I am currently a sophomore in high school. My school only requires one arts credit, which I have already filled with one strings/orchestra class. My parents are encouraging me to take all 4 years of orchestra, as they think it will look good on applications. However, I don’t have any interest in pursuing music after high school, and I don’t have any ECs that deal with music. Is it worth it to stay with strings for all four years (and potentially lower my GPA), or should I switch into other classes? Do admissions really care about a student sticking with a class for 4 years, or taking more difficult ones? Thanks for any and all advice!
The answer depends upon how much you enjoy orchestra and if you want to commit the time to it. The last thing you should consider is how taking orchestra will impact for GPA. You should read this: Read this first:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/17560325
At the end of the day, do orchestra if it interests you; do not concern yourself about what the hypothetical college admissions officer will think because you will never know. Do not concern yourself with weighted GPA; colleges will either look at your unweighted GPA or weight according to their own parameters. While top colleges will assess the rigor of your schedule, they are also looking for other factors, of which a dedication to music can certainly be seen as one.