Hello all,
I am going to be a junior this year in high school. Since the beginning of time, I have always been interested in the sciences like Biology and Physics. However in my current schedule, I have a lunch period that interferes with the course that I want to take, AP Biology. Currently, my schedule includes six AP courses along with band. I also do about five extracurricular activities that take a few hours of my time in a week. What should I do? Should I remove the lunch period and take AP Biology with increasing my GPA, or take the lunch period?
Thanks
You are asking about 6ap plus band and lunch, vs 7ap plus band with no break all day?
You realize, even adults with a job, get a lunch break.
Yes. But I would love to have that GPA boost from that AP class. Also, it would help with the science bowl team at my school. I can always bring lunch to school, and eat in a 7 minute break between classes.
Don’t try to eat in between classes. I’ve been there; it’s more difficult than you think. The notion of skipping a lunch break for an extra class strikes me as really dangerous.
The effect of one class on a 4 year GPA is akin to a pimple on an elephant’s butt; it just won’t raise it that much. Plus, the GPA only works if you get an A in the class, which you are risking with 6 AP’s already. Schedule the lunch.
Lunch! it’s very disturbing to me that your school allows you to skip lunch in order to take a class?! You should eat. I agree with skieurope.
Eh, I don’t agree with the other posters here. I removed my lunch period every year except freshman year to take classes and increase my schedule’s rigor, and I don’t regret it. It’s not hard to eat small snacks between periods, and you’ll likely have a teacher who doesn’t mind you eating in class. I say go for it.
Missing lunch isn’t very uncommon at my kids school. Last year my d did get lunch, but when choosing classes was told she would have either lunch or study hall but not both. She was told the same thing for the upcoming year. She doesn’t have her new schedule but she thinks she will only have a lunch period a couple days a week and a study hall every day. As I said, it commonly happens at her school though and teachers are accommodating, allowing kids to eat lunch during classes if needed (aside from classes where that can’t work like chemistry, etc). She said she often saw kids eating lunch during social studies and English classes.
All that said, it doesn’t sound like you are giving yourself a break at all and already taking a huge workload of classes. Especially with your ec schedule, it looks like too much and I think you should keep your lunch.
What are your other 6 AP classes? Are you already taking a science? If you haven’t had an AP class, they do take up more time. For the most part, your Junior year is your last attempt at maintaining/increasing your GPA for college admissions. Weighted classes only benefit your GPA if you can get a good grade.
You are asking a question that no one here can really answer for you. You know yourself infinitely better than anyone here. Some kids struggle when taking 1 AP classes. Some kids do very well with 7 or more. Most are somewhere in between.
I know high school kids (pretty much all of the guys) who eat a ton of food. For them, skipping lunch and expecting to eat enough during classes during the day would be a big problem. Other kids who barely eat who can easily go with a quick snack during a class or two during the day. Most are somewhere in between.
Some kids like lunch for the social aspects of it. Others would rather spend time in classes. Most are somewhere in between.
Only you (and your parents likely have insight as well) know how well you would handle substituting another AP class for lunch. If you are doing it only for purposes of another AP class, I think you have enough already. If you are doing it because you want to challenge yourself and think you can handle the extra work (along with other classes, ECs, time with friends/family, etc.) I see no reason not to go for it.
I’d bet it would be pretty hard to focus during class if you’re hungry; this may result in a lower GPA.
I’m days late, but you have six AP classes, which is enough. If I were you, I’d drop one of those APs for a science class because most colleges like it when students take at least three years of science (check out Stanford, Harvard, and other high end colleges, and they generally stress three years of science). If you really like science and you’re considering a career in the subject, consider dropping one of your AP humanities and replacing it with science, as I’ve found that a lot of universities value your advanced courses more if they show a clear interest path and not a jack-of-all-trades approach. It’s generally easier to take AP classes in subjects you’re interested in. But don’t skip lunch. Not only is it a good time to get a break from school, but it also offers a backup plan in case you simply have no time and can’t finish all your homework (which, with six APs, is likely to happen at some point).
I took AP Biology this year and let me tell you, I think it was the hardest class I’ve ever taken. The information is very detailed and if you already have 6 APs, take the lunch period! Enjoy yourself as we all need a break throughout the day. Sure, colleges want to see you do well but if you would take AP Bio you may get overwhelmed.
Can’t you take AP Biology next year as a senior?
Maybe your school district won’t even allow you to skip a lunch period…which would be a very smart policy.