Ok so I’m going to be applying to Ivy League schools and my top school is Stanford. I’m trying to decide right now whether I should take AP Phusics C or Jazz Band as an extra band class for my senior year this year. I’ve been in marching band and wind ensemble all four years. My major will be computer science so physics c is just for fun because I like physics. But I could learn that stuff anytime and this is the last year I could take jazz band. In middle school I took jazz band and I loved it and the high school only added the jazz band last year and I took AP Computer Science instead. I kind of want to take jazz band but would taking physics c instead of jazz band really help me on my college application?
I think it depends on what other classes you are taking. As long as you are still taking a full and challenging schedule without AP Physics C I say go for Jazz band. I don’t see anything wrong with showing colleges that you have other interests as well!
If Ivy Leagues and Stanford are the goal and you don’t plan on doing band in college I would highly suggest taking AP Physics C. Even if you were to pursue band in college I would still say AP Physics. I also did marching band in highschool, so I get why you would want another band class, but since you want to apply to super selective schools you need to show as much rigor in your course load as possible.
If you want to do jazz band, do jazz band. You only have one chance to be in your high school jazz band, but you can take physics in college. I disagree with the above post. Colleges will see it as dedication and depth in music, which is a solid EC for applying to college.
I’m a college senior now, but my senior year of high school, I was in the curricular jazz band, wind ensemble, and AP music theory (along with after school ensembles in the community and at school). The interviewers/professors I talked to at the schools I applied to had nothing but good things to say about it.
You will not be accepted or rejected at any school based on one HS course decision. Take the course that interests you the most. And do more research about target colleges besides the ones that ended at the top of someone else’s list. Best wishes to you.
Sounds like you want to do Jazz band but you feel like you should should take physics C. Take Jazz band. This won’t make or break you application.
What’s the rest of your schedule like?
If you have 4 AP’s and have a totall of five other classes, take jazz band and relax. Since you have a deep commitment to music, it will help show that, and showing commitment will help more than taking physics C “just cause” like hundreds of students. In the end, your admissions wont hinge on one class senior year so take what you like.