<p>I have been in band since fourth grade, and used to be very interested in it. Since then, my interest has declined; I no longer enjoy the activity. I am second chair with little chance at first (politics) and likely won't make it to any notable competitions or awards. If I continue, I have a good shot at being the President of the Band Council (a mostly moot position but a leadership position nonetheless). However, there is a scheduling conflict; I can either take an AP class (my sixteenth) that I am quite interested in, or I can continue with band. My other extra-curriculars include being an Eagle Scout, President of the FIRST Robotics Team, Captain of my Varsity Swimming Team, NHS President, and an attendee at a rigorous and competitive mathematics summer camp, among other (less significant) things. Is quitting band something that will have any negative effect on my chances at getting into top colleges? Is it a valid decision? Thank you in advance for any advice you can give.</p>
<p>If you don’t enjoy it, don’t do it. Your other ECs look fine.</p>
<p>However, I think it might look bad if you appear to drop it in favour of picking up an extra AP class. It might come across as being too focused on academics and colleges want to see your interests outside of school.</p>
<p>@fournotetune:
Will the concern about being too focused on academics make more of a negative difference than an additional AP course makes a positive one? If adding another AP would actually decrease my application’s quality, then I want to make sure I avoid it, but, otherwise, I want to make sure I am able to learn more. The course that specifically conflicts with band is one that correlates rather closely to my intended major, if that matters.</p>
<p>In my opinion, band should be dropped after about 7th grade, when it starts to crowd out other, more interesting classes, but that’s me. (Although I’m all in favor of music classes taken outside of school, if you can afford it.) And congrats on getting that many APs in, even with band in your schedule, that’s not easy.</p>
<p>But to your question, no it’s a wash either way and is really personal preference. Everyone except professional musicians quits band eventually, you’ll just be doing it one year earlier for something you’d rather do, and at the cost of something you no longer enjoy. Colleges won’t look at this for even two seconds, scheduling conflicts and interests change all the time. Your happiness does count for something - my daughter quit varsity soccer for theater after sophomore year and never looked back. (And no, she wasn’t nearly good enough to play at the college level, so nothing was lost there.) She really hated soccer and the coaches, but has found something she really likes and will do in college as an EC.</p>
<p>Sometimes quitting a long-term activity is harder than just continuing. (How many jobs and marriages have gone way beyond the sell-by date just through sheer momentum?) It sounds like it’s time to make that decision, so good luck and go for it, if it’s what you want to do.</p>
<p>@MrMom62:
Thank you for the very thoughtful post. If I was to go through school again, I would do what you suggested and quit after 7th, but it is definitely too late for that now. I think I’ll end up quitting and going for the additional AP; I’m glad to here that my application won’t be weakened by this decision.</p>