I am going to be a sophomore next school year and I am debating on taking another AP class or staying in band. My school has gotten a new band teacher and I don’t really like him and my sister (same grade) has already decided on quitting and she was one of my main reasons for me being part of the band. I am one of the best players in the band, but if I continue taking it I won’t have the GPA that I want. There are some students in my grade who are taking four AP classes next year and I really don’t want to fall behind with my two. I really want to graduate in the group that is at the top of the class. The main reason that I am considering staying in band is because people say it’s good to have when applying for a college, but this is the only reason I will do it. I do not enjoy band and I do not want to pursue music as a future carrier. Another reason of why I don’t want to take band is because of tennis. I am part of the school tennis team and we have practice or a game every single day of the tennis season. Tennis season clashes with marching band and you have to be part of the marching band if you want to do concert band. I did both freshman year and I had to go from tennis straight to marching band practice which ended at nine. I don’t know if I will be able to handle the workload of two AP classes with tennis and marching band.
The main question: Is being part of band really that important for applying for a college?
Being part of band is not important for college admission, especially if you are doing it only because you think it is important for college admission and not because you enjoy it. If you love playing your musical instrument and want to show colleges examples of your commitment to music and your instrument, then colleges might like to see band on your transcript. But the doesn’t seem to be the case for you.
As a student who loved band in high school and is planning to continue music through college as a hobby, I would
love to tell you to stay in band. For me, it was not only a chance to show off my skills, but it was also a great social experience and a break from the stress of my other classes.
But you are a different person, obviously. If the only reason you are considering staying in band is for college apps, I wouldn’t recommend staying in, especially if you don’t necessarily like the teacher and you have other conflicts. You can show skill and commitment in other ways.
If you loved band I would have said to stick with it. For my D HS orchestra was a wonderful experience but it doesn’t sound like that is the case for you. Since you don’t find it enjoyable and prefer tennis, I’d say to drop band. Playing in a HS band isn’t going to get you any college that you are not otherwise qualified for.
Just because you give up band (which sounds like a reasonable decision in this case), doesn’t mean you have to give up on music. You can take a year off, continue to practice, and see how you feel. It’s still an EC even if you aren’t performing with the band. The college application asks how you spend your free time - hrs/week - and if you spend it studying music and practicing your instrument, that counts.
But I also don’t agree that giving up band so you can take another AP will automatically put you in ‘the top group of students.’ Colleges don’t look at applications and say ‘she has 5 APs and he as only 3 APs, so lets take her.’ Or, ‘his weighted GPA is 3.8 and hers is 3.7, so lets take him.’ They look at the entire application (and the overall applicant pool) and decide what they need as a school. The school has a band and wants a sax player? That gets the tip. More women than men applying this year? That gives the advantage to a woman…So do what you love and do it well. It’s a strategy that leads to more happiness in life and it might even help with admissions…
If you really dislike band, then drop it. Sounds like an enormous time commitment for something you don’t enjoy. However, if you do enjoy playing your instrument (you just hate band), then you might want to consider an ensemble outside of school, such as a regional youth orchestra. Maybe your sister would be interested, as well. The good ones in my area practice one night a week for 2/12 hours; the excellent one rehearses on Saturday mornings.
Actually, you are phrasing your main question around all the wrong reasons.
First, unless you are clairvoyant, you do not know that. Second, if this is a reference to the whole “band isn’t weighted” conversation, note that a weighted GPA is only good for your school; because of different weighting systems, colleges will look at the unweighted GPA or will apply their own weighting.
Don’t pick your classes based upon what other people are doing. 4 AP’s for a sophomore is usually overwhelming. 4 AP’s with all B’s and C’s is certainly not going to be preferable to 2 AP’s with A’s.
See above.
Choose your activities based upon what you enjoy, not because you, or some anonymous “people” thaink that colleges will like it better.
Now let’s look at reasons why you should consider dropping band:
OK, now we’re getting somewhere - you have a time conflict and can only do one. Therefore, do the one you enjoy more.