@MYOS1634 : “I should note that it’s often preferred for a gifted math student able to take BC in 11th grade to continue with math in the 12th grade, preferably calc3/diff.eqs/linear algebra.”
Assuming that’s even on offer. In many schools, maths stop at Calc BC, or even at AB.
Hence the wording “able to”. However finding a college course through pseo or de is seen positively-at least the GC should mention that such an opportunity was sought out but was unavailable.
The issue isn’t being super advanced it’s showing initiative and intellectual curiosity - taking a class because everybody does or parents are spearheading the process is viewed differently.
Note that outside of some stem schools ab vs BC doesn’t make a difference for admission purpose.
Nor for that matter does AB vs BC matter for the vast majority of STEM schools.
On playing music competitively, ultimately all professional musicians do exactly that. They compete for audience sponsorship, from Mozart to Shostakovich. That’s how they make a living. It is very romantic to claim that music shouldn’t be about money, but musicians need to eat as well. Competitions help kids become better stage performers, learn showmanship, and develop presence, all of which are crucial for survival as a professional musician.
It irritates me when people are fine with professional athletes competing from an early age, but frown upon aspiring professional musicians doing the same.
In addition, competition generates healthy respect for other performers in the same age group and a motivation to make oneself better, both technically and in terms of musicality.
Doesn’t it also depend on what OP’s daughter wants to study in college? If she’s interested in majoring in STEM then she should prioritize her schedule to focus on STEM subjects in HS. If she’s interested in LibArt or undecided then by all means stick with the band and ease up on the science.
She’s in 8th grade. I wanted to be a professional skier in 8th grade. 
Kids evolve.
And look at your profile pic now, skieurope!!
Yes, kids change. But for some reason I have a suspicion that if the OP’s kid wanted to major in, say, the Classics, and wanted to double up on Latin and Greek, the collective response here would be different. I may be wrong. I hope I am wrong.
Think that says it all, folks. Choppers! Attention all personnel, Incoming Wounded!
@Dadofteen, there’s a new tiger parent here every few weeks trying to mold their kid into the perfect STEM applicant. These threads generally share some commonalities. For instance, the child’s interests or desires are not considered worth mentioning. Several pages back a few posters asked about what the OP’s daughter wants to do and the OP has been silent on that point other than noting that all these plans require her to give up the “beloved” band. There is generally excessive pressure being put on these kids. Some such kids also post on this site saying that their parents will not allow them to do anything but STEM, and are in quite a bit of anguish. This is a cultural issue common among immigrant parents from certain countries where college admissions work differently and many of these parents don’t understand that the top US colleges are looking for a diverse class and by forcibly molding their kids into the same small sub-pool of applicants which they personally believe should be the only type of kids admitted to top schools they are not just hurting their kids’ personal growth but also ironically reducing their chances for college admissions.
Funny, never seen a tiger parent pushing classics.
Mathyone, My point was not about tiger parents, it was about kids who really do like STEM, in 8th grade, without parental pressure, and don’t “evolve” into Liberal Arts students later on. Call it a failure of evolution if you will, but these Neanderthals do exist, contrary to popular belief. I was one of them.
Of course there are kids who love STEM. I am all for STEM. But there are also plenty of kids like this one. " I have stereotypical Asian parents who want me to go on a premed track and immediately dismiss any idea of me studying poli sci or Econ. "
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1769010-how-do-i-convince-parents-that-i-dont-want-to-do-pre-med-p1.html
Just wanted to add, my daughter is also one of those kids who loves STEM. But doubling, and actually tripling, up on science courses was her choice. Other kid decided to drop an arts class for more math. That was entirely her idea and I actually tried to talk her out of it because given the interests and goals that she has expressed I am not convinced it’s the best plan for her. But she wants to do it, so she will do it.
I guess that’s the point I was trying to make - the OP never addresses what her child’s preferences are. That doesn’t necessarily mean they conflict with hers. A lot of people on this forum jump immediately to a moral judgement of people’s motives, instead of just answering the questions posed. It gets a bit old.
Colleges do want to see the 4 cores in each year of high school although it is not required. I don’t see why it is so impirtant to take Hon Chem unless it is the school’s requirement before AP Chem. There may be summer and online courses in your school district to help you to accelerate academic progress or avoid schedule conflict. My D2 is taking PE and Health in summer/online classes. Private piano lesson is no replacement for band/orchestra in school.
Our school requires Honors Chem 1 and Honors Chem II prior to AP Chem, and does not allow any summer classes unless needed as a retake due to failure. Doubling up on sciences is the only way a motivated student can realistically hope to take AP Bio, Chem and Physics.
Competitive playing isn’t a problem (understatement!), but unless OP’s daughter is at Carnegie-Hall level, involvement with her high school (band or orchestra or volunteering teaching at the middle school…) is considered better at the most competitive colleges (Top 25 Research universities and LACs) than just involvement in competitions. It’s the same for volunteering: volunteering abroad is NOT good, unless you volunteer in your hometown/State and/or have shown decent community involvement in the issue you’re going abroad for.
In her case, involvement in a HS Band as a freshman in order to progress to the “travelling” band would be a good complement to competitive piano playing, since it’d form a cohesive EC narrative.
@jcc, it’s hard to advise people when you don’t know what their child’s preferences and goals are and when they won’t say, even when asked. Kids are obviously not all the same and what is great for one could be a disaster for another.
Agreed, Mathyone.
^Just realized I left a part of my sentence out… it’s “HS involvement is better IN ADDITION TO club/competition outside of school”. (NOT “instead of”!!!) The “personal pursuit + community service/engagement” is important lest the applicant be seen as a prestige-seeking non team player.