You're welcome
We are free to pick our classes but most high schools have a specific structure for how many classes we can have. Usually they will require about 7-8 classes each year (this includes core subjects such as math, science, English, and history, you are also required to have one or two electives which is like an Arts class: Music, Art, Theater, or Choir, another elective can be another language class: Spanish, Chinese, French, Latin, etc., ) Other classes that are taken are Speech classes (like public speaking classes). Schools also offer classes in Economics.
if we are concerned about what college we want to attend and our career we would take classes that are important to that
A student can choose to take advanced classes that go towards their college (colleges require all students to take a certain group of basic classes in English, Math, Science, and History but students can take those classes in High school so they don't have to take it in college) these classes are called AP (Advanced Placement) , there are other programs but this is the most used. If you have a character or student who is "smart" they would probably take AP classes.
So If I understand your question (and please correct me if I'm wrong) one of your characters wants to be a teacher and there is another character that wants to be a lawyer?
If one student wants to be a teacher they can take any class, usually they will take regular classes, they'll take classes in English, History (depending on what grade in high school they are in they will take a State Government class, World History class, or a US History class), They will also take Math classes from Algebra to Pre- Calculus (Again depending on their grade high schools are from 9th-12th grade), they can also take an arts class (Music, Art, Choir), they can take a language class (most common languages taken in US are Spanish and Chinese at least to my knowledge)
If a student wants to be a lawyer they might take the classes above and they will focus on English classes, Government classes, their school might offer a class in Criminal Law, they can take a Psychology class and a speech/public speaking class.
You choose your classes at the beginning of each school year (in August) that is when you create your schedule, you can choose to drop out of any classes at any point during the year, but it is difficult to add classes during the year. Your school year will end it May. The classes that you choose at the beginning of the school year will last till May. Since it is 9th-12th grade a lot of the classes will just naturally advance for example you take Geometry in 9th, Algebra 2 in 10th, Pre-Calculus 1 in 11th, Pre-Calculus 2 in 12th (this is just an example there are many other ways to do it as well)
It is ok not to be in any sports or clubs but to get into good colleges and have a good resume being in one is good but it is not a requirement. It is advised that you be in 2-3 clubs because it is hard to be in more because it takes a lot of time, usually a person will be in only one sport (I think you are only allowed to be in one sport) this is when you play for the school, but if you want to join a club that plays another sport for fun you can since it is not for the school. Most common a student will be in a sport and two clubs, but if a student is very serious about their sport they will only be in that sport and some students will only be in one club it is completely up to that student. It is hard to be in multiple sports for a school bc they might be happening the same season (there is a fall and spring season for sports) For example Football usually happens in Fall and Basketball is in the Spring, if a student wants to play both he can do that (but it is rare). but he can't play Soccer and Football bc they both happen in fall.
Since this feed is mainly for the Writers Camp if you have any other questions about US education system or just what students in US are like in general feel free to email me at marimontoya226@gmail.com this is for anyone else who has questions as well and I will definitely try to answer all of your questions
Only if you want to but I hope I answered your questions