Band vs. Academic Honors/AP Program

[clarinetlover]

Honors applications for next year are due next week, and I was getting all jazzed for AP Chemistry that I was applying for. And, today, I find out that in order to fit the double block the class takes up... ultimately it comes down to having to drop either Spanish (which would be stupid, as I'm good at it) or band.

There is absolutely no other options with all the commitments and required courses I have to take (spanish and band being the only electives for the first semester at least), and I'm NOT dropping band. I guess one person can't be a band geek AND a science geek.

I could never feel morally right quitting band but... I just wanted to take the class so bad. Oh, what I wouldn't do for these wonderful people in band.

Has anyone else come down to a situation like this or similar?

[feather]

Wow, this is a very sticky situation. There are kids at my school who take courses during the summer for high school and college credit. If there are any colleges nearby your school, maybe you can arrange to take chemestry during the summer and take band!

[stickshifty]

Is the Spanish an AP class? How much do you enjoy band? You can be good at a subject but still loathe it.

If I were in the situation, I would drop the Spanish and take band. Despues durante el descanso del verano, estudiaria espanol como una persona loca. Get a tutor right before you go to college orientation where they have the placement exams. Then you can test out of the foreign language that's required. My sister only took 3 years of Spanish in high school and tested out of 2 hours of Spanish (=2 classes).

[clarinetlover]

Spanish is not an AP class, but rather I'm a grade level ahead. As a sophomore, I'm in a junior level 3 spanish class. And to be honest, I do like Spanish.

But, now that you mention it... that could really work. Technically, the spanish I did back in middle school counts as a year. And, as a senior I'll have so many less required courses and I'll have room to pick up spanish where I left off and take another double block science and not even be behind the rest of my graduating class. I wasn't thinking about dropping spanish as an option until now... thanks so much!

I'm probably going run into guidence during my lunch tomorrow or Thursday and see what my counselor has to say about it.

And how much do I enjoy band? A whole lot. Quitting is not an option for me, and never was.

[stickshifty]

Ok, didn't realize that you were a sophomore. But I really hope that that works out for you! It should be a lot easier if you can get it in your senior year. I'm going to assume that you'll still have plenty of people to converse with en espanol so you aren't completely devoid.

[zirbo]

I'd stay stick with Spanish and band, you enjoy both and don't want to drop any. You still have 2 years of high school ahead of you, so why not take AP Chem one of those years? Oh and a question, have you taken a chem class before? It's really a subject that you either love or hate (i love chem ), but you don't want to be stuck in an AP class for a year that you don't enjoy.

[dumb major]

^Very true. I was one of the people that hated chem.

I found myself in situations like yours pretty much every year of high school--somehow, my schedule worked out junior year, but every other year I had issues. Freshman and sophomore year, I dropped other honors classes in favor of band. It was a hard decision, but it ended up being right for me in those years. Senior year, I dropped band for AP Spanish. This was definitely the right decision for me, as I was still able to do band stuff outside of school and got to take Spanish with our amazing teacher. And seeing as Spanish is my second major, taking the class was pretty important.

stickshifty has a good idea, but you have to be careful about going over Spanish on a somewhat regular basis in the time you wouldn't be taking it in school. I find it very easy to forget basic things of the language even over breaks as short as summer vacation.

[clarinetlover]

Jan 7, 2009 1:29:33 GMT -5 zirbo said:

I'd stay stick with Spanish and band, you enjoy both and don't want to drop any. You still have 2 years of high school ahead of you, so why not take AP Chem one of those years? Oh and a question, have you taken a chem class before? It's really a subject that you either love or hate (i love chem ), but you don't want to be stuck in an AP class for a year that you don't enjoy.

I took chemistry for a semester in grade nine, and I thrived in it and totally loved it. (I believe I had a 97 or so). Either way, I'm going to be taking Chemistry next year - it's a required course at my school. Senior year I'd probably take physics. I doesn't make much sence to take regular chemistry and then AP the next year.

And then theres the awkward option of taking band during my lunch. But I feel like that'd be too crazy.

[Deleted]

^That would be too crazy. Period.

[freshmanflute]

hmmm to me band during lunch isnt a bad idea. Last year I sat in on our AP theory class and my freshman year I sat in on another band during my lunch period and it was fine. I just had to eat really quickly and run to the band room.

It does get a bit crazy sometime but it is very possible

[sakura11irving]

I have two words that is definitely fit this:
International Baccalaureate

This is one of the most hardcore high school programs EVER. Of the 4 kids that were in this program their junior year, all dropped out of IB for band, or band for IB. Only 1 (our tenor drum player) has stayed in both...

...and this is looking very similar to my situation. One clarinet in IB and band is dropping out of IB, our IB band nerd is possibly dropping out of marching band or concert band, and I have no idea about our alto sax player. I fear I'm the only one left to brave both... >.<

But, my freshman year, I made the top band at our school, but I couldn't take it because my foreign language (Spanish) was at the same time...

[Flutist Kes]

Jan 7, 2009 16:46:23 GMT -5 clarinetlover said:

I took chemistry for a semester in grade nine, and I thrived in it and totally loved it. (I believe I had a 97 or so). Either way, I'm going to be taking Chemistry next year - it's a required course at my school. Senior year I'd probably take physics. I doesn't make much sence to take regular chemistry and then AP the next year.

It was a requirement at my school to take a full year of Chemistry before taking AP Chemistry. With a year of practice, it really helps build the foundations that are need for AP Chem. But that's how it was at my school. Your school is probably different.

[brassqueen1988]

I was in a similar situation in high school. My senior year I wanted to take AP English but it was only offered during band time, so I had to choose between that class and band. Ultimately I chose band, which my guidance counselor didn't understand at all, but I loved band, and since I'm not going into music as a career I wanted to have as much musical experience as I could while it was still possible.

I never regretted it either. High school band is a wonderful experience.

[yummiebears]

I am really academic (all honors or AP) and I love band too. I am a junior this year and I had to quit French last year. It made me really sad. Remember that picking up a language after a year off is really hard. But I planned on improving my French by watching movies in French (doesn't have to be a French movie though). I wish you well with your decision!

[dumb major]

Jan 7, 2009 23:19:26 GMT -5 Flutist Kes said:

Jan 7, 2009 16:46:23 GMT -5 clarinetlover said:

I took chemistry for a semester in grade nine, and I thrived in it and totally loved it. (I believe I had a 97 or so). Either way, I'm going to be taking Chemistry next year - it's a required course at my school. Senior year I'd probably take physics. I doesn't make much sence to take regular chemistry and then AP the next year.

It was a requirement at my school to take a full year of Chemistry before taking AP Chemistry. With a year of practice, it really helps build the foundations that are need for AP Chem. But that's how it was at my school. Your school is probably different.

For us, it wasn't required but it was strongly recommended. People who took AP Chem without a full year of honors beforehand really struggled.