<p>Ok so I know every college always preaches how they want students to be enrolled in core classes every year, but the way my high school is set up (the 4X4 block system), and because of the classes I want to take, it doesn't look like I can take a science next year. I've already taken 4 science classes, including physics, but a college admissions counselor told me that taking sciences all four years is important. Next year my schedule is AP English Literature and Compostition, Spanish 5, AP Spanish, Calculus, AP Human Geography, and Orchestra alternating with AP Government. So basically my question is should I drop orchestra and AP human Geography so I can take an AP science such as AP bio or even AP physics (I'm not a big fan of physics). Or do colleges really like seeing four years of orchestra?</p>
<p>What is your intended major?</p>
<p>If you’ve been in orchestra for three years, stay in. Not just for the EC, but because orchestra is a wonderful thing and you won’t regret the decision. </p>
<p>A bit of an opinionated answer, but that’s what I’ve got.</p>
<p>No, take orchestra.</p>
<p>Depends on what you really want to take. So you’re taking both Spanish 5 and AP Spanish? What’s the difference? And you couldn’t replace only AP hum geo with an AP science? Honestly hum geo is not very relevant for most people and wouldn’t be as highly regarded or considered as rigorous as an AP science (excluding env sci), particularly if you’re taking it as a senior - a lot of people take it as freshman. Are you taking AP Gov because you’re interested in the class or is it required for graduation? </p>
<p>It really just boils down to what you personally want to take and find both challenging and interesting. Do you enjoy orchestra? It would be beneficial to have the full 4 years, but it is by no means a deal breaker. I was in orchestra for three years as well (10th and 11th as first chair), but decided that I’d rather take an extra AP science class senior year since it interested me more than orch. I actually had 3 AP sciences - AP Chem, AP Phys B, AP Bio - senior year which were 5 of my 7 periods (Chem and Bio were 2 periods each), so naturally I made some cuts to other classes. Take what you enjoy most and you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>My intended major is probably international relations maybe neuroscience. I enjoy playing outside of orchestra but my director is very pretentious so the class isn’t a lot of fun. I’m first chair and we’ve done things like play in Atlanta and at Carnegie Hall but the class just isn’t enjoyable for me anymore. There really isn’t a whole lot of difference between Spanish 5 and AP Spanish, Spanish 5 is first semester and then AP is second semester. They’re generally viewed as one class but count as two separate credits. Human geo is only available at my high school as a junior or senior and the teacher convinced my to take it because it sounds really interesting. But if I only drop human geo than I still wouldn’t be able to take an AP science because my school doesn’t offer any 1 semester AP sciences (AP environmental is a satellite class); I could take anatomy or something like that. And I’m taking AP Govt because it’s required for graduation.</p>
<p>If you’re worried about making room for an AP science class only because a college admissions rep said it might ‘look better’, then I wouldn’t make a big deal out of it. The impact it might make on your app would be negligible. There really is no reason to try and get rid of other classes, especially ones that might interest you. I would usually say to listen to college reps and adcoms, but in this case you may be taking his advice too seriously, and it was probably meant as more of a guideline. </p>
<p>If you’ve already taken your 4 full science classes, then you’re set. I myself had taken 4 history classes and 5 math classes, so I opted not to take any history or math classes my senior year. Sure it may not have been the ‘ideal’ schedule for college scrutiny in certain respects, especially the lack of math considering I was one of probably only a few people in my school not in a math class. However, it wasn’t by any means detrimental for me or my chances at colleges. </p>
<p>Unless you really want to take an AP science because you think you would enjoy it, then I wouldn’t sacrifice any of your classes. If you’re going the route that you think would look best to adcoms, then it would look better to have the full 4 years of orchestra instead. Based on what you explained, it really seems that you don’t have that many classes considering several of those are only 1 semester long. But if your schedule is completely filled you should just keep your classes as they are unless taking a science class genuinely interests you.</p>
<p>thanks sat128!</p>