<p>Hi! I'm sorry to bother those of you just browsing in the admissions forum, given that I usually don't post in here. However, I have a question that has been torturing me all summer about my courses next year (my junior year).</p>
<p>My school provides many opportunities: it offers the full IB Diploma program, many AP courses, and an excellent music program. I do very well in school and wish to apply to some top colleges. (I love Princeton--it's definitely my "dream" school). However, my school also instituted a horrible thing called the 6 period day, in which full year classes take up 1/6 of your day the whole year.</p>
<p>This has left me with a problem: I wanted to do the IB Diploma program, but I am also heavily involved with music and choir, and IB Music is not offered at my school. Therefore, because of the six period day, I couldn't continue choir (a major EC and interest of mine) and do the IB. I decided to ditch the IB program, and simply take choir with as many IB classes as possible. My schedule currently looks like this: (Bear in mind that I can't receive the IB diploma for this)</p>
<p>Junior Year:
IB English HL
IB Math HL
IB European History HL
IB Biology HL
French 3 Honors
Concert Choir (Highest choir)</p>
<p>Senior Year:
IB English HL
IB Math HL
IB European History HL
IB Biology HL
IB French SL
Concert Choir (Highest choir)</p>
<p>However, I have been recently thinking about altering this schedule slightly. My counselor has told me the IB English, Math, and French courses are the toughest in each of the subject areas they're offered in our school. (My school doesn't even offer AP languages, just IB). But I've been thinking of switching to AP for science and social studies for a few reasons: </p>
<p>A) It would make taking SAT Subject Tests easier--I've already taken US History (which I received an 800 on), plan to take Math Level 2, but want to take a third in Biology. By the time I need to take the test, I will only be halfway through Biology in the IB program.</p>
<p>B) I would love to take Physics during high school, and taking the AP option would make that possible. </p>
<p>C) I don't really love history (I think it's a tad boring) but love social sciences. If I took my social studies in the AP program, I would get to take Euro, but then switch to both AP Psychology and AP Macroeconomics (which are both semester courses at my school) senior year.</p>
<p>All in all, my new schedule would look like this:</p>
<p>Junior Year:
IB English HL
IB Math HL
AP Biology
AP European History
French 3 Honors
Concert Choir</p>
<p>Senior Year:
IB English HL
IB Math HL
AP Physics C
AP Psychology and AP Macroeconomics
IB French SL
Concert Choir</p>
<p>My question is: which option is better in terms of what colleges would like to see? I know I'm not doing the full IB program no matter what because I love music too much to give it up. But would colleges view my lack of commitment to one program or the other negatively? My counselor has stated she will say I took the Most Rigorous Available Curriculum available on my applications either way. What's your opinion?</p>
<p>If it helps, here are my classes and grades from Freshman and Sophomore years:</p>
<p>Freshman Year:
English 9 Honors (A/A)
Higher Algebra Honors (A/A)
Physical Science Honors (A/A)
American History through 1915 Honors* (A/A)
Varsity Men's Choir (A/A) (lowest men's choir)
French 1 Honors (A/A)</p>
<p>Sophomore Year:
English 10 Honors (A/A)
Pre-Calculus Honors (A/A)
Chemistry Honors (A/A)
AP US History (A/A)
Concert Choir** (A/A)
French 2 Honors (A/A)</p>
<p><em>This dumb class was required even if people were going to take APUSH the next year. The regular classes just continued from 1915, whereas those of us taking APUSH had to start over!
*</em>This is our school's highest choir. I was one of only two sophomores who received placement in it.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your time and help! Don't hesitate to ask any questions you have.</p>