Lucia Hoyt

Physics students ready to learn about the magnetic field.

As the world continues to evolve, high school students are making important decisions about which classes to take that will prepare them for their futures in college and beyond. Benilde-St. Margaret’s students believe that some of the most helpful courses have been science and history classes, along with Advanced Placement (AP) classes.

The history courses that BSM offers allow students to learn about historical events, understand the context of factors that influenced historical decisions, and draw connections between history and what is happening today. For the future, it is important to understand and interpret past events because that helps students develop critical thinking skills and learn from past mistakes for better decisions moving forward. Junior Rainier Gilliss has found that how history classes are taught at BSM is helpful. “I like how my AP history classes are laid out. You can learn it at home and then ask your teacher about it. It’s partly self-taught,” Gilliss said.

The study of living organisms and the world around us is also critical to understand. BSM’s science courses, especially biology and physics, help students prepare for careers in healthcare, research, biotechnology, and more. BSM also offers biomed classes, which allow students to learn about the body’s anatomy and practice their research skills. Senior Emma Dempsey has taken an interest in the science courses BSM offers. “My STEM classes, such as AP bio, physics, and calculus, have definitely prepared me because they helped me learn very practical skills and a general basis for those subjects, which is important going into college,” Dempsey said.

The more advanced courses that BSM has to offer include honors and AP classes. These classes allow students to learn at a college level with the opportunity to earn college credit. They provide students with the foundation of college work and more in-depth information about a specific subject. “I would say the curriculum in the AP courses and how we apply it to our daily lives and common knowledge is going to be extremely beneficial to me in college,” Dempsey said.

By taking multiple different classes, students can discover what subjects are most beneficial to them while gaining different skills. Whether it’s the teacher or the course curriculum, finding the courses that interest them can better prepare the student body for the different challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in their futures, especially through the courses of science and history.