2024-2025 Elective Fair: New Courses, Course Selection Changes, and More

On Wednesday, March 12th, IMSA’s College and Academic Counseling Office, alongside faculty from each academic department, hosted the Elective Fair for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year. During a time when many changes to the academic calendar have been discussed, the course selection process is no exception. With changes such as new courses as well as changes to how students can choose their classes, students should stay informed to make the best choices for their high school career.

New Courses

Following the deadline on March 13th, students should have submitted their course preferences for the upcoming school year. This year, several new courses have been added to the pool of contention for students to choose from. 

For example, the Computer Science department added new courses such as Artificial Intelligence 1 and 2, courses focused on Deep Learning, Natural Language Processing, Computer Vision, and the fundamental concepts of AI, replacing the previous CS Seminar: Machine Learning course. Moreover, with the addition of Elements of Computing Systems 1 and 2, students will have the opportunity to learn about the process of building a modern computer system from the ground up. Lastly, Intro to Neural Computation is a course that integrates topics in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, and Neurobiology to show the bridging between brain science and Artificial General Intelligence. 

In the Science Department, some new offerings include Biotechnology Techniques in Chemistry—a lab-based course where students gain experience with equipment manipulating DNA, proteins, and facilitating PCR and the study of microbial cultures. In other news, Environmental Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry will be discontinued. 

For the English Department, several courses will not be offered in the 2025-2026 academic year, including Victorian Fiction and Banned Books. However, Horror Fiction Studies will be reintroduced, where students will be able to explore the genre more deeply through short fiction, novels, visual narratives, and films. 

Other Changes

Outside of new and discontinued courses, several other changes have been made to the course selection process for the upcoming academic year. For example, the maximum number of courses students can take (including SIR and Internships) decreased from eight to seven, though students will be able to meet with their CACs if they wish to overload. 

Another major change is the removal of the Add/Drop process where students could previously add new courses or remove previously selected ones at the start of each academic semester. This process will be discontinued in the 2025-2026 school year; instead, students will have to work closely with their CACs in the upcoming weeks as they, alongside faculty members, audit each student’s schedule.