Taking an extracirricular class vs taking an academic class?

<p>Next year I'm going into junior year and I will be taking the following courses: AP US, Precal Hon, AP Bio, AP Lang, AP Spanish, Advanced Music Honors, and Chorus.</p>

<p>Advanced Music Honors and Chorus is the chamber choir at my school and requires you to take two periods, and I was wondering if this looks unfavorable and if it would be better for me to take two additional academic classes (AP Comp Sci and AP Psych) instead? I really enjoy choir, it's a great stress reliever and I have been in the program for six years (starting in middle school), however I don't have a particular passion for it and I'm not going to pursue music in college (Except possibly as an extracurricular). Would (top) colleges favor taking the two academic classes, or taking two periods of chorus?</p>

<p>Take something that inspires you that you really want to do. Top schools don’t want student automatons who do nothing but academic classes. </p>

<p>I don’t really want to pursue choir, but I really enjoy it and would like having it in my schedule, but it’s nothing amazing. Oh also, I can take another math course in AP Stats as my 6th period along with my other APs, or just stay 0-5, which is better?</p>

<p>What year are you going to be in next year? Colleges like to see consistency and understand that certain electives take up more space in your schedule. At my school, we have a great marching band, but it requires a heavy out of school commitment as well as a period in school. The people who have taken it haven’t been negatively affected and have gotten into great schools. Colleges want to see a rigorous courseload, but also what you consider something a part of you. Is music one of your top ECs? If so, I’d keep it.</p>

<p>I was the kid who did the opposite, who took very challenging courses at the expense of not having a “stress relieving” elective during the day. Although the GC was able to check “most challenging schedule” I often wondered what would have happened if I stuck with my elective choice. It certainly would have relieved some of those stressful nights and given me something to look forward to during the day. </p>

<p>I’ve always been a kid who liked school (shocking I know), but that year I stared taking 4+ AP courses, my liking for school started to decrease. If you like Comp Sci and Psych (which is rather interesting) then by all means go for it. But do what seems right to you.</p>

<p>FWIW: When evaluating high school transcript’s most colleges recalculate your GPA using the core courses: Math, English, Social Studies, Science and Foreign Language. Classes in music, chorus, gym, drafting, shop and health are ignored. That said – with 4 AP classes and 2 honors classes, your junior year class schedule looks fine!</p>

<p>As long as you have the required cores and showed rigor in your schedule, it is fine to have any electives you want. You have all 5 cores and 4 are AP. I don’t see any problem.</p>