By Kathleen Schaefer

As students enter high school, their freedom to choose the classes they enroll in substantially increases. With this new liberty comes the decision whether to continue to focus on core academic subjects or to take classes more centered on the electives. Ample evidence shows that adhering to academic courses throughout high school is necessary for success in future education.
The obvious benefit of core subjects is the preparation they provide for the college admission process as well as actual college classes. According to a study done by ACT (American College Testing), students who take several academic classes will generally achieve better scores on the ACT, have a greater chance of enrolling in a college, and will receive a higher GPA in college.
Academic classes are frequently the best choices for offering teenagers a rigorous education, as they challenge their students in ways that the more relaxed atmosphere of art, music, computer design, leadership, journalism programs often do not. The majority of core classes demand a consistent level of effort, allowing the students in them to become accustomed to higher expectations. If they primarily take classes that are centered on encouraging creativity than on providing a focused education, most teenagers will take advantage of the more leisurely approach to learning; this becomes problematic when they inevitably have to adapt to situations ― such as college classes or work environments ― that require the discipline fostered in core academic classes.
Furthermore, several academic classes promote the development of skills and knowledge that can be applicable throughout life. English classes, through writing and oral presentations, help build the skills necessary to communicate ideas to others, while social science classes, particularly those focused on world or U.S. history or on the structure of the government, are necessary for students to become active, informed members of a democratic
society.
Even math and science classes, which have less obvious everyday applications, teach people to think logically. While knowing the composition of an atom or the process of graphing functions may have limited direct uses outside of a math or science field, understanding these fundamental concepts are beneficial in certain instances such as making financial decisions or knowing the true utility of a product advertised with scientific-sounding jargon.
But the real value of academic classes is their ability to provide a true, worthwhile education. For a rigorous learning experience that will prepare students for the next stage after high school, it is necessary to focus on academic courses while keeping elective classes as occasional supplements to the main subjects, rather than as substitutions for them.