By: Luke Ren
To Senior Open, or to not Senior Open, that is the question. Balancing whether or not colleges would approve of one taking a slot out of their academic schedule and getting extra sleep is a difficult task for many seniors that have already completed the majority of their credits. Although I am biased in saying this (I am currently taking a Senior Open), I say they are completely fine and dandy.
Before I jump straight into the benefits, let me go over why you might veer away from taking a Senior Open. Do colleges see you denying to take an extra academic course to sleep in as a bad thing? Yes, of course.
Colleges want to see rigor, perseverance, and curiosity in their students. Some students would rather scroll through Buzzfeed articles and watch Fortnite streamers than do academic work, and colleges will note that during their selection process.
Many students pick a Senior Open because they do not want to be overwhelmed by school work senior year, and colleges note that too. What some may consider “taking a break” could come off as “I’m not prepared for my freshman year of college.”
Skipping a period of class also shows that students are not curious. Not taking the extra class means that they don’t want to learn an extra subject. Without curiosity, why are you even learning in the first place?
I’m not advocating that Senior Opens are what is at fault. The mistake is not in taking the Senior Open itself; it is in not using the extra time properly. If that time is spent wisely, it may even be beneficial to one’s college application.
Why are Senior Opens good for students? The extra time given to students enables them to pursue community college courses in subjects not offered at school, apply for a job to help their family financially, spend extra time on extracurricular activities, and much more.
These are all valid activities that I believe justify taking a Senior Open. Using myself as an example, I am able to utilize my Senior Open to spend extra time focusing on the higher level mathematics course that I am taking outside of high school. This cannot be considered a “break” because I am still putting myself through the same academic grind, if not more, as having a regular six periods schedule.
The more important thing to note is that in taking a Senior Open, I may focus and further my knowledge on a personal passion. I made the decision that pursuing this field of interest was more important than taking an extraneous course in another subject. In doing so, I build a stronger portfolio by emphasizing strength and curiosity in the field that I am applying for.
Senior Opens do not necessarily have to be for this purpose. Taking on a part time job and spending more time in the workforce shows commitment to supporting family and readiness for real-world situations. Spending extra time on specific or multiple extracurriculars exemplifies dedication towards one’s community and personal goals.
Senior Opens are only bad if you use them to slack off. If used correctly, they can expand and substantiate one’s portfolio. The most important lesson is that you use your four measly years wisely.
