I think what load you carry senior year must be evaluated for each individual student. There is no right or wrong answer - just what is best for your student. For some, they can handle the stress and pressure of college applications and auditions on top of a heavy course load at school and shows and other extracurricular activities. For others, it is best to pare back a bit to try to alleviate a little stress. Do what is best for your student. And don’t worry what anyone else is doing.
@vvnstar- I completely agree.
@vvnstar “Do what is best for your student. And don’t worry what anyone else is doing.” Amen. We get so caught up in “my way” is the best/only way or we go way out of our way to wrote apologist-style tomes on why we do what we do (who are we really trying to convince? ), we lose sight of that very simple concept. Do what is best for your student and don’t judge others for doing what is best for theirs.
I can only speak for me, but I don’t see myself as trying to convince anyone of anything. I just think hearing about multiple perspectives about ways of doing things is valuable. So when my perspective is different- I offer it, but nobody else has to like it. The only people who I care about agreeing with are in my family.