STOP PRESSURING STUDENTS TO TAKE A FOURTH YEAR OF MATH
- Ashley Carrillo
- Mar 2, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 8, 2022
Some, like our school counselors, argue that students need to take a fourth year of mathematics, but the fact is that students should not be pressured to take another year of math if that is not what they want.
Students should not be pressured to take a fourth year of math for two reasons:
According to the A-G requirements, students only need three years of math so we shouldn’t be forced to take a course that won’t benefit us or that we don’t want. As students, we need to have our own rights to pick the classes we want, as long as graduation requirements are being met. It clearly says in the requirements that we only need three years, shouldn’t we be able to follow that? Why do counselors spend so much time reviewing the requirements, but then go directly against them, in the case of math? Forcing a student to take the unwanted math course is setting some up to fail. If they don’t want the class and then don’t pass with a good enough grade, it will affect their transcript, which is just hurting students.
As seniors, we should be able to enjoy our last year of high school by taking classes that we will actually enjoy. As a senior, I would like to have four electives my senior year. Though I know senior year is my last year and it is also still a very important chapter of my life, I feel like it should still be fun. For example, many seniors want to focus on other courses that actually interest them and can possibly benefit them for future majors or even careers. Taking different courses or the courses that we plan on studying in our future careers can help us with our path and find what we actually like doing in life. Not only that, we should enjoy being teens and not stress so much in our last year of high school before the real-world is upon us. We should choose our own classes and spend time with our friends because all of us are going our separate ways soon.
I agree with this, I believe counselors should stop pressuring students to take classes that they don't want to take. I will never understand why counselors feel the need to force students into classes they don't want and have made it so clear that they do not want to do them. In my sophomore year I took AP world history and I realized that it would be too much for me to do another year of AP history. I decided not to take it but when I told my counselor she almost shamed me for it and told me that it would look bad on my college applications. While I understand that it is her job, I feel as though…
The author's document of their own opinion makes me agree completely to it. Whether if I'm a senior or not, it is still concerning for others and potentially myself when I am a senior in the future. The author seems to have complete and reasonable evidence that we are only required to take three complete years of math. Now I would understand if they failed a year, but if they did good, then why choose for them what they refuse to do? Counselors are supposed to do what's best for us, but not to a certain extent of forcing someone to do a class. In my perspective of judgement, counselors shouldn't force us to take these classes because they aren't…
I strongly agree with the author's claim that students should not be pressured to take a fourth year of math. The A-G requirements clearly state that students must take at least three years of math. As long as this requirement is met, there is no reason for those who do not wish to enroll in a fourth year of math to be unwillingly enrolled in it. This would severely limit students from expanding their interests and taking courses that would actually be of benefit to their future plans. If those who are interested in taking an additional year of math are allowed to do so, there is no reason why students who have already fulfilled the requirements should not be…
I agree with your point on how if they force students to take a fourth year of math and they don't do well, it will go on their transcript. It doesn't make sense that they have to take a class they don't need or want, and then if they fail that's permanently going to be there for colleges to look at. Three years like you said follows the A-G requirements, so there shouldn't be a problem when a student chooses to not take math 4.
I agree, students shouldn't be pressured to take a fourth year of math. Some students either don't need it or don't want it. Instead of being useful, it could prove tedious and harmful to the students and their grades. As mentioned in the article, taking the course could just be damaging to a student's grade and transcript as well. All that is required is three years, so why not uphold that?