By Brianna Linehan and Rebecca Mancini
Branford High School recently raised their credit requirements by 1.5 credits from 5.25 to 6.75. This change means that even if students, specifically seniors, only need a few credits more to graduate, they still have to take a full day of classes.
From conversations with several upperclassmen it is clear that this change is causing a more stressful academic environment due to a more cumbersome schedule and only allowing one or two opens.
Many students, as underclassmen, said they had taken on extra electives and doubled up on classes in order to have a very light schedule during their senior year. However, this is no longer a possibility. Senior Claire Paterson said that, “it’s upsetting because so many students worked hard to have an easy senior year.”
Another senior, Mary Whitney, said that, “I have had no opens ever, freshman to now, and I have more than enough credits to graduate and I want to drop class that I’m doing really badly in but I can’t because then I’m not considered a full-time student… This class is going to go on my transcript as a bad grade.”
When this topic was brought up to guidance counselor Amy Olszewski, she said that the students were “just being ridiculous” and are “not here to have a vacation.”
The administration decided to make this change in order to maintain the “credibility of BHS,” according to Olszewski. She went on to say that the credit changes were for the benefit of the students and is “because we upped the credit of heavy classes from 1 to 1.5.”
Administration is not worried about the possible negative consequences from this change. When introduced to the idea that this new policy may force students to pay less attention to their main courses in order to keep up with the new workload from supplementary classes or that students may be disruptive in these classes, Olszewski was not concerned. She said that BHS tries, “to have classes that students like.”
