Senior year at Brophy has long been known to feel very different from junior year, especially when it comes to academics.

Many seniors agree that senior year has a smaller workload than junior year. A Major reason for this is how many seniors usually have a flex or “free period” class, giving them more time to complete assignments or manage other responsibilities.

Greg Zabor ’26 says, “Senior year is pretty widely agreed to be easier than junior year, and I’d have to agree. Almost everyone either has a flex or one class that’s a flex with attendance. Homework is not nearly as much, and quizzes/tests are probably about the same.”

However, Zabor argues that the real challenge lies not in the academic difficulty but in balancing extracurricular activities, jobs, and college applications.

Zabor says, “The school itself is easier than expected, probably, but between extracurriculars, working 15 hours a week, the SAT, and college applications, it’s probably harder.”

Another large factor in this jump is how seniors are able to manage their time between things like academics, college applications, extracurriculars, etc. Some seniors describe having to make tradeoffs throughout their year. And sometimes, that tradeoff is time studying for a quiz, test, or even sleep, to use it for more important things at the moment, such as studying for the SAT or college applications. 

Leo Zonn ’26 describes having to trade off sleep to spend more time working on college applications.

Zonn also acknowledges a difference in the workload in senior year. He describes, “The most surprising thing about my workload this year was probably the fact that a lot more of my teachers are giving me time to do homework in class this year.”

Overall, while Brophy seniors may find the academic side of senior year less intense than junior year, they face a new kind of challenge in their ability to balance freedom, responsibility, and preparation for life beyond high school.