<p>So let's say, for example, I want to be a physics major. I would assume that getting a B in calculus would affect my admissions more than a B in Lit would. But by how much would it make a difference? Do colleges primarily look at your overall GPA, or more specifically which classes gave which grades?</p>
<p>It varies by school and how they admit. At a school that asks you to declare a major or apply to a certain school within the school, it could make a huge difference, at a LAC, where you generally always go in undeclared, classes tied to a certain major would make no difference. Since students change majors so often, tying a student to a certain major and prior results doesn’t make sense except for things like engineering where it’s obvious you better be able to have strong math skills. but even there, a B in calc wouldn’t doom you except at places like CalTech or Harvey Mudd, and maybe not even then, but you’d certainly be at a disadvantage.</p>
<p>The question you should be asking is, if I’m starting to struggle in math, and we all hit the math wall eventually, do I really want to go down this road? If your goal is to be the next Brian Greene or Steven Weinberg, it may be a sign that the high end of physics is not for you. If your goals are lower, say teaching physics in HS, you might still be okay. Something in between will be a judgment call and maybe you just were overloaded why you took calc or got off to a bad start.</p>