<p>I have straight A's for all three years of high school thus far, and I am well on my way toward becoming valedictorian. However, there is another student in my class who is taking all of the same classes as I am, but next year, he will have one empty period, whereas I will be filling it with a non-honors course. He is taking six periods of AP courses, so he will have a 5.0 for the year (assuming he gets all A's). I am taking or have taken all of the same classes, but with my extra non-honors course that I am using to fill up my schedule, it will put my GPA just under his, despite the fact that I have taken every class that he has (except I took Biology when he took Band, and I am in French while he is in Spanish). My non-honors class is Academic Decathlon. Should I drop this class and compete in the Academic Decathlon competition and do everything I would do if I were in the class, but not have it on my schedule, so that my GPA will be the same as or higher than his? Or should I leave it on my schedule so that I have a full schedule, but not as high of a GPA or class rank? Would a college be unimpressed that I took a blank period even if it is to study for the Academic Decathlon competition?</p>
<p>Somebody help please.</p>
<p>Full schedule:AcDec is regarded as one of the most rigorous non-honors/AP classes, and taking it wont hurt you, most likely it will greatly advance you. But if you want to give yourself a little break (Which I’m sure you might like) then have one open and use it to both study, and do HW. Colleges stress on unweighted GPA so most likely they’ll look at the 4.00 that you’ll have either way. And DAMN, they’ll be epically impressed with that high of a gpa with all (or almost) all honors classes</p>
<p>I would definitely do AD, but whether or not to have it as an official class is the issue. If I drop it officially but still do it, then I’ll be valedictorian. If not, I’ll be salutatorian. Would a college see that I’m in AD despite the fact that I have a blank period instead of the class even though I’d be going in there during the period anyway?</p>
<p>Because I really want to be valedictorian, and everyone knows I deserve it. It’s just who beats the system.</p>
<p>I sadly did not find out until I had already selected my courses for my junior year that rigor was king, but only if you still had a good gpa. ■■■, hello too-full community college, bye bye cal.</p>
<p>edit:</p>
<p>it really sucks too, because asides from college admissions, if you’re in more rigorous classes your mind is going to expand so much.</p>