Algebra has so many everyday applications it's not even funny. But I guess it's because you and your friends are young and they might not be doing well (and I was a math team nerd).
Also, people saying other topics in school aren't relevant should look at some of the awful posts on this forum. English is necessary, though not to the degree it's sometimes forced to. Unless you're planning to go to college, then it gets really important (when you notice half the people don't speak/understand/write that good of English, you start to appreciate that at least people from here can understand you and back).