Can you take 4 free periods senior year and still get into college? I’m a Sophomore and my friend and I were taking about our schedules for the next two years, we had to decide just recently. Apparently she is planning on taking 3 or 4 free periods her senior year and still going to a fairly good college. She seamed very chill about it which I thought was strange. I was wondering, what schools you can get into if you take that few classes your senior year? I think she plans to go to BYU and says she will probably become an interior designer when she is older, so I don’t know. Apparently her counselor was on board with this senior year schedule though, so I guess it’ll be fine…?
You can probably get into a college, depending on your GPA, test scores, activities, etc., etc. A “fairly good college” is quite subjective. BYU sounds like a stretch, though I admit a complete blind spot around LDS (Mormon) student admission policies, if she is.
You certainly don’t think you would get into as selective a school as you would with a rigorous Senior schedule. You’re basically writing a note to the admissions officer saying “hi, I’m lazy, can I go to your college?”
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Yes she is Mormon. Most of her family has also gone there, so I guess she probably knows more than I do when it comes to the admissions process.
Don’t plan your schedule, or lack thereof, based on what a friend is doing. Sounds like she’s a legacy at BYU and intending to study a non competitive major.
You want to take 4 years of all the core courses - math, science, history, english, and foreign language. Take electives that match your interests if you have space after that.
I agree with RichinPitt that taking 4 free periods as a senior is not a good look to colleges.
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I definitely don’t plan on doing what she is, but would it be okay to take 1 free period my junior and/or senior year if I have a rigorous course schedule otherwise?
My kids each had one study hall per day their senior year. They both got accepted to the colleges of their choice.
Yes. That should be fine!
Okay good to know, thank you!
The frosh applicant academic expectations at BYU (at least the flagship campus in Provo, UT) may be higher than what your friend thinks:
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Yes, one is quite different than four, in a typical eight period school day.
You need one each of English, Math, Social science, science, and Foreign language, every year + one elective of your choice or a graduation requirement like Health and PE.
Over 4 years, you need to have bio, chem, physics, and one more science (preferably AP if you’re aiming for a STEM major), Math through precalculus or calculus (precalc+AP stats is fine if you’re not aiming for STEM), foreign language through level 4, plus English and History or social science all 4 years (typically including US history, European or World history, literature and composition, and for competitive colleges honors or AP, especially if aiming for economics, humanities, social science…)
Yikes. I completely agree with @RichInPitt 's comment, having such a weak course load senior year is practically announcing to all the colleges that you have less drive than their other applicants who continued with rigorous coursework. Unfortunately high school counselors have a large variety in both training and skill, it’s always a good idea to double check even what the counselor says, as it is not uncommon for them to be mistaken especially for these more specific and nuanced topics.
She may get an ugly surprise. BYU has gotten fairly selective. If her family plans to insist that she go to an LDS church school, she’d better take a close look at BYU Idaho, the school of last resort for LDS who don’t get into Provo or Hawaii. BYU Idaho has a 99% admit rate, I believe.
My daughter is taking 4 AP classes plus 3 other academic classes this year as a senior. With test optional, she wanted to show a good effort. My kids’ guidance counselor advised them not to slack senior year.
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Okay good to know. Yes I’ve seen that for myself, my counselor is new at the school and he seems not to really know much and most of the time is just going through the motions.