<p>This is my D's dilemma. She is not typically a "grade grubber"--for example, she has never visited a professor to argue for a better grade . . . BUT she is currently a junior, with a 3.88 gpa at a school where the requirement for summa cum laude is 3.95 and for magna cum laude is 3.85. She has also signed up for a class (an advanced econ class) in which she expects to struggle some. She took intro econ from the same professor and ended up with an A- but she would not have been surprised if it had been a B+.</p>
<p>So, the question is, take the class pass/fail, or not?</p>
<p>More specifically, what would be the disadvantages of taking the class pass/fail? She is fairly internally motivated and I don't think she would slack off, thinking "I only need to pass." My own concern is that a pass/fail grade on a transcript full of A's would make a potential employer or grad school admissions committee <em>think</em> that she is a typical grade-grubber.</p>
<p>At both kiddo’s undergrads, students were not able to take major or minor classes P/F and have the course count towards fulfilling degree requirements.</p>
<p>if I am not mistaken pass/fail is only available outside your major (at many/most schools). if it is not her major she could may be avoid the class all together and take a different econ class.
anyway pass/ fail is fine IMO, you can not worry that a future employer or graduate school admission counselor will see it and that will be the one factor that causes a thumbs down.</p>
<p>If the course is in your D’s major and it isn’t graded on a Pass/Fail only basis*, it will raise eyebrows with employers who request transcripts…and will be considered a red flag for grad admissions if your D is planning to continue in that field. </p>
<p>The latter especially applies if the advanced course to be taken pass/fail is considered a critical prereq by the grad department and/or related to one’s potential research topic. </p>
<p>Another thing to consider is that courses taken Pass/Fail when a graded option is available are often not allowed to be counted for major, minor, or even distribution/core credit at many colleges. </p>
<ul>
<li>Some major/minor classes in some strong departments at my undergrad were offered on a Pass/Fail only basis. A reason why my LAC had the unusual policy of allowing any pass/fail courses to count for major/minor/distribution/core credits. Most colleges don’t seem to be that generous in this regard judging by what I’ve heard and observed from their course catalogs.</li>
</ul>