The course selection process is at the forefront of Brookfield Central’s agenda this January, and will continue to be until the academic planner closes on February 10th. Afterwards, careful schedule selections are made for each and every one of the school’s 1200-some students for the 2025-2026 school year.
Students are encouraged to consider what courses align best with their desired career and potential college path, which can leave many feeling unsure. For incoming underclassmen, the course selection is especially important in setting up the groundwork for a meaningful high school education. That begs the question — what are the best classes to take for each major?
Business
For those looking to pursue business, investment, or finance in college, the Business Department at BC has a variety of entry-level and advanced-courses. Among the best to take include Financial Management & Investing, Business Strategy, Business Law, and Intro to Accounting.
Financial Management & Investing is a weighted, CAPP-credit alternative to a regular Personal Finance course. Both satisfy a graduation requirement, but Financial Management & Investing is a more in-depth course and more adequately prepares everyone — not just Business majors — for budgeting, smart investing, and retirement planning.
Business Strategy is available only for upperclassmen as it’s part of the Global Business LAUNCH strand, but the name speaks for itself. The course is all about placing students in a true business environment, where they can present projects to business and industry partners. A key feature of this course is its weighted nature and the ability to earn industry-recognized certifications such as Microsoft Office Specialist and Adobe Certified Associate.
Business Law is for all grades and provides a comprehensive understanding of contracts, criminal, corporate, and consumer law, as well as business ethics. This is an important course to take for anyone interested in starting their own business or start-up, as digging through legal information is often time consuming and complex. Business Law, in conjunction with Business Strategy, will set anyone up for success in navigating the corporate world.
Last but not least, arguably the most informative course BC offers in the business world is Intro to Accounting. Accounting is known as “the Language of Business” and students learn double-entry procedure and data utilization, both important skills in the increasingly digital world.
Computer Science & Engineering
Computer Science and Engineering are among the fastest growing careers and require a strong background in math and science.
The most applicable courses for Computer Science are: AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A, and Cybersecurity. These three courses are heavy in their introduction to coding in Java and Python, both of which are some of the most common coding languages used worldwide.
AP Computer Science Principles is a great weighted option for those who are interested in coding but are unfamiliar. This course develops Java literacy, includes many creative projects, and offers the opportunity to earn credentials such as IC3 digital literacy certification and IT specialist.
AP Computer Science A is the next level up, and involves more rigorous work with Java. Students get an in-depth understanding of algorithms and software development. Similar to AP Computer Science Principles, the IT specialist certification is open for students to pursue.
Lastly, the Cybersecurity course — the only non-weighted course of the three — provides adequate background into security principles, defense networks, and data protection. Cybersecurity specialists are high in demand and will continue to be, making this course highly applicable to a future career. In addition, students can gain the credential of an IT specialist through Cybersecurity..
For Engineering, physics and math-heavy courses are the way to go. Regular or AP Physics I are common courses for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. BC also offers AP Physics II and AP Physics C. In these classes, students will learn about complex topics like Newton’s Laws of Motion and rotational motion, as well as electric charge and force. For math, there is a huge selection of courses ranging from Algebra to college-level Linear Algebra and Differential Equations. Calculus and above will be extremely helpful, as many physics concepts are based off of Calculus. Other applicable science courses include regular or Honors Chemistry and AP Chemistry.
Health Professions
Health professions are the second-most commonly declared major among college students. Whether someone wants to be a nurse, EMT, doctor, or health administrator, BC has a plethora of options.
The most applicable classes to take would be Anatomy & Physiology, AP biology, and Medical Terminology.
A new edition to the 2025-2026 school year is a dual enrollment option for Anatomy & Physiology through UW-Milwaukee, meaning those who enroll can get college credit for the class. Anatomy & Physiology explores the structure and function of the human body and includes further study into different body systems such as the nervous, cardiovascular, endocrine, respiratory, and integumentary systems. Students also explore the musculoskeletal system and how the entire body interacts with each system to allow humans perform basic and advanced functions.
Next, since freshmen have to take regular or honors biology, those looking to pursue a health profession should consider taking AP Biology in addition to the entry level biology class. This course is an introductory, college-level course and leans heavily on inquiry, conceptual understanding, and reasoning skills. Topics covered include cell structure and function, cellular energetics, heredity, and more.
Lastly, though Medical Terminology is only available through the LAUNCH Medicine & Healthcare Strand, it’s the most appropriate course to take. Students learn prefixes, suffixes, and the context of each vocabulary word. Anecdotally, many have found this class helpful for two reasons: it’s straightforward to study for and saves time in college.
With all the courses and options mentioned above, the selection process can seem intimidating or overwhelming. However, students with a clear idea of their interests and potential career choices won’t have a problem navigating their schedule. In the end, what matters most is choosing the right combination of classes that are challenging and engaging.
