Hello all,
I go to a fairly small school and just got my preliminary schedule - and there is a conflict. Here is my schedule:
1 - Honors Spanish 5
2 - Honors Pre Calc
3 - AP Comp Sci
4 - AP US History
5 - AP Lang
6 - Study Hall/Music Independent Study
7 - Honors Physics
This seems like a pretty good schedule, however I don’t have band in it which is something I requested. It is a class I genuinely enjoy, and after playing for so many years, I hold leadership in it (1st chair in my section, accepted to selective ensembles, etc.) so I feel disappointed that it does not fit in my schedule. Band is during 7th period which would interfere with physics. I know that colleges like to see physics in 11th grade (took Bio in 9 and Chem in 10), so there is another honors physics class during 1st period. This interferes with my foreign language and there is no other Spanish 5 class. Now since I’ve already completed level 4 (with grade of A) I feel like colleges will perhaps accept this however it feels wrong to only have 2 consecutive years of a foreign language. I could also drop honors physics (no CP physics available either) and do another science, but I am looking forward to physics and don’t want to put it off until 12th grade. So my question is, would you keep my schedule and drop something I truly enjoy so that I can have a language and physics? All opinions welcome.
IMO, your academic courses need to be the priority. That said, comp sci is an extra if you can get physics or spanish moved to 3rd period. If not, most schools are OK with completing up to level 4 of a foreign language. I would not drop physics.
PS. My D had to drop orchestra junior year for a similar conflict. It was a bummer but she was able to continue playing after school and through ECs
Although academics should be your first priority, my advice would be to follow your passions and take band. Considering your already completed Spanish 4 switch out your physics and drop the Spanish class. You can always take Spanish 5 your senior year.
Alternative : take band (as first chair you should definitely keep it) as well as Spanish5, take Physics senior year, and take AP bio instead. In terms of sequence it will not look bad since this schedule is most rigorous academically, Physics can be taken either jr or sr year, and presumably you will no longer take Spanish, which should make your senior schedule more flexible.
The suggestion above would work. Taking physics senior year is no issue. If you want you can ask your guidance counselor to mention the scheduling conflict as the reason why you moved physics to senior year.
Also for most colleges four years of foreign language is sufficient. You can check the common data set for colleges you are interested in.
I would not give up band…it is an excellent EC and (more importantly) you enjoy it.
@happy1@MYOS1634@Novacat9191@momofboiler1 I’ll have a final meeting with my counselor, I think I will probably keep band and move physics. I want to make the most of my high school years and would definitely miss having a class I look forward to attending. Glad to know that this move would not reflect poorly on apps as that was my main concern. It will also be nice to not have a foreign language to take senior year (school doesn’t offer any AP Spanish classes which is why I’m doing 5 instead of Spanish Lang)
Shift your schedule to take band. It sounds like you love it and those leadership experiences are important. Take Spanish next summer or next year as dual enrollment - take 101, 102, or 201 depending on where you are placed. My daughter had to do that with Latin when her schedule would not line up and it was a great opportunity.