Once you declare a major, there will be a particular set of courses you must complete. Similarly, you may have a set of basic classes, or core requirements, that you must complete in order to earn a degree from your college. Often you can fill a particular requirement by choosing one course from a list within a particular category. For example, in order to complete a cultural understanding requirement, you may be able to choose from several history courses. You can find information about core requirements in your college bulletin.

You'll have to make a decision about when to complete your core requirements. One strategy is to complete all core requirements as soon as possible in your college career, leaving your final years to focus on courses in your major. Another approach is to do things in the completely opposite order, focusing on your major initially and completing core requirements in your final semesters of college. For most students, the sensible choice rests somewhere in the middle. Taking one or two core requirement courses each semester keeps you on track for graduation and allows you to take other courses for your major, minor, or personal interest. It's also nice to have one or two less-challenging classes while you're taking the toughest courses in your major. As a senior, you may not be overwhelmed by an introductory course, even if the freshmen in your class are.