Anonymous wrote:Either an interesting elective (photography? weight training? sign language?), an asynchronous community college class, or an internship.

Once again, for the people in the back: AOs want to see what your kid does to fill their free time. It doesn't have to be earth-shattering, but they need to be doing something.

for the rest of the world: several pps here have first hand experience of kids landing at top colleges without filling every minute of their day. 2 free periods is fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way.....1 free period is fine, not 2.

+1. Top schools are looking to see if your kid can handle the rigor of college -two free periods says no

said nobody ever

There is advice against free periods from college counselors and admissions officers. Take an elective.

My child's school requires a free period, for everyone. I don't believe that anyone has given this blanket advice.

Then your school would have that in their profile that they send. That's irrelevant here. If your school DOESN'T require a free period, having 2 will impact rigor.

stop saying this. it's not universally true.

At DC's public high school, the free period is not mentioned. Only classes in which the child is enrolled. I would still recommend some other electives just to round out the education - art, psych, econ, environmental science, stats, etc.

Psych not allowed since he will be taking Euro History. Apparently 2 AP SS/History classes not allowed at this school. Counselor said something about lack of teachers, which sounds sketchy to me.

He's taking Stats this year (along with Calc BC). Will essentially be taking 2 science class next year (Physics and Chem alternating in 1 block period). Has already taken Econ.

I guess the answer here is ap Environmental Science (not really interested), or a non-AP fun elective, which will not be fun for him. He will see it as a waste of time.

Thanks everyone for your input -

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Remember also the perverse situation that any nonAP will lower their GPA. DS had 2 free period but got all As in 5 AP courses - which apparently impressed the admissions committee at his top 40 first choice college.

This is exactly what DS told me. Non-AP will affect weighted GPA more so than a free period.

No DE offerings at his high school are at the appropriate level or in an area of interest. They are Intro to Life Sciences, Nurse Assistant Training etc. There's also MV Calc/Linear Algebra but that is the 1 math AP he's guaranteed to get next year.

As for transcript, the name of the class is "Early Bird PE" so I guess it will be listed as such? Maybe AOs have no time to look at granular detail though.

no one cares about your kid's PE class, early bird or otherwise. For non core classes, colleges just want to see that your kid fulfilled requirements to get a diploma.

mine had two. now at yale.

how would a college even know you had a free period. your transcript just list classes

Either an interesting elective (photography? weight training? sign language?), an asynchronous community college class, or an internship.

Once again, for the people in the back: AOs want to see what your kid does to fill their free time. It doesn't have to be earth-shattering, but they need to be doing something.

Colleges just see the courses you take, not your daily schedule. Our competitive private school advises kids to take 5 core academic classes each year: english, math, history, science, foreign language. Having free periods first semester senior year is good if doesnt interfere with the core academic classes. Applications and essay writing and pressure on senior q1 grades is intense! (My kid did extra electives in 9th/10th but dropped after to keep up grades in core subjects). Kid got ed1 acceptance so pressure is now off. Don't underestimate the amount of time and work required to submit strong application essays...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way.....1 free period is fine, not 2.

+1. Top schools are looking to see if your kid can handle the rigor of college -two free periods says no

said nobody ever

There is advice against free periods from college counselors and admissions officers. Take an elective.

My child's school requires a free period, for everyone. I don't believe that anyone has given this blanket advice.

Then your school would have that in their profile that they send. That's irrelevant here. If your school DOESN'T require a free period, having 2 will impact rigor.

This. Our school requires a free as well (in 9th, it’s a mandatory study hall). The school profile explains that there are 8 class periods and students can take a maximum of 7 courses and a minimum of 6. My kid had two free periods for first semester 10th grade, for example, but will only have one free for the rest of 10th, 11th, and 12th.

Anonymous wrote:Remember also the perverse situation that any nonAP will lower their GPA. DS had 2 free period but got all As in 5 AP courses - which apparently impressed the admissions committee at his top 40 first choice college.

This is exactly what DS told me. Non-AP will affect weighted GPA more so than a free period.

No DE offerings at his high school are at the appropriate level or in an area of interest. They are Intro to Life Sciences, Nurse Assistant Training etc. There's also MV Calc/Linear Algebra but that is the 1 math AP he's guaranteed to get next year.

As for transcript, the name of the class is "Early Bird PE" so I guess it will be listed as such? Maybe AOs have no time to look at granular detail though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way.....1 free period is fine, not 2.

+1. Top schools are looking to see if your kid can handle the rigor of college -two free periods says no

said nobody ever

There is advice against free periods from college counselors and admissions officers. Take an elective.

My child's school requires a free period, for everyone. I don't believe that anyone has given this blanket advice.

Then your school would have that in their profile that they send. That's irrelevant here. If your school DOESN'T require a free period, having 2 will impact rigor.

stop saying this. it's not universally true.

At DC's public high school, the free period is not mentioned. Only classes in which the child is enrolled. I would still recommend some other electives just to round out the education - art, psych, econ, environmental science, stats, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way.....1 free period is fine, not 2.

+1. Top schools are looking to see if your kid can handle the rigor of college -two free periods says no

said nobody ever

There is advice against free periods from college counselors and admissions officers. Take an elective.

My child's school requires a free period, for everyone. I don't believe that anyone has given this blanket advice.

Then your school would have that in their profile that they send. That's irrelevant here. If your school DOESN'T require a free period, having 2 will impact rigor.

stop saying this. it's not universally true.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way.....1 free period is fine, not 2.

+1. Top schools are looking to see if your kid can handle the rigor of college -two free periods says no

said nobody ever

There is advice against free periods from college counselors and admissions officers. Take an elective.

GPA wreckers

Once the gpa is over 4.0 it’s splitting hairs.

not when UVA has a 4.4 floor

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way.....1 free period is fine, not 2.

+1. Top schools are looking to see if your kid can handle the rigor of college -two free periods says no

said nobody ever

There is advice against free periods from college counselors and admissions officers. Take an elective.

My child's school requires a free period, for everyone. I don't believe that anyone has given this blanket advice.

Then your school would have that in their profile that they send. That's irrelevant here. If your school DOESN'T require a free period, having 2 will impact rigor.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way.....1 free period is fine, not 2.

+1. Top schools are looking to see if your kid can handle the rigor of college -two free periods says no

said nobody ever

There is advice against free periods from college counselors and admissions officers. Take an elective.

My child's school requires a free period, for everyone. I don't believe that anyone has given this blanket advice.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way.....1 free period is fine, not 2.

+1. Top schools are looking to see if your kid can handle the rigor of college -two free periods says no

said nobody ever

There is advice against free periods from college counselors and admissions officers. Take an elective.

GPA wreckers

Once the gpa is over 4.0 it’s splitting hairs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way.....1 free period is fine, not 2.

+1. Top schools are looking to see if your kid can handle the rigor of college -two free periods says no

said nobody ever

There is advice against free periods from college counselors and admissions officers. Take an elective.

GPA wreckers