Senior Scoop: Recommended Classes

As the end of the year draws closer, it’s difficult to pick the classes best suited for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. East offers a wide variety of options, from electives like photography to challenging courses like AP Physics. We interviewed seniors and asked them what classes they most recommend taking to underclassmen at East before graduating.

One of the most popular class to take at Central Bucks East is Advanced Placement United States History. This class examines the history of the United States chronologically from the Colonial Period to the 1990s. In this class, students view America through factual and interpretive readings. The participants explore projects displaying a deeper understanding of American history. Those who were interviewed shared it was engaging to see the evolution of the American political parties and how the historical events fit together to form the country’s unique backstory. The course moves through different periods while the semester and a half progresses; as the material becomes more modern, students say the concepts and dilemmas are relatable to today’s political climate. AP US History is typically a junior-year course, and an exciting option for underclassmen to consider.

While AP United States history goes in depth of history, students also highly recommend a tasty experience through Food Science. In this elective, students examine the biological structure of food, safe cooking and handling processes, physical and chemical changes occurring in food preparation, and the role of government in keeping food secure. The interviewed students informed me that their favorite part of this class was creating their own food and getting to eat it afterwards. Food Science runs for nine weeks and is an excellent choice, especially for students who enjoy cooking.

Another popular course among East students is Advanced Placement Macroeconomics. This course is an introductory college-level course that emphasizes on the what drives the economy as a whole. It prioritizes national income and how companies set price levels. In addition, it develops student’s familiarity with economic performance measures, the financial sector, stabilization policies, economic growth, and international economics. Students said that their favorite part of this class was learning how to balance their own income and how the market works, especially post-pandemic. It is applicable to life and the psychology behind money is interesting. AP Macroeconomics provides a chance to learn about the economy as a whole and use it in daily life.

A similar elective for students considering pursuing business is Business Administration. This course is designed to enhance the necessary skills for students thinking about a degree in business. Students are able to learn about payroll, depreciation of plant assets, and other transactions. People who took the course said that they loved having a business-related experience and it helped them decide their major in college. Many electives among business, such as psychology, debate, and engineering offer hands-on knowledge that can help determine future careers.

Another class that students at East highly recommend is the elective Stress Management. In this elective, students explore the psychological causes and reactions of stress, and learn about various ways to effectively handle its impact on life. These include exercise, relaxation, nutrition, and awareness. In this course, students were also offered the chance to play with dogs as a way of stress relief.

Students have long strived to create the “perfect” schedule, and in doing so, are lost in the process of how to select the ideal courses for their interests, while not being too overwhelming. Most seniors interviewed also added that balance is important; too many AP classes will drain you whereas too many electives might not offer enough rigor. While course selection can seem overwhelming, it’s important to keep in mind that every class will offer something different and be rewarding in its own way. Good luck to all East students choosing classes!