Is it better to take a lighter course load with higher grades or a more challenging one with lower grades?

Hi everyone, I'm a junior trying to plan my senior year schedule. I'm wondering whether I should take a lighter course load and aim for higher grades, or challenge myself with more difficult classes but potentially get lower grades. What looks better to colleges? Thanks for your input!

Hi there! It's great that you're thinking about your senior year schedule in advance. When it comes to college admissions, there's no one-size-fits-all answer to your question. Ideally, colleges like to see both challenging coursework and good grades. They want to see that you can both push yourself and thrive while doing so, as that shows you're prepared for the rigor of a college education.

That being said, you also need to be realistic about your time management skills, and overall strengths and weaknesses as a student. Taking all honors or AP classes and not doing well in most of them won't help your case with admissions officers. So, take as many challenging classes as you feel you can reasonably do well in. For example, if you're strong in certain subjects, those can be good areas to challenge yourself in, as the extra work likely won't be as much of a burden. If you're unsure whether taking a higher level class in a particular subject would be a good idea, talk to your teacher about whether or not they think you're prepared to succeed at that level.

Ultimately, you know yourself best, and it's crucial to be honest with yourself about what you can handle. Good luck with finalizing your senior year schedule!