<p>I’m probably going to get a C in Honors Algebra 2/Trig, the consensus hardest math class at my school. What do I do now? Retake it? Or am I screwed?</p>
<p>I’m a Sophomore. </p>
<p>Also, I’ll have a B in AP Chemistry. So my transcript looks like this:</p>
<p>Academic Decathlon- A
AP European History- A
AP Human Geography- A
Honors English 10- A
AP Chemistry- B
Honors Algebra 2/Trig- C</p>
<p>A C is like a failing grade…</p>
<p>A C won’t kill your chances, but it definately hurts them quite a bit.</p>
<p>As the semester is not over, I would find a peer tutor to help you with math.</p>
<p>Wait, Algebra 2 Honors, at your school, is harder than, say, AP Calculus BC?</p>
<p>I would actually be surprised if Alg2 is the hardest math class your school offers…</p>
<p>Calculus BC is the highest level math class, but it isn’t the hardest. Our Algebra2/Trig class is notoriously difficult. The teacher doesn’t teach and jacks up the difficulty on his tests. Less than 5% of the Honors students get As… So it’s like 5% of the A students.</p>
<p>Saugus- Hate to be a jerk, but…. If you do the math (pun intended) Harvard only takes the top 5% of students in the country. If you can’t hang with the top 5% of your own Honors class, I’m sorry to inform you that you probably can’t get in. Saying that you cannot excel because a class is difficult for others is a rather sad attempt at an excuse. Instead of complaining, you could be pushing yourself further, because you should want to succeed where others continuously fail. Regarding your chances: A C isn’t going to help your chances, but it is only one class in one year. So although it will bring down your GPA, it will not singlehandedly destroy your chances of acceptance.</p>
<p>Speaking as a Harvard freshman:
In my freshman year, I got a C+ in my Algebra 2 Honors class. I am naturally bad at math and have to work much harder at that than I do in any other courses. However, there were a few mitigating circumstances (rough family patch at the time) which I explained to my interviewer. Further, it was an isolated incident in my freshman fall; every year after that I took honors math and got all A-'s - I just had to study harder. My math SAT score was a little below average: 670
However, I worried about that damn C for four years, and it was a weakness. I would suggest doing what you can now since the semester isn’t over.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I’m in the same boat with you 
Honors geometry is notoriously one of the hardest courses my school offers. I took it last year, got a C, and am now retaking. Apparently I didn’t learn either, because I decided to double up in math- and only in first semester. I have honors algebra A block, and then honors geometry b block. I’ve focused so much on geometry that I am not suffering in algebra. At best, I will barely scrape by with an A. I advise that you double up next year, but make sure to manage your time effectively (double up with pre-calc and retake alg). From personal experience, it sucks having two math classes in one semester :(</p>
<p>As far as your chances at Yale are concerned… if you’re a math/science major, then yes, this will hurt. But if you’re not, then I really don’t think it is that big of a problem. One C in high school, especially in a math course, is not a problem. I highly doubt it will hurt your chances exponentially, or even a little.</p>
<p>I’m re-taking it over the summer, so it won’t hurt my GPA.</p>
<p>The way it works with our district is that we can re-take the course and have only the higher grade factored in. I’ll take it at an easy place over the summer and get an A.</p>
<p>So the C will still show up, but it will be a 5 point C. :)</p>
<p>Colleges like to see passion. There are many ways to show that passion, from grades to standardized test scores to extracurricular activities to volunteering to inventing something to doing research at a local university to writing a book. As you can see, grades are only a part of your application; if you’re amazing otherwise and you stand out, I’m sure you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>^ Colleges do not like to see passionate standardized testing.</p>
<p>ACC Trig is the hardest math class at my school. I barley eked out an A every quarter with a 92.6% I got on my teacher’s good side when he asked me to take the AB Calculus test. I studied really hard and he saw how hard I worked. So, fourth quarter I had a 91% but he rounded it to an A. I’m not saying to suck up but just try to be genuinely polite and respectful and show the teacher you are working your hardest. Ask to come in for help, do every extra credit opportunity, and do all of your homework. If the teacher sees this they may be more willing to negotiate your grade.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>What if I’m the valedictorian out of 628 people? Do my grades really matter so much then?</p>
<p>I’ll have like a 3.83 unweighted and a 4.65 weighted when I apply. (Cumulative)</p>
<p>Yeah, because not all valedictorian’s are equal. My school’s val last year had straight A’s in all his math classes but got a 1 on Calc AB. Rank is great, but if you’re #1 because of a lack of competition, then it’s going to hurt. It’ll be reflected on your grades/transcript, so valedictorians with A’s in easy classes or multiple B’s/C’s in hard classes will be hurt compared to the 4.0 valedictorian with a rigorous schedule.</p>
<p>Well, being valedictorian with a 3.83 UW GPA doesn’t really mean as much. It just means you got to the top by taking most/all of the weighted classes. You’re actually very similar to the valedictorian in my school. He has about a 3.8 UW GPA, but a massively inflated W GPA due to band counting as weighted in my school.</p>
<p>My school’s GPA system is super deflated. After 9th grade the district stopped giving out A+. They then finally weighted AP classes but only .5 and did not weight honors classes. So if you took all AP classes all 4 years you would have a 4.5. This is impossible at my school because no AP’s are offered 9th grade (we have the junior high system so we are not in the high school building in 9th grade.) Only 1 AP is offered 10th grade. 5 are offered 11th grade but is impossible to take more than 4 (and that would mean not taking any science classes.) And then it is possible to take 6 AP’s your senior year. Anyways to make a long story short I am valedictorian and my weighted GPA is only 4.079 but my unweighted is 4.0. I took pretty all the AP’s I could while still taking Science because I want to major in science.</p>
<p>I got a C in my first Algebra 2 trig Honors class Freshman year, and a B every following year in one class each year (Sophomore year was pre calc, Junior year was US History, Senior year was Spanish and Chemistry). My school grades incredibly harsh. Despite the B’s and C’s in these, I got a 5 on the calc BC AP test, 5 on the Spanish AP test, 5 on the US history test, and 5 on the Chemistry test. I was salutatorian (my twin was valedictorian), and we both got into Harvard.</p>
<p>Both white middle class males 1st generation no hooks if you’re interestd in that too.</p>
<p>I’m Asian. ):</p>
<p>Lol.</p>
<p>how could u get a C? i took that course in 8th grade and passed w/ flying colors? forget this forum… ur never gonna get into a ivy or a good college!</p>