Every student should read their transcripts thoroughly and get their main credits done first and save the fun for senior year. You know why? Deans at Westside High School try their best to handle each and every one of their students. However, some are not clear when discussing graduation requirements. To be specific, some will often not go through your records to see what credits you are missing in order to create the best schedule for you. For example, they will create your schedule, but dismiss taking a look at your transcript to see what necessary credits for graduation you are missing. Then when it comes down to your senior year… you could be missing a PE credit or a Health credit, or any other half a year credit you need to graduate. For instance, senior Sezinay Dipsoy was enjoying her senior year until a good five weeks into the semester, she was called in and told she was missing half of a Fine Arts credit. Now she looks at only seventh period off campus, rather than sixth and seventh in which she was looking forward to.

Graduation is something we all long for once we enter high school and our whole high school career is spent fulfilling those requirements! These requirements are very important because it is what will pass us to the next step, college! Every student is required to complete specific publications and earn a positive wide variety of credits. Each student ought to also pass all state-mandated STAAR/EOC tests to earn a high faculty diploma. The Texas Education Agency has changed graduation requirements several times in the past few years; however, your commencement requirements will continually be based on the year you entered high school.

Of course many students will take different routes to complete their high school credits. Having said that, you can take some classes during the summer, in Grad Lab or some choose to do an online course and send proof of the credit completed to the school. For example, senior Jasmine Lopez takes Grad Lab during her senior year to complete a Health credit she is missing because she has failed this class the previous year. She says, “I love the idea of Grad Lab because it is like a second chance to pass a class I need in order to graduate.”

So what exactly are these requirements? For English, you need a credit for all four years (English I, II, III, IV). For Math, you need credits in Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II and an additional Math course. For Science, you need credits in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and an additional Science course. For Social Studies, you need credits in World Geography or AP Human Geography, World History, US History, US Government and Economics. For language credits, it is required to have two credits in any language offered at school. For Fine Arts and Physical Fitness you need one credit, and for your Pathway/Endorsement you need three or more credits in the same Pathway. Lastly, you will need a half a credit of Health class if your pathway is not Health. This is because having a pathway of Health means you are already completing this half a credit requirement!

In conclusion, I hope students figure out their graduation plan, complete their courses and pass with good grades. Graduation is one of the most important moments of everyone’s lives that we should all be proud of. So, take pride in your actions, successes and more positive things will come your way in the near future!