Pass/Fail Classes on Transfer Applications

Transfer Students
1

I’m currently a freshman and I am considering applying as a transfer student and entering as a sophomore. I am coming from a fairly rigorous and prestigious school, and I would be hoping to transfer to a school of a similar academic caliber. Currently, I have 2 As, 2 B+s, and a C. I still have time to either drop the C course or take it pass/fail, and I was wondering what people thought would be the best course of action.

I am taking 5 classes currently, and most other freshmen at my school take 4, so I am already challenging myself in that regard. I still have time to elect to take the course pass/fail or drop it without a record of enrollment. If I work really hard, I could maybe bring that C up to a B-, but that would be very difficult. The course I have the C in isn’t really relevant to my major or what i want to study (I was initially considering studying this subject, but I no longer am.)

I’ve heard that colleges value GPA strongly when evaluating transfer applicants. Without this extra course, my GPA is a 3.665, and I could probably get at least one of the B+s up to an A-, and I would come in at a 3.75.

I’m just concerned that, if I choose to take it pass/fail, colleges will assume I wasn’t doing well and will interpret the pass/fail grade accordingly. If I took it for a grade, even if I didn’t do well, I would at least be more transparent.

What are people’s thoughts on the matter? Any advice would be appreciated, even if it’s just advice on the transfer application process in general

2

The issue with Pass/Fail classes isn’t how admissions officers “feel” about them; it’s whether they are valid for credit transfer.

Some schools do not consider pass/fail classes for credit transfer. This means that if this course is an essential prerequisite, you’ll have to take it again at your new institution. However, since the course is irrelevant to your major, you wouldn’t have to worry about that/

Taking it pass/fail will not negatively impact your application in any way. In fact, you may want to think about withdrawing from the course if it takes up too much of your time. That way, you can dedicate much more focus towards your relevant major courses.