Extracurriculars for a 16 year old

[nikixx]

Hi all trying to get some advice here.

I am a parent based in Melbourne Australia and heres my 16 year old boy's schedule:

Monday: Band 7am -8:20am, School 8:30am -3:30pm, Cadet Corps 3:30am - 5pm

Tuesday: School 8:30am -3:30pm, Football Training 3:30 - 5pm, Theatre 5:30am -8pm

Wednesday: School 8:30 am - 3:30pm, Medical science company internship 3:30pm - 6pm

Thursday: Band 7am-8:20am, School 8:30am-3:30pm, Football Training 3:30pm - 5pm

Friday: School 8:30am-3:30pm, Debating 3:30pm - 6pm, Theatre 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Saturday: Football game (changes each week) + Football referee casual job

Sunday: sometimes theatre practice (around 2 times a month for 4-6 hours each time)

Currently he is getting grades around a B+ or A (around a 7.5-8 GPA on a 10 point scale).

However, he has aspirations for admission to a medical school when he graduates, and as he is moving into year 11 and 12 (seniors years), he is going to need a lot of time for studying, therefore he is thinking about dropping an extracurricular. I am wondering if dropping theatre is the best choice for him at the moment since it takes up quite a bit of time (the show production has just started)? Or should he consider dropping other extra-curriculars? Or just not drop any at all?

PS: I am not putting any pressure on him whatsoever though, final decision is still his but I'm instead trying to give him some suggestions.

Thank you for all the advice coming through.

 

[sdahasaqueation]

@nikixx Assuming if he wants to stay in Melbourne he’ll be looking at going to Monash as they are the only Victorian University which offers direct entry to medicine from year 12..
Also the lowest ATAR they considered for admission in 2024 was 96.35

I’m a GP in Queensland, my comment is, I think extra curricular are important and I firmly believe it’s healthy to have some type of outlet and something more than study, but as to if it’s too much only he can know how much time and study he need to achieve the ATAR he needs.. if he’s not fussed about how long it takes him to get into medicine he could look at entry to something like enrolling into biomedical sciences or Health Sciences which have much lowerATAR, and either transfer to medicine or complete his bachelors degree and then do post graduate medicine..

There are less ams less universities offering medicine for undergraduate and more and more units are making it a post graduate course

 

[nikkie]

@nikixx With that level of variety in extra-curricular and academics he can probably make an Ivy League university. My recommendation is to drop theatre as it’s taking quite a block of time and spend that time for study, sports and music is enough alongside some other clubs and activities.