I’m curious about how academic honors (Magna and Phi Beta Kappa) are determined at Brown since so many take classes pass fail. Is it just the number of As you have or something more? How bad is the grade inflation at Brown? Do a significant number of people end up with essentially 4.0 averages. If so, does this present an issue for graduate school.
Brown shares information about immediate post-graduate plans of individual concentrators from the Classes of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 here: https://www.brown.edu/campus-life/support/careerlab/index.php?q=post_grad_data/list
If you explore the link, I think you’ll find there are no issues or problems with Brown undergrads being. admitted to top tier graduate programs.
http://www.browndailyherald.com/2018/02/14/phi-beta-kappa-elects-34-new-members/
This BDH article describes how PBK elects students.
My understanding is that, for a course taken Satisfactory / No Credit, if the actual earned percentage course grade is high enough (maybe 90% and higher?) then the student’s record will be designed with Satisfactory with Distinction. This is treated like an A for the purposes of determining honors.
However that information is not on the transcript and will not be produced in writing. Students may go to the registrar with student ID to ask about those grades!
PBK has a bunch of requirements on top of the number of As component so unlike schools with distribution requirements, there are kids every year with the As to get in but don’t qualify.
Magna is also based on number of As: https://www.brown.edu/academics/college/degree/commencement/honors
So basically PBK looks to the students to take a diverse selection of courses where the college itself does not impose distribution requirements?
^Correct, and Magna Cum Laude does not have any requirements other than be in the top 20% for number of As