Q. Which is Better: An Easy "A" or a Hard "B"?

A. This is one of the questions most commonly asked of admissions officers: is it better to get an "A" in an easy course, or a "B" in a difficult one?

The standard response is never satisfying: it's best to get an "A" in a difficult course. Yet the frequency of that response indicates that there's really no easy answer to this question.

All else being equal, good grades are the most important thing. While it's difficult to get into an Ivy League with an easy course schedule, it's even harder to do so with a 3.0. However, students asking this question are often looking for a shortcut or an excuse to avoid work. Usually, it's possible to get a good grade in a tough course, even if it means working extremely hard.

If you do decide to take an easy course because you're certain you won't do well in the harder version, make sure you 1) actually get the good grade and 2) don't let "taking the easy way out" become a habit.
 

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