In my school, if you are in marching band, you have to take the marching band class elective.
I did marching band in freshman year and took the class elective.
In sophomore year, I did not want to do marching band anymore. Instead, I wanted to do the sit-down concert band. However, due to scheduling conflicts, I was forced to take the marching band class in order to stay involved in band, and my band teacher and counselor made the exception that I did not have to march.
For junior year, I want to take the concert band class. Will this make my course selection on my transcript seem inconsistent…two years of marching band class and then a drop down to concert band class in junior year?
In addition, does marching band count as a course, or does it count as an extra curricular?
But to answer your questions, I doubt most any college will care if your transcript says “Marching Band” vs. “Concert Band”, unless you’re going into music. For the most part, those courses aren’t even considered in an application evaluation (unless, again, you’re going into music).
Both marching and concert band definitely qualify as ECs. Performances, rehearsals, and leadership roles are all very important, and beyond curricular, hence extracurricular. If your school gives you credit for it, then it can be a course too, but still included in ECs.
Some colleges may care about the marching band drop to concert band EC wise, if a lack of any commitment were to become a theme on your application. But by itself, not a big deal.
@mjr2013 Thank you for your helpful insight.
I am also considering the option of dropping my music altogether to take a honors level class in order to raise my GPA. How would the AO view this cut-off from music?
If you dropped music in school, you could continue to show involvement with music through some sort of volunteer activity, like organizing a small group from your band class to introduce musical instruments to children, for example at a summer camp or Boys & Girls Club.
I would continue concert band as a class if you can fit it into your schedule and enjoy it. It can be a good change of pace from academic classes. Taking an Honors class will not raise your gpa- an A is an A. Colleges often recalculate your gpa- using unweighted grades. I assume you will not have a study hall (if so, take music instead!). There is much more to life than just going for the almighty gpa and trying to look good on applications. Enrich your life now and do not merely plan for the future.
btw- summer activities are not the same as extracurriculars done during the school year. Being able to carry a full load of classes, do well in them plus have time for other activities means the student has the capacity to do more than just schoolwork. There is time during the summer to do a lot.
Choice is good. If i were the OPs mom, I’d tell him do one or the other or both…it won’t make any difference in college applications. At my kids’ school they had no choice about marching band as it was required and counted as a course if you wanted to continue with your instrument. All three dropped band entirely in 9th grade because it consumed an academic time slot and they had other things they preferred studying rather than marching which made me sad they had to make that decision. I don’t think someone should be forced to march if they don’t want to (*preferring concert band if there are two options) and I absolutely don’t think high schools should count concert band and marching band as two separately classes.
I would be fine to switch to concert band and it would also be fine to take no music course and add something else. You could continue with music as an EC somewhere else as noted above, or fill in with other activities.
Please stop making decisions based on college admissions. If you love music and want to take concert band, do it. If you want to try other things, do that. High school is a time to explore your interests, and later in high school often kids start to deepen one, or a few, naturally. It isn’t inconsistent to switch activities, it is healthy. I’ll PM you.
If you don’t want to continue with music…then don’t.
But think about it…you have done this for how many years? What other activity can you pick up now…and get to,the same level as your music?
Is it the marching that you hate? Or do,you want to top music altogether?
My kids were both accomplished HS musicians…who HATED to march. Period. Luckily, their school had concert band ensembles that just marched in the Memorial,Day Parade, and maybe one other. No weekly football games or the like.
If my kids had needed to make a choice between marching band, and nothing, they would,have chosen NOTHING at school. Both were in precollege orchestras outside of school.
You are lucky your school has the option of being in a concert band…NO marching required!
It’s OK to drop this if you really want to do,so. But do think about it…first.
I agree with others…if you love band, continue with band. Don’t worry about the course name…colleges know that sometimes the music classes have different names but are all band related. Marching Band, if you have a class, is considered both a class and an Extra curricular.
@bopper I am just concerned with the extra curricular part of marching band… will it seem that I cannot handle my time or schedule well enough to take on marching during the season in junior year if I drop marching band?
Please stop worrying about this. Some kids love to March in marching band. Others prefer to play their instruments in concert ensembles and NEVER march.
If you want to switch to concert band…switch to concert band. It’s really not a big deal…and won’t matter to the adcoms.
I think you might be overthinking of this : ) Not sure admissions will be analyzing your choices that way. Harvard had a great essay on balance on their admissions site, which I think is gone now. Just don’t leave music and then watch tv!
First, I think most colleges will assume you went up to concert band from marching band, not down. Second, if they are classes, it is not a problem if you choose to take different classes. Third, unless you are interested in music as a career, you don’t need to take these particular classes. Fourth, even if you are interested in a music career, you can have musical ECs outside of school that make up for not being in the school band.
Bottom line: if you don’t want to march, don’t march. If you want to play in the concert band, play in the concert band.