Electives are the biggest decision a student has to make when they sign up for courses each year, simply because they are completely left up to the student, besides a few required classes, students can select anything that particularly piques their interest and enroll. With so many options, it’s hard to narrow down what 3 courses you want to take the most. Here is our list of the top 5 electives to consider giving a spot on your schedule next year. 

5. Journalism

To get it out of the way, yes, we are biased, but journalism is a great set or courses to take your writing skills to the next level. The journalism courses feature a variety of expectations and experiences that help you to learn the principles and strategies of news writing, and then practice them in weekly stories for our school newspaper. Journalism is a great way to improve your writing skills and learn how to write about different subjects that pertain to news. 

 Workload: 3/10 

Enjoyment: 7/10 

Usefulness: 7/10 

Overall: 7/10 

 4. Arts

Although having a required credit, the arts can be a great way to express creativity and get to tap into different parts of the brain than what is normally viable for core classes. The arts are a low stress course that eases you into the history, mediums, and practices of fine art and are a great opportunity for students looking to reach the bounds of their creative prowess. 

Workload: 5/10 

Enjoyment: 8/10 

Usefulness: 6/10 

Overall: 7/10 

3. Film Criticism 

Films and movies are a medium that surrounds the modern world, and film criticism is all about digging deeper into the processes, deeper meanings, and thematical choices that directors power the modern film industry with. Plus, when half of the course is watching movies, it’s hard for it not to be high on the list. 

Workload: 3/10 

Enjoyment: 9.5/10 

Usefulness: 5/10 

Overall: 8/10 

2. Foods

Foods are a very unique course that is offered at Bel Air. Foods teaches students the very necessary skill of culinary preparation, cooking, and serving that are used in real world kitchens. Foods is a perfect way for students to learn a skill that becomes very prevalent in later life and a great way to enjoy hands on learning like no other course can offer. 

Workload: 4/10 

Enjoyment: 8/10 

Usefulness: 9/10 

Overall: 9/10 

1.Higher Level Language 

Another course that has a required credit, however, second and third level language courses offer students with an opportunity that is unrivaled by any other elective. Pair a fun and low workload, with an enjoyable time filled with games and activities, plus the highest level of real world usefulness and applicability and you get the language courses. Language is the best elective due to its ability to give students the access to a skill that can allow them to access another part of the world in a much better way. 

Workload: 4/10 

Enjoyment: 9.5/10 

Usefulness: 10/10 

Overall: 9.75/10 

What electives will you be taking next year?