Hi, I’m a junior and I’m currently taking honors physics but my grade is looking pretty bad so I’m thinking of getting a pass/fail. At my high school you can take a pass/fail and get the credit for the course as long as you pass it and it will have no effect on your gpa. So it doesn’t help, and it doesn’t hurt. I want to get into a decent college but I don’t know if a pass/ fail is frowned upon by colleges especially cause I would be taking one in a core class. Shoud I take the pass/fail? Or the bad grade?
My son’s counselor told, me that pass fail is usually only taken by students who are learning disabled or have other issues. Its a means for them to pass a class that might otherwise be too difficult. He said that colleges don’t like to see classes taken pass fail from regular students. You might ask your school counselor if he/she agrees with that.
I would not go that far, at least that was not my experience in HS.
That said, P/F was generally only suggested for an extra class or for a non-core elective. P/F for a basic physics class will do you no favors in the admissions process, IMO.
At our student’s prep school, we were told any grade taken as “P” when you can obtain a grade alternatively, is taken as a “C” by elite colleges. So it’s always better to take the grade if you can. And hopefully student ekes out a B.
Agree it is probably viewed as a C. Needless to say if you were getting an A or B you wouldn’t be electing for P/F. I think the answer as to how much they will look at is a negative depends on the school and what you are looking to go into. If you are looking at STEM, a P/F in physics might hurt. They want to see your grade in that class. If you are a great writer and artistic and can turn the P/F into how you pushed yourself in a class that wasn’t in your comfort zone because you wanted the challenge, maybe it won’t hurt you as much.
I would talk to your HS guidance counselor to see how he/she believes a P at your HS will be perceived from colleges and then compare it to the grade you expect to get . My gut feeling is if you will get a B or above I’d take the grade, otherwise take the P.