Navigating Freshman Year: A Guide to English Subject Choices

The transition from high school to college is a significant step, filled with new experiences and academic challenges. One of the most important aspects of preparing for college is ensuring you have a solid academic foundation, particularly in English. Colleges typically expect applicants to have completed four years of English or Language Arts classes. This article explores the options available to students as they navigate their English subject choices, both in high school and as they prepare for their freshman year of college.

The Importance of English in High School

It's no secret that colleges want you to take English class each year of high school. But what exactly are you supposed to be learning? What options do you have to exceed expectations and show off your stuff? The vast majority of high schools require four years of English in order for you to graduate. These courses are designed to develop fundamental writing, reading, and thinking skills that support success in college writing courses.

Core Curriculum in High School English

High schools offer many different courses that can be used to meet required courses for admissions. Eligible classes include courses in language, composition, and literature; they must integrate extensive reading, frequent writing, and practice listening and speaking with different audiences. Colleges look for a solid foundation of study you can build on in college. To create that foundation, take at least five solid academic classes every semester. Start with the basics, and then move on to challenging yourself in advanced courses.

Admissions officers want to know whether you took all the core courses, including math, science, foreign language, English, and social studies and whether you progressed to higher-level classes in the core subjects. Most colleges are looking for students with a foundation of courses in the core subjects. College admissions officials look at your core course levels from your first year through your senior year.

While specific course titles may vary, the core curriculum typically includes:

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Literature Studies: Exposure to a wide range of literary works, including classics and contemporary pieces. Want to know the type of books colleges assume you will have read by the time you get in? "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry, "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr., The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The Fallacy of Success" by G. K. Chesterton.
Composition and Rhetoric: Focus on developing effective writing skills, including expository and argumentative writing, with an emphasis on research and analysis.
Grammar and Vocabulary: Reinforcement of grammar rules and expansion of vocabulary.

Exceeding Expectations: Advanced and Elective Options

For students who excel in English or have a particular interest in the subject, there are several ways to exceed expectations and showcase their abilities.

Honors and AP/IB Courses: These courses offer a more rigorous curriculum, challenging students with more complex texts and assignments. These will most likely be similar to the standard classes your school offers, but the works you read will be more challenging and the assignments more complex and demanding.
Creative Writing: Classes in creative writing offer a great window into later being able to see how someone else did it.
Electives in the Humanities: Electives in the humanities can often offer what is basically a modified literature class.
Independent Study: With the help of a favorite English teacher, students can design an independent study of reading and writing poetry.

Dual Enrollment Programs

Dual enrollment programs allow high school students to take college courses for credit. Auburn First offers Auburn University courses taught by Auburn University faculty. Students must be prepared to meet the expectations of a college-level course and college professor, including standards of professionalism and rigor of assignments. High School vs. Dual enrollment is not college courses with high school expectations. College class = college rigor. Without a university-approved excuse, professors do not have to allow you to make up anything, notice or not. Professors deliver content. Auburn instructors have designed the following courses to meet quality and accessibility standards that will allow students to maximize their academic potential. Auburn First courses will guide students to learn, practice, and complete thoughtfully created assignments that lay a strong foundation for their futures.

Auburn First Courses

Auburn First courses count toward post-secondary general education requirements and lay the foundation for academic success at the college level. Unless specifically stated, Auburn First courses are offered online, asynchronously to participating students. Auburn First courses are instructor led, meaning that students are expected to log in regularly and work within the course schedule set by their professor.

Registration for Summer and Fall classes is concurrent and opens in late March. Once accepted, a $250 non-refundable enrollment deposit is required to register for classes. New students will complete the Online Student Orientation to register for classes their first semester. All courses are subject to seat availability. For students pursuing automatic admission, pay attention to which courses fall under Group A and which courses fall under Group B.

Here are some relevant courses offered through Auburn First:

ENGL 1100 - English Composition I: Students receive an intensive study of and practice in effective expository and argumentative writing. Course is 3 credit hours. Students who earn a 30 or higher on the ACT English test receive credit for this course at Auburn University.
ENGL 1120 - English Composition II: Students receive instruction in rhetorical principles, textual practices, cultural expectations, and critical habits of mind commonly associated with academic research writing. Course is 3 credit hours. Students who earn a 35 or higher on the ACT English test receive credit for this course and ENGL 1100 at Auburn University.
ENGL 2200 - World Literature I: Students complete culturally diverse readings in world literature from the ancient period to c. 1600 and engage in course discussions and assignments. Course is 3 credit hours.
ENGL 2210 - World Literature II: Students complete culturally diverse readings in world literature from c. 1600 to the present and engage in course discussions and assignments. Course is 3 credit hours.

Other Dual Enrollment Options

Many colleges and universities offer dual enrollment programs, providing a variety of English and humanities courses. These courses can provide a head start on college credit and expose students to college-level academic expectations.

College Core Curriculum: English Requirements

Most colleges and universities have core curriculum requirements that include English or writing courses. These requirements are designed to ensure that all students develop strong communication and critical thinking skills, regardless of their major.

University of Notre Dame

The Core Curriculum requires students to take two writing-intensive courses at Notre Dame. In the fall semester, half of the first-year students enroll in a University Seminar (Writing 1), while the other half enroll in Writing and Rhetoric (Writing 2). In the spring semester, students who took a University Seminar in the fall semester will take Writing and Rhetoric and vice versa. All students satisfy the Writing 1 requirement by taking a University Seminar (USEM) during their first year. Students are encouraged to select a USEM that interests them.

