2 answers
Dakota
Student
Newton Falls, Ohio
2
Questions
Asked
442 views
Help; Psychology ?
I am a freshmen in high school thinking of pursuing a career in psychology. What should I know, and what classes should I take? Honestly anything to help me out.
2 answers
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
1460
Answers
Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hi Dakota,
I'd say it’s great that you’re thinking about psychology this early. You don’t need to have your whole career figured out as a freshman. High school is a good time to explore what parts of psychology interest you and build a strong academic foundation.
For classes, I’d recommend taking biology, chemistry, statistics or other math courses, English, and social sciences such as psychology, sociology, or government if your school offers them. Biology can help you understand the brain and nervous system, while statistics becomes important later because psychologists use research and data to understand human behavior. Strong writing skills matter too, since psychology involves research papers, reports, and communicating ideas clearly.
One thing I’d encourage you to learn early is that psychology is a very broad field. You could eventually work in clinical or counseling psychology, school psychology, research, industrial-organizational psychology, health psychology, forensic psychology, or several other areas. Some careers require graduate school and professional licensing, while others may be available with a bachelor's degree or additional training.
Don't worry about choosing your specialty right now. Instead, pay attention to the questions that make you curious. Do you enjoy learning about mental health? Why do people behave differently? How do children develop? How do workplaces affect people? How does the brain work? Those interests can give you clues about which areas to explore later.
You can also start gaining exposure outside the classroom. Read introductory psychology books, attend career talks, look for psychology-related clubs or volunteer opportunities, and talk with psychologists or college students studying psychology if you can.
Most importantly, keep your options open. Your interests may change as you learn more, and that's normal. Starting early gives you something valuable: time to explore before you have to make the bigger decisions.
Best wishes!
I'd say it’s great that you’re thinking about psychology this early. You don’t need to have your whole career figured out as a freshman. High school is a good time to explore what parts of psychology interest you and build a strong academic foundation.
For classes, I’d recommend taking biology, chemistry, statistics or other math courses, English, and social sciences such as psychology, sociology, or government if your school offers them. Biology can help you understand the brain and nervous system, while statistics becomes important later because psychologists use research and data to understand human behavior. Strong writing skills matter too, since psychology involves research papers, reports, and communicating ideas clearly.
One thing I’d encourage you to learn early is that psychology is a very broad field. You could eventually work in clinical or counseling psychology, school psychology, research, industrial-organizational psychology, health psychology, forensic psychology, or several other areas. Some careers require graduate school and professional licensing, while others may be available with a bachelor's degree or additional training.
Don't worry about choosing your specialty right now. Instead, pay attention to the questions that make you curious. Do you enjoy learning about mental health? Why do people behave differently? How do children develop? How do workplaces affect people? How does the brain work? Those interests can give you clues about which areas to explore later.
You can also start gaining exposure outside the classroom. Read introductory psychology books, attend career talks, look for psychology-related clubs or volunteer opportunities, and talk with psychologists or college students studying psychology if you can.
Most importantly, keep your options open. Your interests may change as you learn more, and that's normal. Starting early gives you something valuable: time to explore before you have to make the bigger decisions.
Best wishes!
Nicole Patterson
Program Manager
2
Answers
Redmond, Washington
Updated
Nicole’s Answer
As someone who pursued a psychology degree, I can assure you that there are limitless opportunities in psychology! It's a great choice and can be a starting point for many different careers. At the high school level, you'll want to focus on science classes. Experimentation, biology, thought processes, etc. are all foundational in psychology. If your school offers it, an Advance Placement intro to psych class is also a great choice in your junior or senior year. In fact, any AP class that will knock out college credits for you will allow you more room to take psych specific classes in college. Exploring volunteer opportunities related to psychology, mental health, social sciences, etc. will also provide you more experience and exposure to help you determine which area of psychology you are most interested in.
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