Registration season is upon us once again. Soon, students will be receiving their registration packets for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. It can be hard to pick what classes to take, especially with the number of options available here at Bob Jones. With that being said, here are some tips from counselors and students that could help make the process easier:

Start Early!

Students get about a month from the time they receive registration packets until they are due. This gives them ample time to think and make a careful choice on which classes they want. Don’t wait until the last minute to decide-you don’t want to be one of those people cramming in the counseling office the day forms are due- because if you change your mind, there’s no time to switch. You are now at the mercy of the counselors.

Read the course descriptions

You can find the course descriptions in the curriculum catalog sent out to students or at the link here. Be sure to read them, as it gives a good idea of what you will be doing in each class along with an idea of difficulty level and expectations. Freshman Jordan Dunning says that “Not every class is what you think it is”.

Pick the classes you want, not what your friends want

Sure, having your friends in the same class can be fun, but as Senior Anne Elise Cairns puts it, “Don’t feel pressured by friends into classes you would rather not take, take what you want to.” You don’t want to end up in a class you despise and will dread going to every day.

Challenge yourself!

Try an Honors or AP course, but know your limits. One of our counselors, Mr. Van Dorn, advises, “Taking all AP courses without ever taking one before or jumping into honors classes when regular classes have not gone well would be bad ideas.” AP classes can be difficult, but getting a good score on the AP exam can award you college credit. Keep in mind that these classes often require time spent outside of class on homework, so make sure you can balance your schedule with other commitments.

Talk to your teachers, counselors, and even other students

Teachers and counselors are some of the most valuable resources to knowing if a class is right for you. For example, if you are considering a higher-level course, such as AP Calculus, talking to your math teacher from this school year can help see if you are prepared. Counselors have extensive knowledge of the classes at our school and can give good advice on what classes you need to graduate as well as what you may be interested in. Dr. Bostick in the College and Career Center is a great resource for making sure you’re on track for anything you decide to do after high school, whether that’s college, a trade school, the workforce, the military or something else entirely.

Other students that have taken the classes you’re interested in can also be very helpful. Talk to upperclassmen to get a student’s perspective on the course. They can give you good tips and resources to help you be successful.

Think about online, dual enrollment, or summer classes

Some classes that are required to graduate are offered online over the summer. ‘’Try to take some of the required weird classes over the summer (i.e. Career Prep),’’ said Junior Emily Duong. Many online classes are also available during the school year through the ACCESS program. If you have the self-discipline to handle it, taking these classes can help free up space in your normal schedule and allow you to take something else, like an extra elective.

Dual enrollment classes can be seen as an alternative to AP classes, as they also give you college credit. Many students choose to take classes at either Calhoun or UAH. Popular classes usually include Gen Eds such as English, History, and Math. There are also some classes available through dual enrollment not available in high school, such as a new welding program at Calhoun. These classes can be great for someone looking to go into a trade such as welding or manufacturing.

Take classes that will help you in the future

As mentioned before, AP and dual enrollment classes can be great choices for someone looking to get a head start on college credit. Bob Jones itself also offers an extremely wide range of elective classes, such as engineering, biomed, culinary, multimedia design, art, teaching, health science, construction, computer science, and many more. All of them give a great taste of various careers and can help someone explore what they want to do, as well as create a strong foundation in the subject. Sophomore Alexia Elizter advises, “Ask yourself if this class will be fun yet beneficial for you in the future”.

Be Flexible

Sometimes, it can be hard to get every class you ask for. As Mr. Van Dorn puts it, “If you plan to take several AP/higher level courses, it is possible that two or more of those courses will only be offered at the same time as some of the others, making it impossible to take all of them together. That is what we can a course conflict, and alternate course have to be added.’’

I know that’s a lot, so here are some dates and deadlines to help you along:

Feb 16th 

• Students receive registration packets in Patriot Path

Feb 24th 

• Patriot Pride (formerly Patriot Expedition) for rising 9th graders
• Curriculum Fair 5-7 pm in the commons
• AP meetings at 5:30 and 6:30 pm in the media center
• Rising 9th/New Student meetings 5 and 6 pm in the auditorium

Feb 22- March 11

• 20 minute counselor appointments, 
• Students enter course requests in PowerSchool with their counselors

March 11

• All forms due, turn into 2nd block teacher
• Last day for course request changes

Here are the counselor emails as well:

A-GO: [email protected]

GR-O: [email protected]

P-Z: [email protected]

Good luck!