If you want to get into the engineering school of your dreams, you are going to have to show you are serious about engineering and that you have some math and science chops. Elite engineering programs are competitive. Taking the right classes will help your application compete. So what classes should you be taking in high school if you are engineering school bound? Let’s break it down.

AP Calculus

Showing a commitment to STEM in high school usually means taking the highest math class available. For most high schools that means taking AP Calc, IB Calc, or Calc BC. Check what your school offers, they should have at least one higher-level calculus class.

Statistics

While almost every hopeful engineer takes Calculus, many don’t realize how much Stat can help them. If your school offers it, you should throw AP Statistics into your class cart. Stat gives you a great background in research methods. This can be an invaluable tool when it comes to undergraduate research.

AP Physics

Usually, high schools require Bio and Chem, but Physics often isn’t required. However, think of it as required for you if you are trying to be an engineer. Try to take it at the highest level. If that is AP Physics, Calculus-based is preferred. Not all schools offer a ton of choices when it comes to Physics classes, but you need to take one.

Computer science

High schools usually have some kind of computer course. The best one to take is AP Computer Science, but if your school offers a different course, that should also be fine. If your school doesn’t have a computer lab, don’t worry, there are other ways to explore the field of computer science. More on that later.

Electives in engineering, design, or robotics

More and more high schools are adding engineering-based electives to their course offerings. If there is an intro to engineering offered, that is kind of a no-brainer, but design and robotics courses are also great choices. If your school doesn’t have these classes, check if they offer any clubs or events that are related. This might be a hack-a-thon, robotics team, or a 3D printing club, etc.

Learn to code

This is especially useful for those interested in the computer science side of engineering but will be a plus for any hopeful engineer. If your school doesn’t offer classes in coding, there are a lot of ways to learn code. One popular option is going to a coding camp. Search online if there are any local coding classes in your area. There probably are as boot camps in coding are very popular. If you aren’t near somewhere that offers classes in coding, you can always learn on your own or online as well.

Do a summer program

If your school doesn’t offer a ton of elective options or you just want to do more, you can also take classes outside of your school. Many colleges offer STEM-based summer programs and sessions for high schools. These can be a great way to explore your academic interests. The UCs, Columbia, Brown, and many others offer popular engineering summer intensives for high schoolers. These programs can be a bit expensive but are worth looking into.

Check out your local community college

If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to summer pre-college programs, community colleges can be a great choice. This is especially good for students whose high school might not offer higher-level math and science options. Pretty much if your school doesn’t have something like BC Calc or Physics, a local community college probably has something you could take.

Take an online course

Online courses are a great resource for students. Many of them are free to take and are flexible when it comes to scheduling. If you are someone who has a lot of extracurriculars, they are a great choice. There are a ton of these types of classes online, but here are some we love for students interested in engineering include:

Georgia Tech Introduction to Engineering Mechanics
Duke’s Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization
Introduction to Thermodynamics: Transferring Energy from Here to There at the University of Michigan
Princeton’s Computer science with a purpose or Computer Science: Algorithms, Theory, and Machines

Engineering programs can be competitive, but taking the right classes can give your application an edge. Choosing classes isn’t everything. You should be looking into research, extracurriculars, and much more, but it’s a great place to start.

Need help setting yourself up before application season? We can help. Reach out here.