How Does Music Compare to AP Classes?

Question: When considering a student's transcript for admission, how does participating in music compare to AP courses? Most students who participate in high school music ensembles have done so since 5/6th grade - a sure sign of commitment. There have been many studies showing the value and benefits of studying music. So my question is, should a student take more AP courses in high school instead of music or is music an equal when being considered for admission?

You don't have to sell me on the benefits of music ... and of the arts in general. But, although most college admission officials won't refute these benefits either, when it comes to making tough admission decisions they tend to speak with forked tongues. That is, music definitely takes a back seat to the tougher “academic” classes. This is especially true at the hyper-competitive colleges and less so as one travels down the selectivity food chain.