<p>I am a rising junior and I have an extra period in my schedule. However, I am concerned that I will look lazy for taking an off period when a lot of other people take rigorous schedules with out free periods. So far, my schedule looks like this:
AP Gov (ConLaw team)
APUSH
AP physics 1
AP Lit
Pre-calc Honors
Debate honors</p>
<p>I am also planning on taking the Spanish SAT II to prove that I have studied the language. </p>
<p>My question is this, is this a hard enough class schedule to deserve an off, or should I find an academic elective to take instead? </p>
<p>Take an elective. It doesn’t even have to be “academic”, just fill the spot.</p>
<p>Devoting a set time in your schedule where you can meaningfully and actively pursue academic success is probably worth more than the negligible “course rigor” you’d gain by filling that spot with a fluff elective. </p>
<p>Our ivy admits had study halls in their Junior and Senior year schedules - they had very AP intensive schedules (much like yours) so they weren’t at a disadvantage.</p>
<p>I had a study hall this year and I used it to meet with my Calculus teacher for extra help as well as do additional problem sets outside of the classroom - both of which contributed to my success in the classroom that I wouldn’t have had if I didn’t have that scheduled access to my Calc teacher everyday. On days where I didn’t need the extra help, the study period came in handy for GC meetings regarding colleges as well as drafting supplements and my college essay. In hindsight, had I not allowed myself the study period, my senior year (especially first semester) would’ve been a hell of a lot more stressful.</p>
<p>Honestly, free periods should be more encouraged, they do wonders. 95% of my school’s juniors take a free period and all got into amazing colleges without any trouble for it. This is encouraged by the college counselors, and we are a college prep school. Taking tough classes and a free period is fine, which you are certainly doing.</p>
<p>At my school, the counselor recommends a study hall every year. I myself have survived without one thus far, but I am taking one senior year. I’m still taking 7 classes though (all of which make up a rigorous schedule, except PE): 3 dual enrollment, 3 sciences (one science is dual enrollment), calculus, PE. I guess this would be semi-similar to the difficulty of your schedule, so I would definitely recommend that you take one, unless you want to be constantly tired. If the other class you would take in place of a study hall is something you are truly interested in, I guess you could maybe take that- but DONT take a fluff class that you don’t care about in place of a free period. </p>
<p>At my school, we don’t have an option of a free period. At all the other schools in the county, you don’t have the option of free periods until senior year, when you can take what’s called senior seminar, which is the 4 remaining classes you need to graduate. </p>