Junior Year Schedule Question

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Hi-I'm having some doubts about my junior year schedule and am looking for some clarification. My school is one of the few that offers the IB program and the Advanced Placement program, and my guidance counselor believes the IB program (at our school at least) to be more rigorous. I will be taking IB courses of some kind next year; please don't disintegrate this thread into an AP/IB debate.</p>

<p>However, to save money, my school implemented the 6-period day a few years ago, much to the frustration of the students. This means that in order to obtain the IB diploma, one must take IB classes in every period. (For kids who want to take four Higer Level IB classes, that is, and I do.) For those of you new to the IB, SL classes are one year and less in depth, and HL classes are 2 years and more in depth.</p>

<p>Finally, another problem arose: I am very involved in vocal music and have been since elementary school. My school, however, only offers IB Visual Art, not IB Music. I have also been playing violin since age 5, am in an after-school orchestra, got into the highest chamber singing group as a sophomore, was one of two sophomores to get into my school's highest choir (Concert Choir) made it into a competitive male quartet at my school, etc. Let's just say music is an important part of my life.</p>

<p>Now I don't know if I want to major in music in college, but I see it being at the very least a major extracurricular of mine all the way through my higher education. Minoring and majoring are distinct possibilities, but because I excel at other parts of my schooling, I am not sure if this is the route I wish to follow. </p>

<p>In any case, here is my question: Which of the following two year schedules, given my music background, would a college like to see? Bear in mind I would have to quit my after school choral groups (chamber music and quartet) if I quit choir.</p>

<p>Junior Year A:
IB Math HL
IB English HL
IB European History HL
IB Biology HL
French 3X (X=honors)
Concert Choir (highest choir)</p>

<p>Senior Year A:
IB Math HL
IB English HL
IB European History HL
IB Biology HL
IB French SL
Concert Choir</p>

<p>Junior Year B:
IB Math HL
IB English HL
IB Euro HL
IB Bio HL
French 3X
IB Psychology SL or IB Physics SL</p>

<p>Senior Year B:
IB Math HL
IB English HL
IB Euro HL
IB Bio HL
IB French SL
Theory of Knowledge</p>

<p>Thank you so much for your advice with this difficult decision I have. If you have any more questions to help you with your advice, please feel free to ask me.</p>

2

<p>Really? No one has any opinion at all?</p>

3

<p>stick with the music. it will look waaaay better to colleges if you have a passionate EC and devote your time to it in a class and substantially after school. it sets you waaay apart from someone who earned the IB diploma. You would be just another kid who earned the IB diploma, but if you were that talented in music, they would see this kid has passion and he stuck with it and (S)he is different. (S)He still took IB classes and that is great, but what is really great about this kid is that (s)he was passionate about something and went all out. And honestly, it interests you and you enjoy it. Wouldn't you rather spend your time doing something you enjoy rather than slaving away so you could get an IB diploma?</p>