<p>Hi!</p>
<p>I'm not sure whether this is a unique problem, but I was hoping that someone could give me some input on the situation.</p>
<p>I attend a large, academically unremarkable, public high school in a metropolis. I've always had trouble getting the classes I'd like because I'm in the school band and the seminar program, an advanced program for "gifted" students who test in on the basis of a somewhat controversial intelligence test. Anyway, both of these courses are only offered during one period, which makes fitting AP classes into my schedule difficult. However, thanks to some talented school counselors and a little creativity, we've made things work in the past.</p>
<p>Skip to August 2006. When I arrived at band camp, I learned that our field show is centered around me (around 2/3 of it involves me soloing with minimal band accompaniment). It's not too surprising, because my director did the same thing to a lesser extent last year. I only mention this situation to illustrate that it would really be impossible for me to quit band, because: 1) I'd lose all of my friends 2) I'd feel incredibly guilty for wrecking the field show (I don't mean to seem conceited, but they WON'T win unless I'm doing those solos...there is no one else in the band who would be able to 3) I'm the Band President.</p>
<p>So, when I went in to deal with my annual class schedule problems, unsurprisingly, band was the thing blocking my AP science class. The only other way I could get a science was to drop AP French and take AP Physics. The problem with that is that I had to drop my French class last year to get band back (after only two years of study, with A's in both). I then took a French class at a junior college and earned a 'C' (I might add that the teacher only passed 5 out of 20 students). So, at best, I only had 2 1/2 years of French, with a C in the one semester. </p>
<p>I thought that I needed French more than science (I've had three years of science: Honors Physics, AP Biology, and AP Chemistry, with A's in all of them), so I opted for AP Psychology instead of the science (I know, Psych's an elective, not a science, but it's closer to one than AP art history). I figured that I could take a science class at the junior college to show colleges that I am trying to get my science in. Unfortunately, I did not find out about my schedule issues until after the semster had started. I tried unsuccessfully to crash three quasi-science classes (all of the hard science classes were full). I can take junior college science classes during winter intersession and spring semester.</p>
<p>My question is this: how is my lack of a science class during my senior year going to affect my college application? I can't get an unbiased answer at school because I'm fairly confident that my band director and counselor are conspiring to keep me in band (I could be wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised). My counselor swears that not having a science class won't hurt my chances for admission at the several Ivies, US Coast Guard Academy, and UC schools that I will be applying for this fall. I'm applying to Harvard EA.</p>
<p>To provide context, my senior courseload is: Band, AP Calculus, AP English Literature, AP Psychology, AP French, and AP US Government. In the past two years, my AP level coursework was: Honors Pre-Calculus (weighted by UC as an AP), AP World History, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Statistics, AP US History, and AP English Language (I recieve A's in all). My cumulative GPA is either a 4.6 or a 4.7.</p>
<p>My EC's are many and meaningful (I quit all the ones that I didn't like), and I have leadership positions in all. Music is a biggie -- I've been in All-City honor groups and have been in principal and soloist capacities in very well-known extracurricular wind ensembles and orchestras. I'm currently in two professional level, internationally-renowned (we've been critiqued in European newspapers) symphony orchestras.</p>
<p>My SAT's are good enough for Berkeley right now, but not for the Ivies. I plan to retake them this fall.</p>
<p>I'll restate my question now that I've sufficiently obscured it with my "context" section. :) My question is this: how is my lack of a science class during my senior year going to affect my college application? Please don't be afraid of offending me if you think that I'm just overreacting. I fully recognize that as a possibility. I'm sorry this was such a long post; I thought that the background info was important. Thank you SO much to anyone who reads it, and I really would appreciate your input, as I'm clueless and paranoid at this point. Thanks!</p>
<p>Rectronic</p>