To Pass/Fail or Not To Pass/Fail Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi,
T2, T15%, no offer yet (still waiting on 2 firms.. but prob no). I got very sick this semester and spent some time in the hospital and really didnt do any work for a month. I'm also on a journal and have an internship, so i have been catching up like crazyyyy. Anyway, now that I finally am caught up on erything else, I need to study for finals, which are mid december. I havent outlined at all, and I missed a decent chunk of class.

I was given the option to P/F a course b/c of my illness. So I'm debating P/Fing a 4credit course, which would allow me to focus on my one other final (and my other class was a paper that I just handed in). TBH, I am a last minute person anyway, so I'm debating that I may still be able to get a good grade in the class. But, I'm also worried about ruining my rank.

How bad does P/F look to employers? I figure I'm going to have to explain this and am not sure how bad it looks? Although not doing it runs the risk of getting a bum grade and having to explain that too. Do you think I should do it? Or suck it up the next 3.5 weeks and try to do well on both finals?

[Eco]

I wouldn't do it. The problem with P/F is you will get complacent and you might actually fail. But when you know there's a grade, you will work for it.

But I guess you should ask yourself this--is the time between today and the exams enough to outline the courses? Because really anyone who has taken law exams knows: if you have a good outline and you're not clueless, you can at least pull off a B+.

[Geist13]

so you're a 2L who is entirely caught up with the reading in all of his/her courses before thanksgiving? You sound like you're in much better shape than all but a few 2Ls I know (myself included).

[Anonymous User]

I'm caught up in my 3credit course.. my 2 credit course was a 30page brief i just handed in... and my 4credit course im a lil behind in reading, and haven't outlined, and missed about 10 classes from being sick. I got an extension on my note which is now due after finals, so I can leave that be for now until I finish finals.

Like I said, my first final is dec 12th. So that doesn't leave much time to outline and study. My school is a lil different than a t14, b/c most ppl are not busy interviewing as 2Ls (although i was and the rest of the t15%), most people are probably working harder (not less) to get their rank up.

With that said, even if i pull off a B+ (which i think i can), it'll probably bring my ranking down.. a 4credit course and my GPA is an A- after 1L.

My thoughts are: take it pass/fail .. there is no way I will fail, I will def still prepare. But focus most of my time on my other final, kill that one... and my ranking can only go up or stay the same. But then have to explain to employers next year why I P/F. Although I have a legitimate excuse (hospitalized journal internship moot court).. I'm not sure telling an employer I got extremely sick is beneficial.

I wish I could get my grade and then decide to P/F lmao.

[c3pO4]

I'm caught up in my 3credit course.. my 2 credit course was a 30page brief i just handed in... and my 4credit course im a lil behind in reading, and haven't outlined, and missed about 10 classes from being sick. I got an extension on my note which is now due after finals, so I can leave that be for now until I finish finals.

Like I said, my first final is dec 12th. So that doesn't leave much time to outline and study. My school is a lil different than a t14, b/c most ppl are not busy interviewing as 2Ls (although i was and the rest of the t15%), most people are probably working harder (not less) to get their rank up.

With that said, even if i pull off a B+ (which i think i can), it'll probably bring my ranking down.. a 4credit course and my GPA is an A- after 1L.

My thoughts are: take it pass/fail .. there is no way I will fail, I will def still prepare. But focus most of my time on my other final, kill that one... and my ranking can only go up or stay the same. But then have to explain to employers next year why I P/F. Although I have a legitimate excuse (hospitalized journal internship moot court).. I'm not sure telling an employer I got extremely sick is beneficial.

I wish I could get my grade and then decide to P/F lmao.

It really depends on the person. I know a *friend* who missed way more then 10 classes, gave up reading after September, and is studying via supplements and old outlines and feels pretty good about finals.

[Anonymous User]

Can anyone talk to if P/F looks bad. I'm aware that depending on the person and how hard they study for 3 weeks makes the difference on if you can pull out a good grade or not. I want to hear about what employers will think of a P/F. And a P/F with a legit reason, but will I even get a chance to explain that reason. Or will employers see a P/F and be turned off.

[azntwice]

i think you need to weigh the possible outcomes. P vs. B+/B. if you have a ton of other good grades, one P probably won't bring you down too much, and neither would a B+, but a B would probably be a glaring red flag. however, if you have a ton of crappy grades, you may find yourself wishing that you had taken that P. my intuition is to go with the P (based on being in a similar situation myself last year, but not having gone that route), and just explain to employers. if you have three As, one P most likely won't be a huge deal.

[Eco]

Honestly, I missed 90% of all my con law classes last semester. I just outlined the course based on an old student's outline, and I got an A on the course. Going to class isn't necessarily all that important, I mean everything they say in class is in the book pretty much anyways, and whatever isn't you can find on someone else's outline from the year before.

[Anonymous User]

i think you need to weigh the possible outcomes. P vs. B+/B. if you have a ton of other good grades, one P probably won't bring you down too much, and neither would a B+, but a B would probably be a glaring red flag. however, if you have a ton of crappy grades, you may find yourself wishing that you had taken that P. my intuition is to go with the P (based on being in a similar situation myself last year, but not having gone that route), and just explain to employers. if you have three As, one P most likely won't be a huge deal.

I have no bad grades from 1L. My GPA was equivalent to an A-. This semester, I will only have three grades (2 if i P/F this). The class I had a brief for isnt curved (b/c its so small) and I think ill get an A. My 3 credit course no idea what ill get but if i focus hardcore on that I can prob pull out an A- at least. Getting a B in the 4 credit class is my fear. It will drop my ranking down ALOT.

[c3pO4]

i think you need to weigh the possible outcomes. P vs. B+/B. if you have a ton of other good grades, one P probably won't bring you down too much, and neither would a B+, but a B would probably be a glaring red flag. however, if you have a ton of crappy grades, you may find yourself wishing that you had taken that P. my intuition is to go with the P (based on being in a similar situation myself last year, but not having gone that route), and just explain to employers. if you have three As, one P most likely won't be a huge deal.

I have no bad grades from 1L. My GPA was equivalent to an A-. This semester, I will only have three grades (2 if i P/F this). The class I had a brief for isnt curved (b/c its so small) and I think ill get an A. My 3 credit course no idea what ill get but if i focus hardcore on that I can prob pull out an A- at least. Getting a B in the 4 credit class is my fear. It will drop my ranking down ALOT.

I think your question really depends on wether you have a job or not lined up. If you don't have a job lined up at this point, i'd do everything possible to max out your GPA. Since you know it's possible to get an A even if you started from scratch right now, you have no choice but to go for it. If you think it's impossible to get better than a B, then P/F it.

If you already have a job, I think it absolutely doesn't matter at all if you P/NP a class. At my school we're allowed a certain number of P/NP units and most people take advantage of it.

It probably doesn't matter either way, but if you are willing to bust your ass and get an A or A-, may as well take it to help your search for the unicorn post 2L job.

[Anonymous User]

according to a professor from last year .. ."GO FOR IT!" ughh