I’m a sophomore taking the maximum possible course load for a sophomore. I have straight A’s except for one class, precalculus honors. I’m anticipating a B or B- semester grade and a final grade of probably a B, which is absolutely terrible for the colleges I’m aiming for (highly highly selective). Is it better for me to drop down and take the regular math in order to preserve my GPA, and not “challenge myself”? Or should I push through, take the more rigorous course, and take the GPA hit (note that last year I got a horrible GPA, so I can’t screw up any more).
What would be better from a college admissions perspective?
It’s only October…how are you estimating a final class score of a B? Based on this one factor, these schools will wonder why you’re not taking the hardest math courses that your school offers. Will a B kill your app? Maybe. It definitely won’t help, and neither will dropping down to regular math.
This is a variant of the common frequently asked question:
Q: Do the most selective colleges prefer to see a B in the harder course or an A in the easier course?
A: They prefer to see an A in the harder course.
You are two grade levels ahead in math, so it should not be unreasonably difficult for you to earn an A in the harder math course.
@ucbalumnus the problem is that it seems like no matter how much I study, I can’t seem to do well on the tests, all the problems have little twists on them… I don’t know what I’m doing wrong: I do each practice problem the teacher gives us 3x over before the test, have written step by step guides for each type of problem, and I just don’t know how to raise my grade
Advanced math shouldn’t be following procedures step by step. It’s more like trying to solve puzzles. You may be trying to replace problem solving and reasoning with memorization.
It’s really hard to fix, but focus on the why behind each step so you aren’t just blindly memorizing. Work with a study partner and explain to each other how to solve problems and why the answer works. If you can’t explain it, you don’t understand it yet.
If you get a B in this class, and an A Junior year, the admissions officer will assume it was a bad teacher, rather the the student. It’s the pattern that matters, not the individual grade.
I was actually in the exact same situation sophomore year. In my opinion, you should stick with the class. Dropping down to regular won’t look that great. However, you might want to look into the retake policy for your school if you do end up getting a B and it bothers you that much (also look into online courses so that you can retake it over the summer).
I’d also recommend reading lessons before class and maybe reviewing them using Khan Academy or something. Treat class like a supplement.
Most importantly, PLEASE don’t lose hope! Don’t beat yourself up because other people are getting higher grades than you, just keep studying and you will improve your grade although it might take a while. I ended up retaking precalc honors junior year because I stopped studying (sophomore year) and starting skipping the class like two weeks into it because my grade wasn’t improving and I didn’t know what to do. The second time I took it, I aced it. The moral of the story is that stressing out over grades never leads to anything good. Keep your chin up
Thanks everyone for replies. Anyone else? Really stressing because I think Ivy’s are out of the question for me now…
One B is NOT gonna kill your application. Chill.
@snowfairy137 I know…but I had a B- last year (freshman year) and some A-'s.
@ConcernedRabbit “the admissions officer will assume it was a bad teacher, rather the the student.”
Not.
And OP wants a “highly, highly selective.” Their adcoms don’t assume.
OP, thinking of a stem major or?
@lookingforward No, not a stem major. Thinking polsci or something in that realm
Don’t drop down a level. That would be a huge mistake, unless you really cannot master the material and are in danger of getting a C or below. But that is clearly not the case. All elite schools want to see that you’ve challenged yourself. (Sure, they love straight As, but the Ivies are full of people who did not get straight As, and there are plenty of rejected kids who did get straight As.) GPA protection is a huge red flag! Don’t do it.
If not stem, a math B is less threatening. But if the 9th grades weren’t good, you know that can be an issue. For poli sci, you really should have related ECs in your community- govt, advocacy or something. Local or state.
Keep pushing with precalc, take AroundHere’s advice. Learn what college targets want (from their sites,) maybe find other colleges you love -and match- that aren’t super reaches.
Agree with sticking with honors course and meet with teacher to see how you can get your grade up. You still have time.