I am currently taking honors algebra 2, but I have been receiving not the best grades. My average will probably be a mid to low B. Idk what to do. Should I schedule honors to show colleges that I am trying my best (it has a reputation of being a very difficult class and a lot of people receive B’s and C’s) in a honors class, or should I pick the regular class where I would take it to feel more prepared for AP Calculus junior year. Essentially, this is what I mean:
9th grade: Honors Algebra 2
10th grade: Honors Pre-Calc/Trig
11th grade: AP Calculus AB
Or should I go with this route
9th grade: Honors Algebra 2
10th grade: Pre-Calc and Trig (regular)
11th grade: AP Calculus AB
So basically, should I choose the regular level class to get more prepared and to get a better grade in preparation for AP Calc, or would that be bad for colleges to see that I went from an Honors class (Honors Algebra 2) to a regular level class (precalc/trig)
Colleges will tell you that they want to see a higher grade in the harder (honors) course.
The honors course will also be better preparation for calculus, whether you take calculus in high school or college. But if it is too hard for you, it could consume time that may impact your other courses.
However, it looks like you may have been pushed too far ahead in math in middle school, since you are two years ahead of the normal schedule, normally suitable for the top students in math who typically find that hardest high school math courses to be easy A grades.
Precalculus regular doesn’t prepare for Calculus well. It’s often taken as a final class for students who won’t go on with math or who’ll take statistics. It’s a basic overview.
So, if you think you can take Precalculus Honors and get a B without skimping on sleep or other classes’ homework, take precalculus honors.
If you think your odds of getting a C in precalculus honors are high (and don’t guesstimate: talk with your current math teacher) take precalculus regular but understand you may not be able to take Calculus from that class.
Does your school offer calc honors rather than AP class?
What kind of college are you thinking of?
What major (social science/business? Stem? Communication or liberal arts?)
What is the point of calling the course “precalculus” if it does not prepare the student for calculus?
Normalizing titles among tracks.
Typically precalculus regular students need to achieve a specific grade/% in order to be allowed in calculus.