The courses you take in high school are the first thing colleges look at when evaluating your application, and they set the academic foundation for every pre-med course you will take in college. Choosing the right courses is not about loading your schedule with the maximum number of AP® classes. It is about building a strong, balanced foundation in science, math, English, and humanities while maintaining grades that reflect your best work. This page provides a year-by-year guide to course planning for students interested in healthcare careers.
Freshman Year (9th Grade)
Ninth grade is about building a strong foundation. Take the highest level of math you are placed into (typically Algebra 1, Geometry, or Algebra 2, depending on your middle school preparation). If your school offers an honors track, take it if your grades support it, but do not overload yourself in your first year. Take biology if it is offered in 9th grade (many schools sequence biology first in the science curriculum). If your school starts with a different science (earth science or physical science), take what is available and plan to take biology the following year. Take English and a foreign language (Spanish is particularly useful for healthcare). Use this year to establish strong study habits, build relationships with teachers, and adjust to the pace and expectations of high school. Your 9th grade GPA counts for college admissions decisions just as much as your 12th grade GPA does, so take every course seriously from the very first day of freshman year. The habits you establish in ninth grade, including how you study, how you manage your time, and how you respond to academic challenges, set the pattern for the rest of high school. Students who coast through freshman year often spend the remaining three years trying to recover a GPA that would have been easier to protect from the start.
Sophomore Year (10th Grade)
Tenth grade is where you begin building the science sequence that matters most for pre-med. Take chemistry (honors if available and if your math skills support it). Chemistry requires algebra, so make sure your math sequence is progressing appropriately (you should be in at least Algebra 2 by 10th or 11th grade). Continue your foreign language. Take a challenging English course. Consider adding an elective that interests you (art, music, computer science, psychology, or a health science course if available). Begin thinking about which AP® courses you want to take in 11th and 12th grade. If your school offers AP® World History or AP® European History, these can be good introductions to AP®-level coursework without the heavy science content that makes AP® science courses more demanding.
Junior Year (11th Grade)
Junior year is the most important year for your college application. Colleges weight 11th grade performance heavily because it is the most recent full year of grades they see when you apply. Take the most rigorous science course available to you: AP® Biology, AP® Chemistry, or honors physics. If you can manage two science courses, take both AP® Biology and either chemistry or physics. Take pre-calculus or AP® Calculus if your math sequence allows it. Continue your foreign language (aim for at least 3 years). Take AP® English Language if available. Choose 1 to 2 additional AP® or honors courses that align with your interests and strengths. Do not take so many AP® courses that your grades suffer. A B+ in 5 AP® courses is generally less impressive than an A in 3 AP® courses plus 2 honors courses. Rigor matters, but grades matter too. See our AP/IB courses page for specific guidance.
Senior Year (12th Grade)
Senior year should continue to demonstrate academic rigor. Do not fall into “senioritis” by dropping to easier courses. Colleges receive your mid-year and sometimes final senior grades, and a significant drop in performance can result in a rescinded admission offer. Take AP® Physics (if you have not already), AP® Calculus, AP® English Literature, and other AP® or honors courses that interest you. If your school offers a health science, anatomy, or physiology course, take it. Your senior year schedule should show colleges that you continued to challenge yourself after submitting your application.
Balancing Rigor and Grades
One of the most common mistakes pre-med students make in high school is overloading their schedules with AP® courses to the point where their grades suffer. Colleges and medical schools want to see that you challenge yourself, but they also want to see that you perform well in the courses you take. A 3.9 unweighted GPA with a thoughtful selection of honors and AP® courses is stronger than a 3.5 GPA with every available AP® course. Be strategic: take AP® courses in subjects where you are strong and genuinely interested, and take honors or regular courses in subjects where you need more support. Your GPA follows you through college applications and into medical school applications (medical schools see your high school transcript), so protect it.
Talk to your counselor: Your school counselor can help you plan a four-year course sequence that balances rigor with your other commitments. Share your interest in pre-med with them so they can recommend courses and opportunities that align with your goals. If your school has a pre-health advising program, take advantage of it.
For AP®-specific guidance, see our AP/IB courses page. For standardized test preparation, see our standardized test prep page. For the transition to college, see our choosing a pre-med college page.
What If Your School Has Limited Offerings: Not every school offers AP® or IB courses, and some schools have limited science and math offerings. If this is your situation, take the most rigorous courses available to you and supplement with independent study, online courses (some platforms offer free or low-cost college-level science courses), and dual enrollment at a local community college (if your school allows it). Colleges evaluate your course selection in the context of what your school offers. A student who takes every challenging course available at a small rural school and earns top grades is evaluated differently from a student at a large suburban school with 30 AP® offerings who takes only easy courses. Admissions committees understand educational context. Do your best with what you have, and document any supplemental learning you pursue.
Dual Enrollment: Some high schools partner with local colleges and community colleges to allow students to take college-level courses for both high school and college credit. Dual enrollment courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, or other subjects can strengthen your transcript and provide a taste of college-level academics. They can also earn you college credit that accelerates your undergraduate timeline. Ask your school counselor whether dual enrollment options are available in your area and whether the credits transfer to the colleges you are considering.
Health Science Pathways: Some schools offer Career and Technical Education (CTE) health science pathways that include courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, health science foundations, and sometimes clinical rotations at local healthcare facilities. These pathways provide practical healthcare knowledge and experience that complements your academic coursework. If your school offers a health science CTE pathway, consider enrolling. See our CTE and HOSA page for more detail.
References
College Board. “AP Course and Exam Descriptions.” College Board, 2025. https://www.collegeboard.org/. Accessed March 2026.