2 free periods are common senior year at our school. They have 8 periods so that still leaves 6 classes, and by senior year most have fulfilled most requirements. DD will take 5 AP’s (one per subject including foreign language) and honors choir. It’s common and doesn’t concern me.

I'd be fine with it. My kid will only need english and math and will have had all the other requirements in. Let them have a break.

Sign him up for an online college course

5 classes and into a top 5. Nobody cares how many periods are in the high school schedule.

my senior was in class 8:30-1:10 (only) everyday (2 free periods) and didn't play a sport his senior year (he plays a spring sport). He did get great grades and was accepted to his top choice top 40 college.

My kid had free periods every year in HS. I thought everyone did.

As with everything else, this comes down to school context.

What do most seniors’ schedules look like at his school? Are free periods common? If yes, it’s fine. If he’s the only kid who will have two free periods, he should consider taking another class.

At our kids’ HS, multiple free periods senior year is the default, including among the kids who go on to top-ranked schools. Two or three free periods senior year is the norm.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:mine had two. now at yale.

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

Even a Yale AO can count to 7.

I'm the poster here. What does 7 have to do with anything?

Most kids aren't on a 5 day schedule. Most kids have classes like PE and in some high schools that's maybe once every 10 day cycle. Or art. Or drivers ed. Or college seminar. You could have 8 classes on a transcript and still have frees.

Honestly, you think they saw 5 courses and said, "that's not 7 and 7 is what's normal at my kids high school". Get real

Huh? Our schools have PE only in 9th and 10th grade. They are on a two day cycle with four periods every day, but that is seven classes because one meets daily. I’m not the seven poster that you are responding to but it certainly applies to my school. I would never assume that I know what most schools do, especially since most schools I know about don’t match the schedule you are describing. I have never heard of a class that only needs once every 10 days!

Do not be fooled by the DCUM group-think that this is a race to the most APs. It isn't. Your kid is smart for trying to find balance.

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.

GPA wreckers

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

not when UVA has a 4.4 floor

Naviance data doesn’t show this for our public school. Definitely acceptances below 4.4 — I just double checked.

OP, think not about what he isn't taking. Think about what he is taking.

He has 5 APs this year. He is fine. No AO is thinking, "gee this kid only has 5 senior year APs, not enough rigor." No admissions officer at any college in the US.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: Yes, he will be trying for a few top colleges.

What he will do with 2 free periods:
Semster 1: 1) college apps 2)volunteer math tutor in school's academic center so he won't be doing it as much during lunch and after school like he does this year.

Semester 2: 1) continue tutoring 2) more college apps if EA/ED doesn't work out 3) go out for lunch with friends which he has no time for this year

Sounds like a good use of time to me but I'm no AO.

Everyone else is doing that plus 7 classes.

But I'm sure going out to restaurants for lunch will put him over the top, assuming he has 3 martinis.

The kids getting into top 10 colleges are not doing the 7 classes your kid is doing. We are in agreement on that

Anonymous wrote:At the very least he should self-study for an AP and/or do an online self-paced AP class or college-level class.

Good idea, but he's already doing that this year. Econ at his school is non-AP and a 1 credit/1 semester class that is basic and fulfills a state personal finance requirement. He will self-study and take both Macro and Micro econ exams this year. Wanted to have it on jr. year record since it is relevant to his intended major and is hoping for an early acceptance next year. And these won't count towared his weighted gpa but is doing it because he wants to. Unfortunately, he's just not interested in other APs that are left for him to take.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:mine had two. now at yale.

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

Even a Yale AO can count to 7.

I'm the poster here. What does 7 have to do with anything?

Most kids aren't on a 5 day schedule. Most kids have classes like PE and in some high schools that's maybe once every 10 day cycle. Or art. Or drivers ed. Or college seminar. You could have 8 classes on a transcript and still have frees.

Honestly, you think they saw 5 courses and said, "that's not 7 and 7 is what's normal at my kids high school". Get real

My DS who is a senior and has been accepted to his #1 choice of college already, had a semester of PE at the start of this year. It was at 7.30 in the morning and he now goes in for 8.30 in the morning.

It is totally fine, literally no one cares.

I think if you've got 2 free periods you're starting to look remedial.