Taking a free period senior year …how will colleges view this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Strange! when I posted same question a while back, most responses are negative. For us it is just one free period in one semester due to Health taken in the summer, so DC has not even taken less classes..

Did you post the proposed schedule? This one looked pretty intense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't he already have a free period? TA for Calculus? That just sounds like a freebie office assistant period. I would not take another free period on top of that one. Just recommend an easy elective.

+1
You already have a free period

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Strange! when I posted same question a while back, most responses are negative. For us it is just one free period in one semester due to Health taken in the summer, so DC has not even taken less classes..

Did you post the proposed schedule? This one looked pretty intense.

people on that thread are saying there are tons of high stat kids taking rigorous classes also with NO free period … 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is fairly high stat kid- took two Aps as sophomore(plus 3 honors classes);5 aps as a junior (plus two honor classes); and is now picking schedule for Senior year. Currently is planning to take AP Chem, AP Physics C, AP Gov, DE multi variable calculus and linear algebra, H English, and will be a TA in Calculus. DC would like to take the last class as a free period as there aren’t many other classes that DC is interested in and DC would like a little down time senior year. DC also is involved in a year round sport that takes up 20 hours a week and works a part time job 12-16 hours a week. DC would like to major in engineering and is applying to some top 20 schools, but also top 50 schools.

I am concerned that it will hurt DC to take a free period with college applications. Can anyone tell me their experience with a child taking a free period senior year and if it hurt their acceptances in college. Thank you!

If he doesn’t, reassure him that he’ll have lots of downtime being a TA. That’s almost like a free period itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My senior has a free period and is in ED to a great school. Very high stats kid. They are under so much pressure - I'm a fan of the free period.

This was my DS a few years ago (although not super high stats). I don’t think the free period made a difference, esp if still taking all the hard courses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't he already have a free period? TA for Calculus? That just sounds like a freebie office assistant period. I would not take another free period on top of that one. Just recommend an easy elective.

I agree with this. My son who is aiming for top 20 colleges is a TA one period and we viewed that as his “free period.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Strange! when I posted same question a while back, most responses are negative. For us it is just one free period in one semester due to Health taken in the summer, so DC has not even taken less classes..

Did you post the proposed schedule? This one looked pretty intense.

NP but this schedule is missing world language and doesn’t include AP lit - it is a stem-heavy schedule and yes is rigorous but I’d say most kids at our mcps high school aiming for top colleges eould include ap lit and world language. Plus I agree that the TA period is already the “free period.” So I’d say your kid should include a class there - is there no history class they like? have they completed through ap level of their wirld
language? any interest in ap stat? an engineering elective?

[Anonymous]

My senior is taking a really stupid extra classes because his high school does not allow free periods. I’d rather he have study hall frankly.

I think it’s fine, as long as he has taken a foreign language thrus level four. If he only made it thru level three you might want to think about whether he should take level four.

[Anonymous]

Does the free period even show up on the transcript? At my son's school, it does not. (But it's a small private).

[Anonymous]

I was worried about this too, until I realized that it wouldn't even show on the transcript. So, D who was in a program that already had an extra class period did this senior year. Wise choice. Prevented her from shorting out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the free period even show up on the transcript? At my son's school, it does not. (But it's a small private).

I just mentioned that too. Mine is MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Omg, I'm a couple years out of having a HS kid and for some reason, my immediate reaction to the title was that the kid was considering to go on the pill (which my kid started as a senior). Off topic, but it was a great decision for her! She also had a free class period, which she used to complete homework from multiple AP classes. I think it's fine if you balance it out with more rigorous classes. However, if you can fit something chill like PE or health or shop or something less of a workload than yearbook, go for it. My kid took a very chill creative writing class, which worked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does the free period even show up on the transcript? At my son's school, it does not. (But it's a small private).

I just mentioned that too. Mine is MCPS.

Can’t they count?

[Anonymous]

We are a low income family and if my son takes a free period I will advise him to write it was to pick up a neighbor kid from an elementary school to make some extra cash, or some such. Something to help out the family. At least that’s my plan for now.

[Anonymous]

Look, colleges will be seeing the classes that your son is taking – not his day-to-day schedule. They’re not going to know that, say, from 2 to 3 he’s not doing anything. Geez, relax and cut your kid a break. Stop being a helicopter and college obsessed parent.