Course Selection

Whether you’re on the path towards college or are looking for an academically and creatively fulfilling high school experience, you have the opportunity to build a high school course schedule that will meet your individual needs. As an Oak Meadow high school student, you are in a unique position to direct the course of your studies and individualize your education.

Oak meadow high school student working at computer with orange cat

Choosing the Right Number of High School Courses

We encourage all of our students to pursue a challenging, yet balanced schedule. Our high school courses are rigorous and time-intensive, and we want our students to be able to immerse themselves in their work without the distraction of stress. We recommend taking no more than 5 courses at a time and considering starting with fewer courses if you’re just starting at Oak Meadow. If the workload feels too light, remember that you can always add in additional courses at any time.

Balancing Across Subject Areas

Part of achieving balance also involves choosing courses across subject areas. For most students, we recommend taking one course per subject area at a time (usually one course in science, social studies, English, math, and an elective). Taking an even distribution of academic subjects provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary education and a well-rounded transcript for college entrance requirements.

Graduation Requirements for Oak Meadow Enrolled Students:

If you are enrolled in Oak Meadow School and pursuing a diploma, you are required to complete a minimum of 22 credits (though our college-bound students typically graduate with 24-26 credits). Seniors transferring to Oak Meadow must enroll in a minimum of three credits and transfer in accredited courses to meet our graduation requirements. Courses completed independently using Oak Meadow’s curriculum do not count toward our graduation requirements.

To see our suggested distribution of credits by subject, please visit our Graduation Requirements page >

Typical High School Course Trajectory by Subject

While we recognize that there is no single way to approach high school, we do offer a typical trajectory for each subject area as a guide. This is the order we recommend taking courses by subject.

Please note that this is a suggested course trajectory. It can be adjusted based on student interest and skill level. To help with course selection, we also offer comprehensive curriculum samples for each of our high school courses, which can be downloaded here.

Math

Algebra I

Geometry

Algebra II

Advanced Math (Precalculus)

Calculus I

Calculus II

Science

Environmental Science

Biology: The Study of Life

Chemistry Matters

Physics

Global Climate Change

 

 

 

Social Studies

World History: Communities and Connections

United States History: Conflict and Compromise

Social Studies Electives

English

Composition 1: The Writer’s Craft

Composition 2: Creative Writing & Nonfiction

The Hero’s Journey: Literature & Composition

English Electives

 


High School Course Schedule by Grade

While we recognize that each of our high school students is different and there is no one-size-fits-all approach, we also appreciate that many families benefit from seeing an example of a high school course schedule. Below, we’ve outlined an example course schedule from grade 9 through grade 12.

GRADE 9

 

English

Composition 1: The Writer’s Craft (single semester, for independent use only) and Composition 2: Creative Writing and Nonfiction (single semester, for independent use only)
OR
Composition: Expression and Understanding (for enrolled only)

Math

Algebra I

Social Studies

World History: Communities and Connections

Science

Environmental Science

Elective

World Language (for enrolled only)/Fine Art/Health/Elective

 

GRADE 10

 

English

The Hero’s Journey: Literature & Composition

Math

Geometry

Social Studies

United States History: Conflict and Compromise

Science

Biology: The Study of Life

Elective

World Language (for enrolled only)/Fine Art/Health/Elective

 

GRADE 11

 

English

American Literature: Social Transformations (single semester) and Women’s Literature: Worlds of Science Fiction and Fantasy (single semester)

Math

Algebra II

Social Studies

US Government: By the People, for the People (single semester) and Sustainable Food Systems (single semester)

Science

Chemistry Matters

Elective

Advanced Study Project (for enrolled only)/World Language (for enrolled only)/Fine Art/Health/Elective

 

GRADE 12

 

English

British Literature

Math

Advanced Math

Social Studies

Race & Ethnic Studies: Power & Perspective (single semester) and Psychology: Journey Towards Self-Knowledge (single semester)

Science

Fundamentals of Physics

Elective

Advanced Study Project (for enrolled only)/World Language (for enrolled only)/Fine Art/Health/Elective

Again this is just one example of an Oak Meadow high school course schedule. We encourage families to tailor their schedules to meet their unique needs and interests.

Still have questions about high school course selection? Please submit an inquiry form on our Contact Page, and one of our Educational Counselors will be in touch to support you through the process.


^