With a total of 2,174 students currently enrolled in Edison High, EHS saw 610 freshmen enroll for the 2023-2024 school year. The majority of students are from Herbert Hoover Middle School and Thomas Jefferson Middle School, but others come from private schools or even homeschooling. Regardless of wherever they were in seventh and eight grade, high school students note a change when they come to the Boulevard of the Eagles.
“Since I came from private school, I had barely anyone in my class, so there is a major difference,” said Kathlyn Antony ‘27, who went to St. Helena School in Edison. “This school is so much more diverse and sometimes I don’t even know all my classmates’ names.”
While the transition to high school provides many challenges, students gain greater independence. There are many clubs and sports and programs to take part in, from basketball to DECA to Model UN. There are also more electives to choose from, including Economics, Journalism and Media, Fashion Design, and even Autoshop. While these choices can be overwhelming, they allow students to craft their own journey in high school.
“I started to become who I am as a student [in high school]. In middle school, you’re still discovering who you are,” said Anthony Baio ‘26.
As students get older, classes start to focus on the real world. Electives such as Financial Literacy and First Aid provide general skills needed for the world. AP classes, for example, serve as preparatory classes for college majors. Essentially, classes in middle school focus on introducing a subject for high school readiness. Classes in high school, on the other hand, get students ready for more career-based learning, with the goal of a college education and eventual job.
English classes begin to move away from creative writing assignments and group projects to focus more on reading and essay writing regarding different literary works or real-world topics. This shift is done with the goal of making students more critical of literature along with becoming better writers.
Science classes greatly differ in high school. Middle school classes provide an overview of a subject. In high school, specific sciences are elaborated on a deeper level. Take, for example, the model of an atom. In middle school, you might just learn the Bohr model; however, in high school, your class may cover the entire history of the atom. Science is split between biology classes, chemistry classes, physics classes, environmental science, and anatomy. As a result, topics will go into much greater description. In high school, students also have lab days in which students will be able to conduct labs to accompany their lessons in class.
Math classes also are different. Compared to middle school, there are little to no projects, as most of the grades come from tests and quizzes. This shift allows classes to go faster and cover a more in-depth curriculum. Math classes also have students from different grade levels. Math classes have more levels, including Integrated, Honors, and AP.
In middle school there are social studies classes. In high school the equivalent to social studies is history. These classes are considerably different. History classes in high school give a more comprehensive look at history, spanning American history to World History, to opportunities to expand to U.S. government or European History as students only need to take 3 years of history to graduate. Like math courses, there are various levels of classes. High school history has a few projects, such as the freshman, sophomore, or junior project; however, tests and quizzes are most common. History goes into much greater detail about concepts and overarching themes, focusing on understanding motivation and interpretation.
The languages offered in middle schools are Spanish and French. This is expanded in high school to add Mandarin, Italian, and Latin. Language classes go into greater depth about the culture of the regions which speak the language, while also interpreting foreign texts. Students will learn about social problems in the region while also being able to better speak and write.
There are a wide range of electives to choose from, from computer science related ones, to music and business. Electives serve as an outlet for students to discover their interests.
“There are a lot of electives, relating to different career paths. We had AB [scheduling] in 7th, but in 8th grade it changed. So I had orchestra for half the year. This [the high school schedule] is a lot better because I have orchestra everyday,” said Vinuthna Yerra ‘26.
When entering high school, the main goal for students is graduation. Therefore, there are a variety of requirements at EHS to ensure that students meet the New Jersey graduation requirements. Some include taking financial literacy, one year of 21st Century electives, and one year of Visual and Performing arts. Most electives are not split for half the year. Every 5.0 credit elective goes through the full school year, while 2.5 credit electives are semester electives. An important consideration is also the core class requirements. Students have to take English for four years, Math, History, and Science for three years, and World Language for two years. In all cases classes are tougher, requiring more from the student as students approach the demands of adulthood and the need for college and career readiness.
“I’ve definitely changed a lot from the time I was a freshman. School has been more challenging over the years, but I’ve learned how to manage my time better,” said Srivathsa Raj ‘25. “I like to consider instances of extreme workload as a game, where I push my limits to see how productive I can be in the time given. I would thank the school for giving me the challenges so I can become more successful.”