English literature and writing classes are important for college freshmen, especially as most colleges require at least one or two English classes before you can earn your diploma. Writing classes are especially important as they will help freshmen understand how to write for a college-level course. Freshman writing classes focus on the basics of style, grammar and organization that students will be able to use in many of their other higher-education classes. Many colleges require English 101 and it is generally a tough course. Make time for its reading and writing assignments.
Colleges often have math requirements that must be met before you can earn your degree. Before you start classes, you may take a placement test to determine what level of math you should take your first year in school. If you test high enough, you may be exempt from having to take any math at all, depending on your school's rules, but many students will not place that high. Once you know the level of math you are allowed to start at, review your course catalog and choose the class that sounds the most interesting to you.
Foreign languages are important for students to ensure a well-rounded education. Foreign language classes don't just teach the language, but they also teach the culture associated with that language. Many schools have a foreign language requirement, but some also will consider you exempt if you took a certain number of years of the language in high school. Spanish is the most popular class to take, and arguably the most useful, but students may have a chance to choose from German and French, as well as Mandarin, Japanese, Russian, Latin and Greek, depending on the school's curriculum.
College freshmen often hear people talking about "Psych 101," possibly because this is one of the core classes most schools require students to take. Psychology fulfills a graduation requirement and at the same time, this freshman-level class will help weed out students who may have been flirting with the idea of a psychology major. Sociology is another class many freshmen take, oftentimes because they took something similar in high school and want to learn more about it or want an similar, and maybe easier, class to balance out an otherwise heavy course load. Intro to psychology can be a very difficult course.