I am worried about my GPA. Band is not an honor course, but I love it. It is my favorite course in high school and I don’t want to give it up. However, it lowered my GPA by 0.2. I don’t know whether it will have negative impact on my application to the T30 school. I selected the most rigorous courses provided in my school. But still worried.
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I am not sure this is something you need to explain, your transcript will show 4 years of band. Kudos for sticking with the program! Is there a progression what type of band program you were in through these years? AOs will see that you took the class, as well as how well you did in it. If you definitely want to address this in some way in your application - your counselor may mention it briefly in their recommendation letter, focusing on your long term commitment to this arts program or your achievements there, but not on the gpa reduction, perhaps. You can also touch on that in one of the supplemental essays, but be careful, focus on positive things! Incorporate importance of music in the last four years of your life, band community or culture, write about events or activities related to band or how it impacted you as a person. Or even talk about continuing band in college as an EC or possible minor, if that is something you want to do. Good luck!
My D23 is in the same situation, but she will not be addressing this issue in her application specifically, importance of band in her life will be reflected in the list of her ECs and honors. She will be applying to music schools and regular universities with robust band and orchestra programs. Hope this helps!
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Your GPA was not lowered, it simply was not as high as was theoretically possible. There is an important difference there. Even more importantly, a 0.2 difference in GPA is 100% not going to be what is the tip between an ‘acceptance’ and a ‘rejection’. Go find something more important to worry about (based on your other threads, I’m guessing more time on ECs, especially those that require physical activity or doing something for other people, would be the best place).
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I agree w/@RussianMom: stay positive! If you write about band in an essay (what you love about it / how it has shaped you / as a metaphor for life / whatever) you could (but do not need to!) slip in a comment about how people who worry more about getting a 0.2 GPA bump from taking something else are missing the bigger picture / all that band can add to your life.
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If you love band continue with it! My understanding is that AOs love musicians and if you are an accomplished one it will only help with admissions. High school is a stress filled time for many teens and if music is a passion and fun don’t worry about the small drop in your weighted GPA and keep with something you love! Good luck and enjoy music making.
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Many colleges will recalculate your grades dependent only on academic courses and not electives such as band.
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Music is often considered an academic course to be included in GPA recalculations.
Band it a great activity and will not hurt you in the admissions process. I will add that:
–Admissions officers review your actual transcript and will see exactly how you did and what courses you took.
–Many colleges recalculate GPA according to their own criteria (ex. unweighted, academic subjects only etc.)
There is no need/no reason to explain continuing with band in your application.
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This is what matters. You have made a choice that makes you happy. That’s very important. So just be sure you apply to a balanced list of colleges. That doesn’t mean all top 30 schools. That means schools where you will be happy to attend, even if they aren’t top 30.
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I agree with everyone said that it will not hurt you. Unless you are ranked 1-2 in class the chances of getting into tippy top schools can be very difficult.
S21 had a similar situation wound up being ranked 12 in his class. I would not trade his band experiences for the stress of trying to be 1 or 2 for anything. The added stress of extra AP in place of being in the band was truly not worth it in the scheme of things.
That being said, if you love band that much, look for opportunities to continue it in college.
AO try to fill their class with musicians who will play in their marching bands as well!
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Thank you everyone! I will definitely continue band in the college if it is possible. I am not an accomplished musician and I didn’t get reward for playing instrument. But music is a very important part of my life, Joining band is one of the best decisions I have made.
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Take the classes you want - and there is nothing to explain.
Colleges love band - the commitment it requires (if you’re in marching band) and they see thousands of GPAs. Many/most kids take “regular” classes - they see it all.
Nothing to call out.
Just continue working hard and if you enjoy band, it will only help, not hurt - because it shows a dedication.
Keep up the good work - and stop piling yourself with unnecessary pressure.
There’s a wonderful college out there for you, top 30 (whatever that means because you know officially there’s no top anything - just for magazines looking to make money) or otherwise.
