SO one of my friends is stressing (unduly in my opinion) over their course selection for next year. They are a high school sophomore who was in the Symphonic Band freshman year and now is in the Wind Ensemble (advanced/upper level band). When planning their courses for next year, my friend began contemplating not playing in band and taking up a 7th AP (our school sets a max at 7 classes). Personally, I want him to stay in band because band fam and such but he has been repeatedly disadvantaged in other extracurriculars due to conflicts with band (missing MUN conferences and other things). Also, band is a course with a 4 point gpa which holds back band student in class rank and gpa.
My question is which is the better path for admissions? Will colleges value the extra AP and increased GPA and class rank or would they prefer 4 years of band?
If your friend doesn’t actually like band and enjoys the AP subject more then it’s a different story. But if he likes band then he should stick with it. I personally asked admissions officers when I was applying to colleges if I needed to drop band to take an AP science senior year (since they happened during the same period). I was told to stick with music since it was one of my big ECs and something I was passionate about.
This comes up all the time. No, don’t quit something you enjoy doing. One extra AP class will not increase your chances, but getting rid of something you enjoy might hurt you.
I encourage your friend to continue with band (assuming he enjoys it). As a music educator, I feel comfortable saying that there are many advantages to being involved in music and colleges will recognize that. If your friend excels in music, this could actually help him in the college admission process and may make him eligible for scholarships as well.
Sounds like he has to choose between band and other activities/another AP. Bottom line to me is does he prefer band or the other activities such as MUN that he had to miss because of band. The one extra AP won’t make a material difference. My D stuck with orchestra during HS and never regretted it for a moment (and now plays in her college chamber orchestra).
Anything that is causing stress should be dropped. I seriously doubt band will prove more stressful than 7 APs. You asked what will look better to AOs. What will look better to AOs is a student who clearly does things he enjoys and does well in school. Doing well in 7 AP classes is great, but not at the expense of an EC which is important to someone.
It depends–if the stress is because they feel like they should be in something like an AP class rather than band. I have been teaching for over 25 years and I’m not sure any of my students would say that band has been stressful. Most of them enjoy band or choir because it is a stress reliever rather than a stress inducer. I always tell my students that music can be a lifelong experience. My daughter was in Brazil with some other students and although when they first arrived, they did not know Portuguese, one of the first things they did was jam in the streets with some of the locals. Music is an international language and can be, as I said, a lifelong skill that can create connections with people from all over the world.
Most likely not. If the college is one of those highly selective ones that everybody talks about on this site, they want students who have more going for them than just being AP junkies. @guineagirl96 's advice is spot on. I also agree that if s/he does not enjot band, s/he should drop it, but replace it with something other than another AP course.
I disagree with this - excessive stress causing classes sure, but a little bit of stress isn’t a bad thing. As long as it’s manageable and doing something you love then a little bit of stress isn’t something to avoid.
@jrstress18 if it causes some stress but you love doing it then I would keep it. If you think it causes excessive stress or you don’t like it then I would quit it.
Does your friend realize that highly selective colleges want to see 4-8AP’s TOTAL for all years in high school? That they frown on the 'everything but the kitchen sink’approach to AP 's? That taking more than 4 carefully chosen AP’s a Year won’t help? As Stanford put it, “it’s not a game of who has the most AP 's, wins”?
Your friend should take band or, if s/he finds it stressful, take a non stressful class, be it shop or choir or home economics.
But isn’t it though? Stanford’s average admitted GPA is about 4.18. That is tough enough to achieve with my school’s graduation requirements but add 4 years of band and the gpa gets lower along with class rank. Those of us in four years of a VAPA have to take a lot more APs just to get the average.
That GPA is using the standard system of: Honors : +.5 and AP/IB/DE: +1. AP’s and classes taken via dual enrollment in the summer at your local community college count the same, for example.
Not true @jrstress18 . No one has to take a lot more APs just to get the average of Stanford students. How crazy! High GPA, high test scores, and course rigor might only mean that your application will perhaps be looked at. Those things don’t get kids into Stanford, and kids like your friend need to understand that. I am sorry to be a crusher of dreams. To get into Stanford you need to be exceptional.
If your friend wants to try other ECs (such as MUN) but band gets in the way, he doesn’t want to stay in band, then I say drop band. However, I would NOT suggest taking a 7th (!) AP class. Take a study hall if that is at all possible. Six AP classes is already over the top.
Keep in mind that you’re only supposed to take 4 APs… This is why right now there are so many posts by kids who say ’ I feel all my sacrifices were for nothing, I was sleep deprived, I took so many AP’s, and so-and-so with fewer AP’s and easier electives got in, but I didn’t"
In the situation above, I would say
1° Band
or
2° “fun” class that doesn’t have homework (current events, for instance)
or
3° study hall