Just wondering, because my parents want me to have a free period junior year (to each my lunch) and I’ve heard that colleges want students to challenge themselves with rigorous course loads. I didn’t have a lunch this year (took AP Bio in place of it) and I just ate my lunch in AP Bio, which the teacher was okay with. My parents are convinced that a free period would be better for me though. I’ll be taking 4 APs next year, but will a free period look bad? I want to take another AP in place of the free period.
Legally your school is required to give you time outside of class for lunch. You shouldn’t have to schedule it yourself.
My school actually allows people to take a class instead of lunch (a majority of my class didn’t take a lunch this year)
Hmm. I’ve read multiple sources saying that schools allow students to opt out of a lunch period, with parental permission. Seems like just another opportunity for people to cram extra APs into their schedule.
Free periods are fine. But you are expected to pay for your commas. 
@mohammadmohd18 I don’t know, I think so?? haha. A lot of people just eat in class.
colleges want you to “challenge” yourself- that does NOT mean cramming classes into every available minute.
taking 4 AP classes your SR is PLENTY challenging. Colleges ALSO want to see excellent grades in the classes you take and taking 4 AP’s AND getting great grades will be very challenging !
REMEMBER- you will ALSO have the additional “job” of applying to colleges next year during your first semester- filling out multiple forms, writing essays, staying on top of application deadlines- ALL of those things take TIME.
Listen to your parents- Having an lunch period will allow you time to reset, refresh, catch up on reading or review for upcoming tests, AND gives you extra spare time to complete the college application process.
You’ll be glad you have the break in the middle of a challenging day and year.
My DS took 4 APs his SR year- he had 7 total and got into multiple top colleges
I think it really depends on the kid. Some kids really benefit from having a lunch (having a break, social aspects, etc). Other kids are fine with eating between classes or in class and like having one more class. I know several kids who went without a lunch and who did very well. Most kids I know have a lunch. Its like AP classes taken in a given year. Some kids struggle with 2 and others do very well with 6.
In terms of the question whether colleges will view having a lunch as a weakness, I think the answer is clearly no. Do what you want to do. Colleges will be fine with it either way.
When I was in HS I would have preferred to eat lunch in class. My son would have too. My daughter, I’m not sure. As I see it, if it’s what you’d prefer and it gives you the opportunity to gain knowledge, then do it. Good luck.
My son took a study hall in grades 9-11 in HS, but otherwise took the most rigorous schedule he could. Judging by his results, he was not penalized. We also talked with an admissions official in his junior year, and that person said it would not matter. Now, his friends thought he was crazy, that he was missing the chance to take another AP, that this would count against his rigor. Nope.
Having a rigorous course load is not synonymous with skipping lunch.
@adagio1 Must be my state then. I literally just had a discussion with one of my teachers about how it’s legally required to be given a 35 minute lunch period. Overall I don’t think having a free period will be detrimental if you take challenging courses otherwise. It can be good to have a mental break or time to catch up on other work.
I don’t think colleges even pay attention to how many free periods you have unless your course rigor suffers appreciably as a result (and/or your counselor doesn’t indicate that you took the ‘most rigorous’ course load on the SSR). Nor will colleges penalize you for taking one less AP than your peers imo—I wasn’t.
How can you fit a class in a 30 min lunch period? My daughter classes are way longer than that.
My kids all had senioritis.
They couldn’t wait for lunch as the trek to the local 7/Eleven, Starbucks, Roberto’s McDonalds, Jack in the Box, Subway, etc. was a pilgrimage. Since all of them had sports teams’ activities after school, they needed the recharge.
I’m not even sure that schools can tell if you have a free/lunch/study hall period. Remember, they get your transcript, not your schedule. To know they’d have to have applications from more than one kid in your school AND have to care enough to compare transcripts and count classes, taking into account how labs work for lab science classes, how many periods certain classes meet, etc, etc.
I’d advocate for the lunch period.
Especially if you can participate in activities during that time (yearbook, newspaper, art club…) 20mn to eat, 20mn to finish up hw /socialize/have fun productively.
Colleges don’t expect you to skip lunch.
From a health standpoint, it’s important to have a time set aside each day when your body is accustomed to food, it helps in regulating your food intake, and to associate eating with something social.
My kids’ school has lunch at 4th period. The whole school. They can eat whenever they want, or go to a classroom to meet their teacher for extra help. Lots of days there is a quick meeting of the drama club of baseball team.
Its a great system.
Take the free period/lunch!!! My son had an actual free period both junior and senior year (as well as lunch) and did quite well with college results (he’s attending an Ivy League school). As long as you are challenging yourself, you are fine from an admissions standpoint. 4 AP classes your junior year is plenty!
Very interesting to hear how other schools handle lunch! Love your system @jerseyparents . I’m pretty sure where I live (Northeast) it’s mandatory - I’m glad about that!
As mentioned above, colleges don’t know or care about when you eat lunch or have free periods.
“Rigorous” usually means:
-at least five academic classes all four years (usually English, math, science, soc sci, foreign language)
-most classes are honors or AP when available
-frequently a sixth academic class, at least in junior and senior year
If you already have four APs and two other academic classes planned, that is plenty. Some students add a seventh difficult class to their schedule, but it really is more important to get excellent grades, good AP test scores, and have time for extracurriculars (and lunch) than to have one more class.