<p>I have the difficult choice between ap physics and choir next year. There is absolutely no way around it :( I will be taking honors precalc, honors, french, ap lit, ap US and either ap or honors physics. I absolutely love choir and it is an amazing experience for me and my friends, but my guidance counselor suggests I take AP Physics and graphic design instead of chorus and honors physics. My parents are "leaving the decision to me" but I need some advice, as I love choir, but I also enjoy the sciences a lot and I think/hope I got a 5 on AP chem this year</p>
<p>I think there is nothing wrong with taking choir and explaining the course conflict in the additional info section of your common app. As long as you are in honors physics, should be fine.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply! I’m just torn because I truly love science as well… also, I’m not sure how large a factor this is, but I would be VP of the school music society if i took choir</p>
<p>Don’t worry about how it looks. Worry about doing what you love most. </p>
<p>Speaking as the mom of a hs senior who was accepted to an ivy (anticipated STEM major and hs chorus member as well), I think your anticipated course load is very rigorous even with honors physics instead of AP. College admissions will be able to see that you are a highly capable student on many levels (assuming your grades are good), so I don’t think you have to push yourself for one more AP class. I encourage you to pursue your love for singing. You can always self-study for the AP Physics test (like my kid did) if you feel to the need.</p>
<p>thank you both! I considered self studying, but I think it will be too stressful for me what with sports etc, but do you really think the ap science (and I’m told it is considered difficult by colleges) is really not worth it? my guidance counselor basically told me that picking choir would be crazy and irresponsible (my older sister made the same choice in high school and dropped choir and she got into most ivies)</p>
<p>I had to make a similar choice (AP chem or choir) and I ended up dropping choir. What made the choice easier for me was staying involved in music through marching band, being part of the school musicals, and still competing in district/regional choirs, so that might be something for you to consider as well</p>
<p>My kid had the choice of honors wind symphony, or AP modern Euro her senior year. She took honors wind symphony, and culinary arts.</p>
<p>One course decision will not make or break your application. When people ask about preparing a college application and writing essays, the best advice is to be yourself and show the colleges who you are. That is the way to get into the best fitting college. </p>
<p>Ask yourself this. If a college told you they didn’t want you because you chose choir over AP Physics, how would you feel about attending that college? </p>
<p>Excellent point @Dreadpirit. OP, do you really think your sister was admitted to “most ivies” because of this one choice? I have a feeling there were many other factors at play, just as there will be for you.</p>
<p>My kid went to a high school that didn’t offer AP Physics, and she got into U of Chicago, Swarthmore, and Harvey Mudd. Taking the max number of APs isn’t the key to admissions success. Of course you have to take a rigorous courseload, but shining in an EC you love is worth quite a bit in the application process as well.</p>
<p>My sons both took AP physics with a rigorous courseload, and it was a struggle for both. That obviously doesn’t mean you will struggle, but as a mom, I would encourage you to follow your passion and take the still challenging honors physics given the rest of your schedule. </p>
<p>Are you planning on continuing in chorus at college? Are you going to be a senior?
Doesn’t matter–take the chorus–your schedule is already full enough.</p>
<p>take choir and honors physics. Your guidance counselor is very wrong in recommending you drop the performing arts. Actually, I’m quite disturbed that they would do that. If you’ve taken at least one AP science (you took chem right?) and are taking honors physics, you’re fine. Colleges prefer dedication to an arts over taking every AP class.</p>
<p>My daughter had no choice, because the state-mandated Participation in Govt class conflicted with choir. She was able to take the music home and practice there, and sang in the concerts with the rest of the chorus and chamber singers. And the choir still voted to give her the chorus award at the end of the year. 
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<p>Believe me–you’ll have great memories of chorus and friends and not so much the AP Physics. Keep the joy in your life. 30 years from now you’ll be wishing you took the chorus. Honors physics is good enough. Your GC can’t sing, can he?</p>
<p>Are you going to be a junior or a senior?
What do you think you might major in in College?
To me the main thing is you are taking Physics. You won’t be seeing it for the first time in college (if you need to take it).</p>
<p>Let us say you are going to take AP Physics. Let us say you get a 4 or 5 on the AP test. What will you do with that? If you are thinking of a liberal arts curriculum, then you may place out of a science. Or you might take a diffierent science.
If you are majoring in a STEM field, then would you then take Honors level physics in college? Does that sound good to you? or would you take regular physics? If so, then AP wouldn’t be as necessary.</p>
<p>You are taking Honors Pre-calc…If you are on the typical honors path, that would be taken as a junior. It says you are not crazy strong in math. So AP Physics may be a challenge. </p>
<p>Since the OP will be in precalculus, that implies that AP physics is the non-calculus version (B or 1 and 2).</p>
<p>Note that subject credit in college for the non-calculus AP physics is limited (not useful for engineering or physics majors, and many biology majors are pre-meds who need to take physics in college for pre-med purposes). So the added value of taking non-calculus AP physics over honors high school physics is typically limited. Some high schools use the non-calculus AP physics as their honors high school physics course.</p>
<p>Will you be able to stand out (for example, as a featured soloist) in choir? If not, I suggest Physics for academics, and music as an extracurricular. (And by “extracurricular”, I mean you should definitely continue with lessons, recitals, etc., but just not as part of your HS classes.)</p>
<p>Wow I did not expect to get so much feedback! Thank you all! I’m sitting down with my choir teacher and GC tomorrow to discuss this. This has been really valuable, and I think I have to go with choir. I’ll try to self-study, but the experience and fun of choir is more valuable</p>