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There is unfortunately a reality that for some schools, the gaming of ranking is quite real. I think it’s something schools should address, as discouraging, art and music classes to maximize AP/IB weighted courses is significantly increasing stress loads.
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I disagree. No school is encouraging you not to take these classes of interest.
They weight rigor and it can still be had without an entire schedule of it.
It’s kids misinterpreting both what the colleges are saying and the overall college landscape…like only 20 or 50 exist.
They are making, in my opinion, a false presumption.
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This is not true. There are schools discouraging. Our H.S. encourages band but definitely discourages other classes. S23 was told he needed to choose between honors Spanish or chorus. They would not suggest chorus if he wanted to continue with honors/AP.
The OP is referencing colleges stating this, not HS.
You need rigor. You need the right box checked on the form - that you are taking the most rigorous schedule.
Most rigorous does not = 100% of classes Honors and AP. My kid got into W&L, a top LAC in addition to a top 30 US News Natl Rank - and took nutrition because it was of interest to her.
Sorry - the HS may not be helping but the kids are making presumptions - and the OP’s question was geared toward getting into a top school.
He can take band - and get into a top school.
Colleges see thousands and thousands of transcripts and are certainly capable of understanding who has a rigorous schedule.
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Our school actually has an honors band and orchestra to address this. Some kids who are high level musicians are in this for three or four years as their sole elective and this allows them to pursue music without any GPA deflation.
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Personal story…my D played violin for four years in HS. IMO orchestra was a “calm in the storm” of our competitive HS - a place where she could relax, de-stress, and enjoy playing music in a happy and supportive setting. The positive impact on her mental health/happiness was way more important than any minimal impact on her GPA. And FWIW she went on to play in the orchestra throughout her college years (she got into her top choice college) with the same positive impact.
So my bottome line is you enjoy band so stick with it! Do not explain or apologize…in fact you should cite it as a strong activity.
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I wish this were true. I think colleges claim it is true. Most of the competitive schools say they review holistically, and they do the the extent that they consider other things like activities and passions, but it doesn’t mean they usually admit based on those… I don’t think the stats always back up that schools are tolerant of kids prioritizing class-based EC passions over more AP’s, etc. Which is why some interpret that as needing to prioritize academic classes over your passions.
As one example, UCLA. It has a published specific criteria of what counts for weighted grades for OOS applicants. Unlike with in-state applicants (where band may count as a Section F honors course), band, choir, theater, any non AP/DE computer classes, etc., even if rigorous and competitive, would not count for weighted and thus drag down your average weighted GPA. Yet the stats on admitted students is so high for weighted GPA that taking band every year and even one other class any year that isn’t an AP/IB/DE would put you below the average GPA even if you had all straight A’s. If you took band and choir or any combination of two courses that couldn’t be weighted for OOS both years, you would fall below the bottom quartile of admits weighted GPA. The 75% quartile student took a minimum of 18 DE/AP/DE courses in three years between 10-12th grade.
This suggests that for every student who might balance their schedule between AP/IB/DE and other passion classes like band, UCLA admits at least 3 students who did almost exclusively focus on AP/IB/DE courses. If a student looks at those stats, it’s not illogical to conclude they stand a better chance loading up on AP or local DE (college duel enrollment) classes than they do sticking with band.
To be clear, I’m not advocating anyone do this. I still think every is better off pursuing their passions. I’m just saying there’s reasons for the perceptions and I think the jury is out on whether they are misconceptions.
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Some colleges won’t count those in weighted GPA’s. The UC’s for example would count it as weighted for in-state kids but would counted them as unweighted in the weighted GPA for out-of-state applicants, regardless fo how the school treats it.
Just for an example almost all of the kids from our highly rated NJ public school who have gone to a UC in the last few years did band or orchestra all 4 years. It may not add to their GPA but looks like it added to their entire admissions package.
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