Underrated Electives

One of the most liberating parts of high school is being able to choose your own classes that align with your interests. With a variety of classes ranging from electives to 

senior seminars, the School offers a multitude of enriching experiences. However, many of these classes go unnoticed and deserve their recognition among students.

Not many students take Photography as an elective, but those who do participate in it  always find it very enriching. Sophomore Sebastian Berchesi is taking Photography for a second year, noting how “it’s a very creative outlet because you get to explore campus with your camera.” Even though Berchesi was new to Photography before high school, he says, “it was very easy to learn and it’s a nice break from the core, academic classes.” In addition, the class can spark new hobbies and teach you important skills for future use. Sophomore Shrey Kanji notes, “Photography taught me how to use Photoshop and now I like to use it outside of class as well.” Luckily, this elective choice is open to all grade levels, making it an accessible and fulfilling class. 

Part of the variety of senior seminar classes, Economics (Econ) is one of the most fruitful classes that many students find enjoyable this year. Teaching the basics of consumer and corporation decisions, Econ is a highly liked class because the knowledge can be applied to the real world. Senior Jared Chin believes that people should take Econ because it “offers a good overview of economics [and an] … opportunity for students to analyze their own cognitive biases…” The personal applications of Econ are very useful for making your own financial  decisions later and analyzing the reasons for your monetary motivations. There are very few classes that are as useful to everyone as Econ because it can “sharpen the way they navigate the world financially,” says Chin.  

Available for 10th-12th graders, Graphics is one of the few classes that leaves a commemorative mark on the School. Culminating the student life and activities that happen at the school, the graphics team designs and creates the yearbook that we all cherish at the end of the year. Junior Hayes Caruana describes the class as a collaborative experience with “a group of people across all the grades.” From attending sports games to designing yearbook layouts, students in graphics participate in a multitude of activities around campus. To Caruana, what makes this class so appealing is the fact that students can “build a big, permanent part of the school through the yearbook”. 

As class selections for next year begin to roll out in the next couple of weeks, students at the school are often left with tough decisions for their elective choices. While the allure of popular classes may seem tempting, it is worth a shot to try something new and lesser-known at the School.