pass/fail option for classes?

Graduate School Law School
1

<p>I’m thinking about requesting a pass/fail for a difficult course like calculus so I can concentrate more on my other courses and do well in them. Is this advisable? I’m worried how the adcoms might look at this. I really want to maintain my high gpa, so I’m scared that taking difficult courses may harm it, but I’m also worried how it might look on my transcript to the adcoms. Do LS care if you choose the p/f or do they look at them suspiciously or discourage them? I heard that adcoms look at it the same way as a W on a person's transcript, is this true? Should I choose this option or is it better to try to do well in all of my classes even at the risk of hurting my gpa?</p>

2

<p>Pass/Fail courses DO NOT look good.</p>

3

<p>Will one W matter that much?</p>

4

<p>what about pass/no pass for an academic internship program? ... like UCDC?</p>

5

<p>For some reason I think the professor still turns in a grade for these classes which is accessible for future reference if necessary. The grade, however, is not calculated into the GPA, but instead assigned a P/F, P being a C or better. If a school you are applying to wants the grades, I'm sure it can be arranged. I don't know why it would look all that bad, unless you did it on like 10 classes, however most schools limit it to 1 or 2 I believe.</p>

6

<p>I think that if it's for one or two (or three) courses over four years, it should not be an issue. It's a lot better than having a C on your transcript, with 1) the psychological effect of seeing that grade & 2) the resulting slam to your GPA. </p>

<p>Also just my opinion, but I think that most law-types are such math/science phobes that you could explain that hey, you took calc & physics pass/fail because you know that you aren't good at them. They'll understand. They are looking at over 5,000 applications of people who could not pass organic chemistry because, if they could, they would have gone to med school.</p>

<p>Now, taking an upper-level research/writing course pass/fail is something I would only recommend if your life's ambition is to amass rejection letters.</p>

7

<p>What about PE classes?</p>

8

<p>I took one p/np course in a lower div of one of my majors. At the time I was not considering majoring in it, as I was in another major already...so blah.</p>

<p>I think 1 or 2 won't be bad, but don't take any more p/np.</p>