Help Me With Course Decision

Hi everyone,

I want to go to a UC school or an Ivy league, and I have a problem right now. I’m enrolled in pre-calc honors, and I think Im going to get a B. In my school, honors courses are weighed with 1 extra point. If I drop to normal precalcular, it does not affect my transcript, and colleges wont even see it. Would it be better to drop down to normal and get an A? I’m taking 2 other APs and 1 other honor. (CS Major btw).

If it truly doesn’t affect your transcript (my school would notate weighted, non-AP courses, with a “W,”) then IMO drop down to non-honors pre-calc AS LONG AS you’ll still be able to enroll in the same math course next year as you would have in honors pre-calc (not many colleges will care about honors vs. regular pre-calc if you’re taking AP or IB math.) While a B isn’t a bad grade, a B in an AP/IB (honors, at most schools, is not at the same level) class is DEFINITELY viewed differently from a B in a regular class.

If any of what I’ve said above is not the case, then you’ll need to provide that further information as my recommendation would probably change.

Hope that helps! Good luck with admissions!

Not sure how your transcript will not reflect you went from an Honors class (weighted class for the UC GPA calculation) to a non-Honors class with no weighting? Either it is an Honors class or not.
HS course rigor is very important for the UC’s and top Ivy schools so dropping down in course rigor could affect your chances.

So what would be the Math course you will take next year?

The age old question: Get an A in a non-rigorous course or a B in a more rigorous course. Answer: Get an A in the rigorous course.

Of course, you need to do what is best for you but 1 B will not keep you out of these schools.

Are you struggling or learning in the honors class? If it is a rigorous class but you are learning, that’s a good thing. If it is above your head then you should move to a class where you will be more successful in learning.