Hey there…I will be a new freshmen and trying to understand how high school process works and read through many forums. I am looking for some feedback/pointers on the below topics I am a little confused about:
I have been playing violin for orchestra for few years now and got selected for Honors orchestra and will choose it in High school. I do not plan on music major but heard getting certified via ABRSM or other such schools. Is that really a hook and worth the investment or should I just focus on doing well in HS and using this talent to do community service.
I heard about running start/dual enrollment at orientation and I am not planning to stay in WA for college. If I choose this looks like I dont need the AP classes in HS? My HS doesnt start AP till 10th grade anyway. With choosing RS, do kids have an advantage and are able to transfer out of state easily and have any better advantage?
If I do not plan to major in Arts, should I be taking AP Spanish or is Spanish 3 fine even if I want to go out of state (WA).
Sorry for all the questions since its overwhelming and am looking for someone who can help guide me through this process. Thank you
I don’t know too much about music and ABRSM other than a google search. I think when considering whether or not to be certified, you should talk to your music teacher. Ask him what he thinks and make a decision from there. If you really enjoy music and you are successful, this will help AO see how important music is to you and your success in it. Again, I don’t know much about this certification, but it might not be a “hook.” It will definitely show aptitude and success, but you might not be the only student applying to the college (if you are considering to schools) with it.
Don’t base your entire high school career off getting into college. Do what you love and are passionate about, and if you are passionate enough about something and can convey it well, the AOs will see it. If you love music and probably want to continue it in college, then by all means, get certified.
Dual Enrollment classes can be helpful, especially if your school does not offer something. However, it is less likely that a college will accept their credit. The nice thing about AP is that it’s standardized. Students across the country will be taking the same test, and therefore, the colleges know what to expect of students that take and pass the exam. Dual Enrollment classes usually are not based on some standardized curriculum and the content is at the discretion of the professor. The classes can be great to show your pursuing an interest or challening yourself, but for the sake of credit, I would not take one over its AP equivalent. I think Dual Enrollment classes are a great opportunity and should be taken advantage of. Being around actual college students and a professor allow you to test out the college environment. It might be a little difficult being a freshman in HS in a DE class, but I do not know how common it is at your school.
Lastly, is there a Spanish 4 option? Top schools would like to see 4 years of mastery (up to level 4). Spanish 3 might be sufficient, but you are going to be compared in the admissions process against students that decided to continue the langauge. Remember that you have 4 years of high school ahead of you, and your interests might change. Mine did; I oscillated between a variety of different majors and career paths. Don’t base your entire schedule off the fact that you’re not majoring in Arts and use high school to explore different things. It’s definitely okay to find a spike or something you’re interested in and to explore it, however, do not do it at the expense of core classes and admissions requirements.