Ok, so I am planning on going into junior year with the following schedule.
Ap Lang
Precalculus
AP US History
AP Physics
French 3
Band
Study Hall
This, however, is not my ideal schedule. I would like to still take AP Computer Science A. I either have a choice of dropping band or my study hall. Which on should I drop to take computer science? I was thinking the band might be a good extracurricular activity for colleges, but I am not sure. In addition, I haven’t found a study hall very useful besides making up the occasional quiz, considering that I miss school considerably often.
P.S. I miss school once a week to attend class at a local college as well
Get rid of study hall, most students don’t even take it around the country. Keep band. Do your absences count as excused? Because if not then why are you taking that class? Why are you skipping school to take another class? Bc unless you’re allowed through your school it doesn’t seem worth it.
it is a highschool program through a local college. I am allowed to skip school and absences don’t count against me.
and sometimes miss tests on the days i am out of school, which is why i might need a study hall, to make up missing work. However, not really sure if a need it, as in the two years i have been in this college program i haven’t used my study hall. My only consideration is that junior year will have harder classes plus ACT and such
Also are there any specific reasons for keeping band?
If you enjoy band, I’d encourage you to keep it. Participation in the arts is a positive and, more importantly, is something you can keep with you your entire life. My kids both found it a good outlet - at least one period per day where they could relax and have fun.
Neither of my kids ever had a study hall other than 1 day per week for half a year (gym was 3 days half year and 2 days the other half, interleaved with a 2 day science lab) and never missed it. They have plenty of pull-outs for our gifted program, competitions, etc., and always arranged to make up what they missed with teachers.
DD finds AP CSA easy, but she took AP CSP last year. Some kids who did not take AP CSP are struggling in the class. Of course this can vary among schools and teachers. I suggest you talk to the AP CSA teacher and ask what the homework load is, if missing class once a week would be problematic, whether AP CSP is the best choice if this is your first CS class, etc. Also talk to kids who have taken the class.
I would also encourage you to keep band, if you enjoy it. Giving up a study hall is usually not a problem for high-performing students.