As the end of the year draws near, so does scheduling. Students might look at the list of offered courses and really wish more courses were on that list, but sadly, they aren’t on there. Due to limitations, not everything can be offered at a school. However, there is a variety of resources outside of school that students can take advantage of but simply don’t.

Students can get in the mindset that school should offer everything they need in life in order to be successful. This could come in the form of teaching classes specific to an individual’s career path of choice or offering high level classes. Of course, this would be ideal for an aspiring student who thinks they know what path they want to go down, but it is an impossible dream. Especially due to limitation of cost, these options can be too expensive to a school district. There is one accessibility, however, that most, if not all, students have available at home: the internet.

Understandably, many students aren’t willing to do extra academic work outside of a school setting, even if they have the resources available to them. This is exactly the case when it comes to using the internet for academic purposes. Even though many of those students might complain the school doesn’t have the resources they need, they can find similar resources online. Instances include Khan Academy and edX. Both websites have a variety of courses and information that many schools don’t offer. Websites like these can provide additional support in the classroom, as well as if a student feels like they are falling behind on a specific topic.

The internet also provides a place for students to do research about future careers and paths. There is plenty of firsthand experience from students and workers who deal with specific jobs and classes. The internet isn’t the only resource students can use. This leads into using the community as a resource. The internet can connect people from across the world, but visiting local workplaces and schools can also give experience. Working at a place of interest might make a person realize something is or isn’t for them as they had originally thought. Experiences differ from person to person.

Parents and relatives are also a valuable source of information. A reoccuring complaint from students is the lack of a Home Economics class offered at Freedom High School, but many of the things taught in such a class can also be learned at home from parents. Due to students not utilizing these valuable resources, unnecessary complaints continue to occur.

By simply doing at least 15 minutes a week of academic work outside of school, a student can make a difference for the better. Currently, as many students continue to ignore the limitless amount of resources that are available to them, their wants will start to cause what they are actually learning to deteriorate. Why focus on what one can have when there is something more desirable? The problem is people not realizing the resources they have already. By encouraging or requiring extra academics outside of school, schools can help themselves and the students who learn there.