Did Einstein Fail Math?
The myth that Albert Einstein was poor at or failed mathematics in school does not match the records. In 1895, at age 16 and younger than the usual entrance age, he did not pass the overall entrance examination for the Polytechnic in Zurich, but performed strongly in mathematics and physics. ETH Zurich notes that he was not admitted after that attempt; he completed secondary school at the cantonal school in Aarau and passed the entrance route in 1896.
It is more precise not to attribute the initial rejection to one subject alone: the historical record points to gaps in general subjects, including French, rather than a failure in mathematics. His preserved school marks show strong results in mathematics and the sciences.