<p>I’m a junior in high school and I’m trying to decide what classes would be best to take next year. I’ve taken drama for all of high school and been very involved, but this year, I got pretty sick of it and would rather take Ancient Greek. My other classes will be Euro History AP, Calc BC AP, English IV AP, Physics II AP, French V AP, and Philosophy. I have a very high GPA and good SAT scores, but I don’t have a lot of other extracurriculars and I’m wondering if it would help my chances to be admitted if I just stayed in drama for one more year. Would it show dedication or would Greek be an interesting enough alternative that it would benefit my chances?</p>
<p>Good question, and not easy to advise. If you finish the series of Drama offerings in your school, it shows a depth to your interest and a commitment to finishing what you started. Doing one year of Ancient Greek (unless that’s all your school offers) looks a bit like dabbling. You have a very good, well-rounded transcript. On the other hand, Brown likes wide interest, so it might be that taking the Greek looks like you are following your curiosity. That is definitely something Brown is also interested in, witness the Open Curriculum. That kind of exploration is encouraged at Brown. So, it’s a tough call. I guess in the final analysis, I would recommend that you do what you want to do. Brown will be impressed with you no matter what! Good luck.</p>
<p>Can you participate in drama productions without taking it as a class? Do you WANT to participate in it at this time? After three years of drama classes, it is perfectly reasonable to want to explore something else. There is a difference between taking a break from theatre and quitting a language or some other academic subject “early.” </p>
<p>I’d say take Greek, but only if it really interests you and you are prepared to put in the work necessary to master it. Ancient Greek is a difficult language, particularly if you haven’t had Latin or another inflected language first. Do you already have to work very hard to maintain good grades in your challenging schedule? If so, and if you are thinking of taking it largely because you think it would look impressive on your transcript, I’d consider something else.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I can see how a long-term interest in Philosophy would meld with the study of Ancient Greek. Follow your true interests, is my advice. And, after all, that is supposedly what Brown wants students to do.</p>