There was a time, once, when I used the word “titrate” in conversation and really impressed a scientist. That’s the extent of practical application that my experiences in a high school chemistry class have offered me. I have no intention of analyzing logarithms or discovering the underlying meaning of Shakespeare’s work. My class schedule is and has been riddled with classes that are of no interest to me and with no real practical uses to my career trajectory.

I have no training balancing a budget. My ability to handle money, if it exists, is borne from pragmatism and conventional wisdom. Any knowledge I have about the United States economy is the product of a mix of Khan Academy and reading the news. There are dozens of electives that would offer me useful skills and knowledge that I cannot take because I have an obligation to get four science credits. I am studying oceanography entirely due to my obligation to fulfill absurd requirements.

It is my belief that students should be allowed to engineer their own schedules to suit their needs. Colleges can see schedules on transcripts. If a student chooses to take trivial classes that don’t pertain to the programs they apply to, colleges will be aware. I believe it is the students’ prerogative to take what they please and make their high school education as fulfilling as possible for themselves.