Students satisfy the Writing 2 requirement by taking Writing and Rhetoric (WR) during their first year. There are several types of Writing and Rhetoric courses. WR 13100 and WR 13300 are very similar in content and expectations. Writing and Rhetoric (WR 13100): These sections are designed to help students learn how to identify an issue amid conflicting points of view and craft an argument based on various sources of information. Community-Based Writing and Rhetoric (WR 13200): These sections teach students the same skills as WR 13100 and also place them in learning situations in the wider community in cooperation with the Institute for Social Concerns.

A score of 4 or 5 on the AP English Language and Composition exam or a score of 6 on the IB English Higher Level exam earns credit for Writing and Rhetoric. Notre Dame does not grant credit for the AP English Literature exam. Students with AP or IB credit for WR take instead a Writing Intensive course (any course that has been given the WRIT attribute).

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The Moreau First-Year Seminar is a reflection of the distinct manner in which Notre Dame seeks to integrate academic rigor with personal growth, bringing together students, faculty, and staff from across all departments in a shared endeavor to study and practice living well. The 1-credit course addresses perennial questions about worth, purpose, and relationship with others, the world, and God. All students will register for the Moreau First-Year Seminar, FYS 10101, in the fall semester of their first year. The sections of FYS 10101 are organized into neighborhoods, which are groups of residence halls located near each other. You must take one of the sections of FYS 10101 that is linked to your residence hall.

University of Iowa

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core requirements provide students with a broad foundation of knowledge and a focused practice of transferable skills necessary for a lifetime of learning. GE CLAS Core courses are particularly valuable for students making the transition into the University of Iowa. They help students understand the academic expectations of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences while providing the knowledge and skills needed for more advanced work in the major. All students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who wish to earn an undergraduate degreeâBachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS), Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), or Bachelor of Music (BM)âmust complete the requirements of the GE CLAS Core.

The GE CLAS Core has 11 required areas, grouped into three categories. Students must fulfill the requirements in each GE CLAS Core area.

Communication and Literacy

Understanding Cultural Perspectives: a minimum of 3 s.h.
Interpretation of Literature: a minimum of 3 s.h.
Rhetoric: a minimum of 4 s.h.
World Languages Pathways: required credit varies

Sustainability

Students complete this requirement by choosing an approved GE CLAS Core course that integrates Sustainability (with no additional semester hours) with a course from the Natural, Quantitative, and Social Sciences category or the Culture, Society, and the Arts category.

Natural, Quantitative, and Social Sciences

Natural Sciences: a minimum of 7 s.h.; must include one lab
Quantitative or Formal Reasoning: a minimum of 3 s.h.
Social Sciences: a minimum of 3 s.h.

Culture, Society, and the Arts

Historical Perspectives: a minimum of 3 s.h.
International and Global Issues: a minimum of 3 s.h.
Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts: a minimum of 3 s.h.
Values and Society: a minimum of 3 s.h.

Rhetoric Courses at the University of Iowa

Rhetoric courses develop speaking, writing, listening, and critical reading skills and build competence in research, analysis, and argumentation. All entering first-year students are required to complete RHET:1030 Rhetoric: Writing and Communication. Because rhetorical skills lay the foundation for further study at the University, most students register for RHET:1030 during their first year at Iowa.

The following courses are approved for the Rhetoric area:

RHET:1030 Rhetoric: Writing and Communication (4-5 hours)
RHET:1040 College Writing and Reading (3 hours)
RHET:1060 College Communication and Reading (3 hours)

World Languages Pathways at the University of Iowa

GE CLAS Core courses in World Languages provide the practice of important communication skills in a second language as well as the knowledge of the cultures in which the language is spoken. This in-depth study allows students to better understand how languages function, encouraging students to learn more about their own first language, including how it creates both inclusion and diversity.

To fulfill the GE CLAS Core requirement in World Languages, students may choose one of the following pathways:

Fourth Level of Proficiency: A fourth level of proficiency is equivalent to the successful completion of an intermediate II language course (or of a second-year second-semester course, for example) as taught at the University of Iowa.
Third Level Plus a World Language and Cultural Exploration Course: The third-level plus a World Language and Cultural Exploration Course pathway requires students to: complete third-level coursework in a single world language in high school or college; and complete a World Language and Cultural Exploration course. A minimum of 3 s.h. is required in this area for students who choose this pathway.
Second Level of Two Languages: The second level of two languages pathway requires students to complete second-level coursework in each of two different world languages in high school or college.

Indiana University Bloomington

The following requirements apply to every undergraduate student who began studies on the IUB campus in the summer of 2011 or later:

English Composition: English Composition courses help you develop fundamental writing, reading, and thinking skills that support success in your college writing courses. Requirement: One course with a grade of C or better.
Arts and Humanities (A&H): Arts and Humanities (A&H) courses offer the opportunity to investigate ways human beings express themselves and how they make sense of the world. Through these courses, you will master explaining, analyzing, and interpreting abstract ideas. You will learn about systems of beliefs and values held by peoples of different cultures. Requirement: Students must successfully complete one of the following three options: Language Study, World Culture Courses, or International Experience.

Extracurricular Activities and Volunteer Work

Though extracurricular activities arenât the most important thing college admissions officials look at, they do factor into their decision. The clubs and organizations you belong to communicate a lot about your interests. If you do volunteer work, college admissions officials are going to take note of where you volunteered and for how long.

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