<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 getting in as an in-the-shower 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>I'll be a senior and 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>Ahhh... many valedictorians do not get into their top choice school....</p>
<p>Think about how many AP students are out there. Will AP Bio on your transcript make you stand out? Definitely not.</p>
<p>Do the choir if you LOVE to sing. Only. You will barely have 3 months in the choir when you are applying to colleges in the Fall. So, please don't pick choir for the wrong reasons.</p>
<p>Well... reasons go both ways. I think I would love being in the choir (besides being intimidated from all the other singers!), and it'd surely be a new experience for me.</p>
<p>My god. You have 6 AP courses already. Many schools in the nation do not offer even the number of courses you are about to take. One AP course will not make a difference in whether you get accepted or not. To the admissions committee, its just another AP on a transcript they will give a mere glance at. What is more important is how your counselor describes your courseload difficulty and your experiences throughout high school. </p>
<p>I'd go for the Choir position, it seems like a better prospective.</p>
<p>Go for what you will enjoy. The remark about "one more AP mark on the transcript" is right on given the strength of the rest of your HS career. Don't just chase what looks good -- chase after what IS good. Heck, this could be the good basis for an essay!</p>