User MJ wrote: “I am an incredibly strong student in English classes and even stronger in Social Studies…However, when it comes down to Math, I am relatively weak. I constantly struggle despite good efforts…I understand that it is better to take Honors Courses and get a B (or less) than a regular and get an A (or higher)…Please give some recommendations as to course enrollment, I am perplexed and nervous.”

The first step is to minimize any recognized weaknesses, in this case Math. Your self-awareness here is very beneficial. You may want to look at tutoring, either with a peer or a professional. Also, you may want to get early practice with the SAT I Math section, both so that you know where your scores are and how much practice you may need invest in to reach a desired score.

I would also suggest that it is not always better to get a bad grade in a tough course than to get a good grade in an easy course. This is partly a matter of degree; are you looking at a C in an AP course versus an A in a non-leveled course? Or is the difference not so sharp? Also, remember, colleges care most about your rank (here’s why). Does your school rank based on course difficulty? If so, how heavily? Getting a bad grade in a difficult course may actually lower your rank much more than earning a good grade in an easy course.

Generally speaking, across the board, it is better to see you pushing yourself, but you do not need to take the hardest available class in every subject. If you excel in other subjects, it is okay to take non-leveled courses in a single subject (yes, even for the Ivy League). I suggest reading my post on well-rounded students. Also, you should consider the impact of spending a large sum of time compensating for a weakness in Math, for it may hold you back from excelling elsewhere.

Overall, consider how sharply taking a more difficult course-load in Math will affect your grade, consider how this weakness will be reflected in test scores, compensate with all available means, consider how this choice affects your rank, consider how this choice affects your other subjects and extracurriculars, and try to sell yourself on your strengths. You don’t need to excel in every subject to get into the Ivy League, and you should not attempt to at the detriment of the rest of your profile.