<p>At my school many of the seniors take all aps their senior year, but drop their language. This is because the AP language classes at my school are very rigorous and interfere with extracirriculars and such, and they don't want to take a fourth year class since it will bring their GPA down from a 5.0. So instead they take six APs and two study hall since we have eight periods and a mandatory study hall. this seems like a waste of time to me. Many of my classmates are planning to do the same. I think it would be better to take the regular Spanish and have a lower GPA than to drop it all together. Maybe I'm overthinking this since I am a sophomore and have a year to think about this. So my question is, would it be better to take all AP classes senior year and drop a language or to take a language and get a slightly lower GPA? Specifically for elite schools such as Stanford and Princeton. Ideally I would like to take AP spanish but I'll have to decide on that later. Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance.</p>
<p>I guess I should be asking “which would colleges prefer; higher GPA or four years of a language and a slightly lower GPA?”</p>
<p>This is worth talking to your guidance counselor about. You could have them note to colleges that you are taking on an extra AP that most of your peers aren’t, which does look good.</p>
<p>The elegant solution, of course, is to take on the extra class, making sure that schools know your schedule is unusually strong AND maintain straight As, and it’s that kind of extra push that Stanford/Princeton and their ilk are interested in.</p>
<p>Thank you for the advice!</p>
<p>Most highly selective colleges expect 4 years of a language and zero “free period” or zero “study hall” unless one is mandated, but certainly not two. Two study halls senior year is seen as “slacking off” and is a red flag for top colleges (who don’t care about minute differences in GPA the way high school valedictorians/salutatorians might). However the 4th byear doesn’t need to be AP if your HS offers Honors Spanish. Course rigor comes first so if you took on more than your classmates you should include it on your GC’s bullet point list so that it’s mentioned.</p>
<p>Thank you MYOS for the advice. That is what I was thinking. My school requires one study hall period, but we have the option to intern in certain offices or to become student assistants during that period junior and senior years. I am planning on doing that next year, and the year after. Would this be a better option? And once again, thank you.</p>
<p>Interning or volunteering is almost objectively better than study hall, which in my experience is essentially a babysat free period for seniors. If the program lasts for two years, and you work hard, you could even earn some strong recommendations out of the experience.</p>
<p>Thank you. This is what I am leaning towards. </p>