<p>This is the classic rank vs. interests scenario: which do you think will aid me in the long run?</p>
<p>This year, I'm taking 6 AP classes and Honors Physics; next year my schedule stands at AP Eng Lit, AP Gov/Politics + AP Econ, second year Calculus (after BC this year), fifth-year Spanish (equivalent of AP Spanish Lit, but not named as such), AP Biology, AP Statistics, and Humanities (an honors course).</p>
<p>I get straight A's and I'm currently ranked 11/699 (technically third; there's eight valedictorians and two salutorians). As you can tell, I've worked hard all through high school, taking the most rigorous courseload for my school, hands down.</p>
<p>However: yesterday I found out that I had been accepted to the top choir at my school, having had zero previous vocal training. The choir program at my school is one of the top in the state, and doing this as an alto is unheard of. If I take the class, I will definitely lose any chances I might have had to be valedictorian and maybe even drop a few spots.</p>
<p>It is my dream to sing with the A Cappella choir... of course, it is also my dream to go to a top school, away from Arizona. Do you think taking choir (it would probably take the place of AP Bio) compromises me? My parents say yes; I think it might work if I got a good application essay out of it. :-)</p>
<p>Oh- I should add that I'm a senior so this would be my last chance at choir, but also not having four years- not much of a hook? I don't know what constitutes a hook :-)</p>
<p>I would also join the choir. It seems like such a unique, special experience. And, as others have said, don't be worried about how it would make your application seem. If anything, being in the choir would improve it. Then, write how you care more about the experience/following your dreams/ trying new things than rank. Colleges love that sort of stuff, as you've already realized =P</p>
<p>What I would do, though, is this: Imagine yourself at graduation. Which situation would fill you with more regret...
A - Being valedictorian, but having missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
OR
B - Being a successful member of the choir, but knowing that, had you devoted yourself to your studies, you would have been valedictorian.</p>
<p>It's a tough question to be sure... but one that only you can answer =)</p>
<p>or C - not being valedictorian but having passed up the opportunity to do something you really want on the off chance you can leap from 3rd to 1st place</p>
<p>Schools like to see you do something you love. Your schedule is still demanding enough. Choose choir.</p>
<p>"or C - not being valedictorian but having passed up the opportunity to do something you really want on the off chance you can leap from 3rd to 1st place"</p>
<p>True. That's the very depressing option that I chose to ignore... You'd surely have many regrets with this scenario.</p>
<p>You wil ldefinately maintain a high rank if you take choir. If you really want to do the choir and want to keep AP bio, than ask him/her if you could just practice after school or something and just not take the class so you could keep that rigorous course load.</p>
<p>First is it really likely you will go from 11th place to 1st even with your schedule? Those kids is 1st now are probably even more determined to hold onto that position at this point in the game and will be choosing classes accordingly. Also realise that even being Val does not guarantee acceptance into your top choice college - just read thru some of the 'rejected' posts on these boards from top students like yourself who are shocked to not be accepted into their top choices. Our Val last year was a NM finalist, State AP scholar - numerous other awards - did not make it into her dream school of Harvard and was turned down at a couple of other ivies also. I know another girl who made the decision freshman year to drop all classes such as band (which she loved0 to position herself better to make Val (she is not - she is 3rd place I think). You will have no way of knowing why you are or are not accepted by one school vs another. So make your choice and don't second guess yourself whatever the outcome. I know - easier said than done. Good luck either way.</p>
<p>I personally think it would be a lot cooler to be in one of the best choirs in the state with no vocal training than to be a valedictorian (and this isn't even certain). Your schedule's already really demanding, and your rank isn't bad, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.</p>
<p>being valedictorian is a guarantee if i can get 8 points next year. i can move up to salutorian with 7. by taking choir, that leaves me with 6- it may maintain my rank or it might drop me. yes... the difference between 1st and 3rd in my class is a matter of two points.</p>
<p>haha that'd be fun too. but seriously i auditioned for choir in the hopes of taking it second semester... i'm the kind of girl who gets told to shut up when she starts humming. this entire experience (from impromptu after-school "voice lessons" from my friends, to the audition, to results) has been incredible.</p>
<p>Colleges are not going to accept you just because you're valedictorian. In fact, many colleges openly talk about how they reject X in 10 valedictorians. So if you're worried about getting into your top schools, sacrificing a spot as valedictorian in order to belong to a choir you really want to join is going to look better for you. The trend I've seen most this year is colleges choosing people who express a passion for something, and who go out and enjoy life, not just people who take an excessive amount of APs and study all the time. </p>
<p>(And 8 valedictorians? Having so many kind of takes away from how prestigious it is, in my opinion. Do you want to be one of 8 or 9 or 10 valedictorians, or do you want to be that one person who demonstrates a real love of music, as opposed to just a love of grades?)</p>
<p>Well, I mean, it's the competition more than it is not prestigious. My high school is ridiculously competitive for a public school, and the top, I would say, twenty kids in my class (myself included) are all vying for top grades... top ranks... top schools... You know how it is. To be just in my position, I had to get straight A's, take all Honors classes, and take a seventh class my sophomore and junior year to make up for any "regular" classes that, God forbid, I had taken (two years of Orchestra and second-year non-Honors Spanish as a freshman). I could gripe about the lunacy of the ranking system for hours but so could most people on this forum. :-)</p>