托福备考之写作素材：选课
新托福写作素材：选课
What Are Electives?
High schools require students to complete a certain number of credits or hours in order to graduate, but core classes (such as English and math) don't fill all those hours, so you fill the free spaces in your schedule with electives.
Why Are Electives Important?
Like other high school classes, electives are a way for colleges to judge your interests and academic abilities. College admissions officers will be looking at which subjects you choose for electives and the grades you get in those courses.
Electives, more than many other courses, offer a way to show your personality and interests to a school. For example, taking English your freshman year of high school doesn't tell colleges much about your personality because you probably had to take it (although the rigor of the course and the grade you got do tell them about your academic abilities). However, taking several painting classes or multiple courses in computer programming as electives can show colleges what you're passionate about.
In addition to bolstering college applications, electives can also play a role in helping you discover new hobbies or career interests. Because electives cover such a wide variety of topics, they can introduce you to subjects you may not otherwise have learned about, and you may find some of those subjects really cool! For example, taking an elective in nutrition because you want to learn how to eat healthier could cause you to discover a passion for diet and well-being that leads to a career as a dietitian, nurse, or other health care profession. It's possible for you to choose your career based on one really great elective you took in high school!
Examples of Commonly Offered Electives
The options students have for electives can vary widely between high schools, due to a number of factors like location, financial resources, size of the student body, and student interests.
Computer science: programming, graphic design, web design
English: journalism, creative writing, speech and debate
Family and consumer science: nutrition, child development, culinary courses
Math and Science: environmental science, zoology, astronomy, statistics
Social Studies: psychology, anthropology, economics
Visual and Performing Arts: drawing, painting, photography, choir, band
Do Any of These Electives Relate to Your Hobbies?
For example, if you like playing video games, you can take a class in computer programming, or, if you like fashion, you can take a class in sewing or fashion design. Students often get higher grades in classes they're interested in because they are more motivated to learn and study the material.
Which Skills Do You Wish You Had?
Do you not know how to cook? Do you get nervous speaking in front of audiences? Would you like to know what to do if your car breaks down? Are you thinking about writing a blog but don't know how to start? Electives can help with all of these things!
High school is a great time to learn new skills before you head off to college. Some electives that can help you expand your skill set include web design, public speaking, personal finance, and culinary classes.
Can Any of the Electives You're Interested in Also Relate to Your Academic Focus?
You can get creative with how you connect your electives to what you plan to study in college. When I was in high school, I knew I was going to study biology in college, so most of my electives were science classes. However, I also took a photography class because I thought it sounded interesting. To connect the class to my interest in biology, my final project was a photo catalog of a local forest's tree species that I ended up later using for a biology project on biodiversity.
If you do choose to do something like this, make the connection clear for colleges because they may not be able to infer it themselves. You can do this by mentioning the connection in your personal statement or asking teachers to include it in their letter of recommendation. Remember, not every elective has to relate to your academic focus, and don’t try to invent connections where none exist.
Any of these interest you? Take an elective that focuses on one of them!
Key Takeaways
High school electives are important because they offer you a chance to study new topics while providing colleges with another example of your academic abilities and interests.
Colleges like to see a deep interest in a particular topic, so at least some of your electives should relate to your academic focus.
Also remember to choose electives you are legitimately interested in because electives are one of the few areas in high school where you can take pretty much any course you want!
托福写作举一反三:
摘抄：
to complete a certain number of credits or hours：完成一定数量的学分或学时
core classes：核心课程
a way for colleges to judge your interests and academic abilities：是大学的来判断你的兴趣和学习能力一种方式
College admissions officers：大学招生人员
show your personality and interests to a school：展示你的个性和对学校的兴趣
the rigor of the course and the grade you got do tell them about your academic abilities：严格的课程和你的成绩告诉他们关于你的学术能力
taking several painting classes or multiple courses in computer programming as electives can show colleges what you're passionate about选一些绘画类或多个计算机编程课程作为选修课可以向大学展示你有激情的东西
bolstering college applications：有助于申请大学
play a role in helping you discover new hobbies or career interests：在帮助你发现新的爱好和职业兴趣中扮演一个角色
cover such a wide variety of topics：涵盖各种各样的话题
introduce you to subjects you may not otherwise have learned about：给你介绍可能在其他情况下学不到的课程
taking an elective in nutrition because you want to learn how to eat healthier could cause you to discover a passion for diet and well-being that leads to a career as a dietitian, nurse, or other health care profession：
选择营养学的选修课,因为你想要学习如何健康饮食可以让你发现一个对饮食和健康的热情， 同时导致了作为一个营养师,护士或其他卫生保健专业的职业生涯
The options students have for electives can vary widely between high schools, due to a number of factors like location, financial resources, size of the student body, and student interests.
不同高中学生对选修课的选择差别很大,这是由于很多因素比如位置、金融资源,学生,和学生的利益。
programming, graphic design, web design：编程,平面设计,网页设计
journalism, creative writing, speech and debate：新闻、写作、演讲和辩论
Family and consumer science: nutrition, child development, culinary courses
psychology, anthropology, economics：家庭和消费者科学:营养、儿童发展、烹饪课程、心理学、人类学、经济学
drawing, painting, photography, choir, band：
绘画,绘画、摄影、合唱团、乐队
if you like playing video games, you can take a class in computer programming, or, if you like fashion, you can take a class in sewing or fashion design.
如果你喜欢玩电子游戏,你可以选计算机程序设计的一门课,或者,如果你喜欢时尚,你可以将一个关于缝纫或时装设计的课程。
are more motivated to learn and study the material：更有动力学习和研究材料
get nervous speaking in front of audiences：在观众面前讲话感到紧张
to learn new skills before you head off to college：你去大学之前学习新技能。
Some electives that can help you expand your skill set include web design, public speaking, personal finance, and culinary classes.
一些选修课,可以帮助你扩展你的技能包括网页设计、公众演讲、个人理财、烹饪类。
how you connect your electives to what you plan to study in college：你连接你的选修课和你在大学计划学习的专业
connect the class to my interest：链接课程和我的兴趣
my final project was a photo catalog of a local forest's tree species that I ended up later using for a biology project on biodiversity.
我最后的项目是一个当地森林树种的照片目录,后来我最终使用这个完成生物课里一个生物多样性的作业。
make the connection clear for colleges：
让大学明确看到这个“关系”
mentioning the connection in your personal statement or asking teachers to include it in their letter of recommendation.
在个人声明中提及这个“连接”或请老师将它纳入他们的推荐信。
offer you a chance to study new topics while providing colleges with another example of your academic abilities and interests.
为您提供来研究新课题的机会,为学院提供你的学术能力和兴趣的另一个例子。
a deep interest in a particular topic：在一个特定的主题有很深的兴趣
are legitimately interested：真心的感兴趣
Citation：
http://blog.prepscholar.com/which-high-school-electives-should-you-take
托福写作真题实战应用
适用题目：
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement：students should be encouraged to take courses like science, technology, engineering and math that are likely to lead to job opportunities rather than subjects they might be interested in.
A high school has decided that all students must take a class in which they learn a practical skill. School administrators are trying to decide whether to hold a class in cooking, managing personal finances or auto repair. Which do you think the school should require students to take? Why?
(编辑：马菲)
