<p>Certain schools have a pass/fail only first semester. Of the schools I've looked up, only Penn explicitly states the shadow grades should be sent to the admissions office. A friend of mine who had a pass/fail first semester freshman year applied to transfer to Columbia in the spring, and said she did not have to show her shadow grades at all. At that point does it depend only on high school grades, the fact that she attended a school known for its academic rigor, and perhaps letters of recommendation and other things like that?</p>
<p>But since you have to submit your transcript… pass/fail grades would show up on there anyway, I would guess.</p>
<p>Should the opposite be true, you would be treated as though you skipped an entire semester of college work, meaning other applicants would have a huge, huge advantage over you. I would guess. Did your friend get into Columbia?</p>
<p>A pass/fail first semester sounds like a great idea to me.</p>
<p>No no, I mean that as a first semester freshman at my current college (and her’s) the entire semester is pass/fail. I don’t get grades that show up on an official transcript for this semester. If I apply for fall 2013 transfer, my transcripts sent will have no grades on them. She did get into Columbia.</p>
<p>Yes then more weight is placed on high school performance, letters of recommendation, SAT and college reputation. However Columbia is super-selective and getting more difficult to transfer into every year. Your friend must have been perfect in high school to make up for a blank college transcript.</p>