So I’m a 10th grader taking Honors AFT, (Advanced Functions and Trig). I got a 89% on the first test, and a 55% on the second test. So I know that I’m probably not going to get A’s in this class, maybe B+ or B . So right now my grade is lingering precariously at 77%.
Now I have the option of dropping the class and switching to the normal version, where I am 100% sure that I can get an A in. Or test my luck and hopefully even out my grade this quarter to an B, and do a lot better now future tests and quizzes.
Which one would be better for colleges, as I’m hoping for NWU.
Colleges look at difficulty as much as the grade you get. Otherwise, students who take remedial everything and get straight As in the classes would have the same shot at a particular university as a student taking all honors but no APs (OK fine, its an arbitrary example) and getting the same grades.
If you think you can get your grade up in the class to at least a B, than there should be no reason to bump yourself down a level. Remember, your grades in the begining are volatle; one good test score can bump your grade up and one bad score can lower it. Study hard for your next tests so that you can ace them; you can then easily get your test score section up to a B- assuming each test is weighted equally. Don’t be afraid if you have to ask for help if you are struggling, too.
One consideration to add to the good advice from Aman13 is that you need to keep track of your rank, if your school calculates it. Some schools weight unfairly and low grades in tough courses could end up giving you a lower rank than a high grade in an easy course. You don’t want to drop out of the top 10% at your school, if your school assigns rank.