<p>As some of you may have read before, I love to write and want to major in English. I have had the displeasure of having horrible English teachers throughout high school. Freshman year was a disaster, sophomore year was good but not challenging, junior year was a serious waste of time, and now, as a senior, I am taking English 100 at my local CC, and I have found it to be easier than my 7th grade English class. I can't remember the last time I read a book for Engish or studied. </p>
<p>I had been really looking forward to my second semester senior year because I was going to have the supposed "best teacher ever" who is also retiring after this year. Unfortunatley, newswriting is the same time as Honors English, and seeing as how I am editor, I was forced to drop the class and take English at CC. </p>
<p>My CC class is almost over and I have the credit I need to graduate/go to college, but I feel like I don't have the actual skills. I want to LEARN! and I would love to take that Honors English class next semester. </p>
<p>This is my current second semester schedule:
Photography
Spanish 4
AP Euro
Newswriting</p>
<p>Here are my options:
1. Keep as is and have a cruise senior year.
2. Take a directed studies newswriting class first period, drop photography, take Honors English 4th period, and give up my title as Editor in Chief of school newspaper. (If I do this, what do I tell colleges considering I will have already applied.)
3. Take a regular English class taught by the same teacher during first period and drop photography. </p>
<p>I'm so confused and for once I don't wnat to solely base this decision on college entrance. I'm interested in actually learning for once.</p>
<p>well, how long have you been doing newspaper...changing schedule is what I would do, can you still work for paper if not in the class? if so, a title change is so minor, I wouldn't worry</p>
<p>Colleges know there is some"slacking" even though that is not what you would be doing...do what will help you most in college, seriouslly</p>
<p>How about taking another English class at the JC? Then you could keep the editor-in-chief job (I was news editor of my college paper -- I vote for not dropping the editor job), and still learn more English. I know this doesn't let you study with the legendary teacher, but I think it's a solid compromise.</p>
<p>I'd take the Honors English class. I guarantee you'll learn more about writing by reading great literature than any hokey high school "newswriting" class or being the editor of your high school newspaper. If any of the colleges ask, that's exactly what you'll tell them as well. They'd rather have someone passionate about learning, than just another high school newspaper editor.</p>
<p>I was also interested in an independent study option. Can you put together a focused project with the help of that English teacher and use her as an advisor? A good teacher should be happy to help an interested student who, for reasons outside her control, can't take the normal class. A focused and in depth project can help you learn a lot and will certainly hold your interest.</p>
<p>corranged...she is a brilliant teacher but a bit old and grouchy and not so willing when it comes to independent study. </p>
<p>citygirlsmom...my newswriting teacher won't let me be editor if I'm not in the actual class with the other students because "it's my duty to help them"</p>
<p>If I choose to take the honors English class and drop my editor title, what do I tell colleges?</p>
<p>and bahhhhhhhhhhhh...I won the second grade spelling bee with dilemma!</p>
<p>I talked to my counselor today. She basically said "Up to you!" so that was pointless. My English teacher from 10th grade thinks that I should take the honors class because I "need a challenge", but I'm still hesitant. </p>
<p>take the honors class, its not like you are dropping a tough class to do nothing...its a legitimate change of schedule, and is perfectly reasonable</p>
<p>fyi...lots of stuff seniors do in the spring...well..its just biding their time...</p>
<p>you could just send the colleges a note:</p>
<p>I needed to change my schedule from Newswriting to Honors English for the Soring Semester.</p>
<p>You have choices between several not-so-great options. Is there any way that you could take the honors course (which seems like the most important educational experience) and then devise a writing project that would take the place of the editorship: enter a writing competition, try to write a guest column for a local newspaper, submit a piece someplace that publishes student work, or use your writing skills in some sort of service project? </p>
<p>I don't think that your application will be riding on a single semester of one EC, so don't even think of these as a way of replacing or offsetting the editorship on a college app.</p>
<p>Should I notify the colleges of the change? The official change won't occur until January 11...and I will have turned in all myapps over christmas break.</p>