes both ways and you have to figure out which class you will enjoy the most.

Some of the most popular science classes are AP Bio and AP Chem, but Oakton also provides many other classes. Some of them are oceanography, anatomy, astrology, and genetics and biotechnology. These classes allow students to really get into and test out a specific field. Although, many of the science classes are grueling and can have a large workload, so make sure to pay attention to the other classes you would take with the science, and know the commitment an advanced science class takes.

To conclude, science proves to be an important class to take, and when choosing the right class don’t just make it about what colleges want but also choose the class based on your interests. Don’t be afraid to take a less popular class and test the waters in future career paths that deal with science to make sure that you find it interesting before you go to college.