<p>Question: I have been in marching band for 3 years at my school, but I cannot stand it one more year. All of my friends tell me that I need continuation in my transcript but I have done lacrosse, French, concert band and NHS for going on 4 years. Would it be bad to quit [...]</p>
<p>I pushed myself to do things in college I didn’t want to do and only now as a senior have I decided that I am no longer doing things that I don’t want to do to make other people happy. I suggest getting out if you don’t like. Good luck</p>
<p>I wish I had known about this post earlier, but thankfully now I am only in concert band and not marching band. It’s fun sometimes, but it feels like a chore to go to last period band class sometimes.</p>
<p>Even if there were 0 other 4 year commitments on said applicant’s resume, unless she was a music major or something of the like, I highly doubt top colleges would care a hint for a 4th year of something like marching band. It’s not that band isn’t good, it’s just that it is too common and a 4th year in marching band (or lack thereof) will not be a deal breaker probably anywhere in the top 25 colleges in the nation.</p>
<p>I was this exact person 5 years ago in my college admissions process. My band director begged me to stay because I was good at band and had already been an officer and first chair for a couple years, and my parents said it would be good to stay because it wouldn’t look good on college applications if I quit after three years. I absolutely hated band and preferred my many other activities (NHS, SGA, FCA, swimming) and honestly couldn’t have done them all again for my senior year, because of elected positions in all four of those activities, along with an annual conflict of swim meets and band festivals. I also was able to graduate valedictorian because of no band senior year (extra AP instead of band gave a weighted GPA boost), something that I wouldn’t have done if I had stayed in. I made several people mad, but it was something that I had to do for myself.</p>
<p>Ultimately, I ended up waitlisted at 3 top 25 schools and rejected at 2, but with no hook it wasn’t that surprising. Plus I ended up with considerable money to flagship state U and basically free tuition to a respectable small LAC. My senior year was considerably more enjoyable because of no band, and my swimming improved at a faster rate to get me a spot on a DII team. I don’t regret this decision ever, and wish I had made it earlier. Anyone in a similar position I would recommend to quit the hated activity to focus on what you like to do. The one weird thing though was the summer after I quit band, I had nightly dreams where I’d be in the band room playing, and would get confused and remember that I quit, and just get up and walk out.</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing your experience, erhswimming, good info.</p>
<p>Forcing yourself to take Calculus might be necessary for some situations, but forcing yourself to participate in an EC you hate isn’t a good idea or necessary, IMO. Do something you enjoy, and show that passion, or at least enthusiasm, on your app.</p>
<p>Unless you are a music major, it is nonsense to believe you have to be in band all 4 yrs. to make a difference on your college application, most collegs won’t care. If your ‘friends’ telling your this are those you know in h.s., how would they know it matters? Band is just an EC to most colleges.</p>
<p>Write into your personal statements/application essays about how you’re a strong person because you know who you are, and you don’t let other peoples expectations hinder your determination to follow what you REALLY love! :P</p>
<p>I don’t know bahaha… but if you know that you simply can’t take another day of band, and you can use your decision to tie into something essay-worthy, it will <strong><em>definitely</em></strong> be to your advantage, both in the realm of college, and the realm of your sanity. The people who read the college apps are human too. They’ll understand if you explain yourself. :)</p>
<p>I quit playing football after 6 years prior to applying for college. I decided to run cross country my senior year instead. I doubt it made any difference at all.</p>
<p>I tried band in Freshman year but decided to switch to Orchestra for Clarinet instead because of time constraints. One problem that is extremely prevalent in our schools is the problem of students going into Band for 3 years and then quitting because of a lack of officer’s positions. I would like to believe that once you sign up for band, it’s a commitment.</p>
<p>I would never even bring up the band thing in your college essay. Generally, most essays are expected to be rather short and to try to explain why you quit the 4th year would stand out when it was never necessary to bring it up. High school students try various EC’s for any number of reasons. Talk about what you did or something you accomplished, there certainly is no need to mention every EC on any application essay.</p>
<p>Hi, This is my junior year schedule:
AP Biology
AP Lang
AP US History
AP Economics
AP Calc AB/BC (counts for 2)
Honors Spanish IV
Newspaper</p>
<p>I am worried that competitive colleges will see newspaper as a blow off class even though at my school it is like a real working bussiness…Help! (although i hav taken it before so they might like the continuity).</p>
<p>Unless you’re the person referenced at the start of this thread (sounds like you are not), would be better off starting your own thread if you want input on your particular situation.</p>
<p>I actually didn’t do band my senior year after having done it for three years, and I have no regrets. I was able to expand my resume and participate in other activities.</p>
<p>How do I do that I’m new</p>
<p>Think of it as opening up prime time for something you DO enjoy. It (band) was a valuable experience and now on to the next valuable experience.
The experience could be another extracurricular or another academic subject or art.
(Or cleaning your room–can’t help myself–I’m a parent…but …actually spending family time is an extracurricular these days that is sorely overlooked but probably the most valuable)
For all the hype of sticking to one thing forever there is a better (in my opinion) case for trying all sorts of new things–especially when you’re young. How else are you ever going to find out what you really love to do?</p>
<p>As someone who was in your same situation almost exactly, stick with band. I don’t know if you’re section leader (I was by that point) but that makes it better in my opinion. Not in a sort of power trip way, but I enjoyed teaching the younger plays and encouraging them to get better.</p>
<p>I agree with post #16. Find & do things you enjoy. It is nonsense to stick with something you DON’T like just to say you did it for all 4 years, what is the value in that? Most h.s. have a wide variety of activities/sports to participate in. Find you niche in something you enjoy and can contribute to the school. You won’t always know what you enjoy until you have tried the various options offered by your school.</p>
<p>Keep in mind too, that preparing college applications is extremely time consuming if you are applying to the top schools which require many essays. You will need your weekends for writing and organizing all the paperwork, since weekdays will be too busy with your other EC’s and hard classes. Quit band.</p>
<p>I disagree with the post above me. Compared to band, applying to college takes up NO TIME.</p>
<p>I repeat, NO TIME. People exaggerate it to a ridiculous degree. Get over yourselves people.</p>
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<li>The Gracken</li>
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