<p>It depends on what your kid’s goals are. The ability to write well can be important in many STEM careers. If your kid is interested in attending a highly selective college, they will expect to see high proficiency in the humanities as well as math and science.</p>
<p>Depending on the school, you do have some flexibility in class selection. At my kids’s school (Concord) you have to take 4 years of English (probably the case everywhere), but only 5 semesters of history. Science-oriented students may do that and double up on science and/or math classes in their last two years. All English classes in junior and senior year are electives, so there are plenty of options for students who don’t want to be writing essays all the time (examples: screenwriting, fiction, various other forms of creative writing).</p>
<p>In addition, your kid might be surprised to find he enjoys humanities classes in a private school. History was my kid’s least favorite class in middle school but has become the favorite in high school. Part of the appeal was the ability to choose which history classes to take starting in freshman year.</p>