Marching band and academic conflicts

[Anonymous]

Finding it hard to fit in all the classes my child wants/needs to be competitive for college yet still fit in marching band. Has anyone’s child managed to keep up with marching band while still taking 4 yrs of math, science, English, language, and social studies?

[Anonymous]

Oh, yes. Our college freshman did marching band all four years of high school with honors and AP courses all the way through HS. It is a great experience for your student to learn how to budget time and handle a workload. This is what colleges like to see, actually. Can you manage your time well? (College requires it.) Can you work under pressure sometimes? Can you use time management skills?

I would say do not deny your student the opportunity to demonstrate it.

[Anonymous]

Yes - but it's hard to fit in any other elective.

[Anonymous]

^^ PS: Our student is now in the college marching band at a competitive, D1 university. You don't have to stop at senior year of high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, yes. Our college freshman did marching band all four years of high school with honors and AP courses all the way through HS. It is a great experience for your student to learn how to budget time and handle a workload. This is what colleges like to see, actually. Can you manage your time well? (College requires it.) Can you work under pressure sometimes? Can you use time management skills?

I would say do not deny your student the opportunity to demonstrate it.

But the thing is, my child wouldn’t be able to fit in 4 yrs of the most important core classes in addition to required electives (gym, etc) with band. They likely would have to cut social studies and not do 4 yrs if it or maybe not 4 yrs if a foreign language. They only have 5 periods at their school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, yes. Our college freshman did marching band all four years of high school with honors and AP courses all the way through HS. It is a great experience for your student to learn how to budget time and handle a workload. This is what colleges like to see, actually. Can you manage your time well? (College requires it.) Can you work under pressure sometimes? Can you use time management skills?

I would say do not deny your student the opportunity to demonstrate it.

But the thing is, my child wouldn’t be able to fit in 4 yrs of the most important core classes in addition to required electives (gym, etc) with band. They likely would have to cut social studies and not do 4 yrs if it or maybe not 4 yrs if a foreign language. They only have 5 periods at their school.

This seems like a failure on the school's part, to make taking band not compatible with a full academic schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, yes. Our college freshman did marching band all four years of high school with honors and AP courses all the way through HS. It is a great experience for your student to learn how to budget time and handle a workload. This is what colleges like to see, actually. Can you manage your time well? (College requires it.) Can you work under pressure sometimes? Can you use time management skills?

I would say do not deny your student the opportunity to demonstrate it.

But the thing is, my child wouldn’t be able to fit in 4 yrs of the most important core classes in addition to required electives (gym, etc) with band. They likely would have to cut social studies and not do 4 yrs if it or maybe not 4 yrs if a foreign language. They only have 5 periods at their school.

Can they take gym or other electives during the summer to make room? Will the band director let them stay in marching band as an after school activity, particularly as an experienced upperclassman, without taking it as a class?

Mine did four years of band, plus orchestra, plus two languages, double sciences and extra social studies classes, but they had 8 periods and opted not to take lunch in exchange for an extra course.

[Anonymous]

I know kids in McLean that take summer PE to free up that period during the school year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know kids in McLean that take summer PE to free up that period during the school year.

Great support for a great marching band

[Anonymous]

DC was faced with similar dilemma with marching band and IB/AP course load and, on top of that, HS/travel sports. Sadly, DC had to make a decision and decided to drop marching band.

[Anonymous]

Another idea to add to taking PE in summer - maybe language could be taken at community college?

[Anonymous]

In VA students in band often take summer PE. That opens things up.

[Anonymous]

I told my kids that there may come a time in 11th or 12 when they have to drop Band to be able to take an AP that is only offered one class period. They go to a smaller school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, yes. Our college freshman did marching band all four years of high school with honors and AP courses all the way through HS. It is a great experience for your student to learn how to budget time and handle a workload. This is what colleges like to see, actually. Can you manage your time well? (College requires it.) Can you work under pressure sometimes? Can you use time management skills?

I would say do not deny your student the opportunity to demonstrate it.

But the thing is, my child wouldn’t be able to fit in 4 yrs of the most important core classes in addition to required electives (gym, etc) with band. They likely would have to cut social studies and not do 4 yrs if it or maybe not 4 yrs if a foreign language. They only have 5 periods at their school.

This seems like a failure on the school's part, to make taking band not compatible with a full academic schedule.

+1 That's a school issue. Band all 4 years isn't a problem in FCPS. As others have said, maybe look into summer PE.

[Anonymous]

In MCPS, many kids take health and/or the technology credit in the summers.