Padding your GPA Forum

[Slobberson]

If you want to lock in your 1L GPA, would it be best to take the hard classes pass fail, or the easy classes pass fail?

At first blush, I thought - take the hard classes pass fail, then just smoke the easy ones. But, I think that most people will probably do this, so wouldn't it then be easier to get an A in the hard classes, where most people are taking them pass/fail?

[Richie Tenenbaum]

Depends on how your school does the curve with pass/fail people--if they are excluded entirely, then you are still on a curve with probably a group of people (just a smaller group--which in some ways is worse since that makes the distribution more unpredictable) that you do not want to be on a curve with.

[BarbellDreams]

Neither. Take classes with posted grade distributions that are swayed to giving out a crazy amount of A's and are small section classes thus not requiring a curve.

[Slobberson]

So then what do you use your pass fails on for best effect?

[BarbellDreams]

So then what do you use your pass fails on for best effect?

If you plan it out ahead of time and get a decent enrollment appointment you won't have to use them at all. Otherwise Pass/Fail anything with a forced curve, unfriendly grading or bar classes you're interested in but are unsure of how well you'll do on.

[NotMyRealName09]

If you're lucky and your professor is cool, she might say something like this. "The grade cutoff for pass/fail is a C-, and I NEVER give out anything lower than a C-. Just saying...." Then I pass/failed that class and totally blew it off. Excellent.

[omg clay aiken !]

Neither. Take classes with posted grade distributions that are swayed to giving out a crazy amount of A's and are small section classes thus not requiring a curve.

this. gpa is king. take the easiest possible classes.

[emkay625]

Can you do this? What schools let you take a 1L class pass/fail?

[071816]

Can you do this? What schools let you take a 1L class pass/fail?

None. I would assume OP is referring to 2L classes.

[emkay625]

Can you do this? What schools let you take a 1L class pass/fail?

None. I would assume OP is referring to 2L classes.

OH i see now. Sorry. RC fail on my part.

[evilxs]

He nailed it. Save the pass/fails for when you need it. Secured Transactions is on the bar for my state and our normal professor just went on sabbatical. No way in hell I am taking it graded from some unknown professor. I'm signed up to take it audit this semester.