<p>I've a question regarding school grades.
Would having B's hurt my chances of getting into Harvard, considering that I had to take 21 courses per semester and our school courses were very demanding? </p>
<p>I also had skip classes to look after my brother sometimes, should I mention that on the common app? Or would that sound like an excuse?</p>
<p>I realize that my chances are extremely low anyway, but I've heard that people usually don't get into H. with B's at all.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what you mean by “21 courses per semester.” In my sons’ high school (and in most high schools in the US, I think), a normal academic load is six, seven, maybe eight courses per semester. These courses generally meet five days per week for 45 or so minutes per day.</p>
<p>If my sons had 21 courses per semester, at 45 minutes per day, they’d be in school for over 15 hours per day.</p>
<p>Anyway, do Bs hurt in applying to Harvard? I doubt they help. but my older son was admitted to Harvard in spite of having several year-end grades of A- and two Bs over four years and a total of 30 year-long courses or the equivalent.</p>
<p>Part of the answer to your question lies in the answer to this question: How many Bs are you talking about? A B here or there, especially in an advanced subject, will likely not keep you out of any school, at least not by itself. But receiving more than a small number, or in courses that were not particularly challenging, will probably be a negative.</p>
<p>@notjoe, well we’ve had 8 classes every day, 45 minutes each.
Some classes meet 4 times per week, others 2-3, some only 1. I have B’s in natural sciences (physics, chemistry, astronomy) and in algebra.
I’m not sure what to consider a challenging course, though.
But thanks for your reply!</p>