How many P/NP is too many?

[gobears19]

How many P/NP units is too many?

Aside from the various 1-2 unit seminars (I usually take 1 each semester), I have used the P/NP option only once throughout my first 3 semesters.

I am planning on using P/NP for a plant-bio class this semester, but I am worried about doing so because it is a BCPM class and because it would mean only 9 out of my 14 units this semester are graded.

I am also a bit worried about my overall course load. So far, I have taken 13, 18, and 13 units in my time at college.

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[freak7]

Depends on whether or not P=NP

 

[prehealthadvisor55]

I always advised that unless it's the only way it's taught, don't do pass/fail. The one exception would sometimes be a foreign language. Sciences I would always take for a grade.

 

[prehealthadvisor55]

Actually, and surprisingly, not so true, as a few admissions officers have told me over the years. It depends on the overall application or under what I like to call the "nothing succeeds like success" concept That is, if you have a really strong candidate who takes a non-essential BCPM, like plant bio, P/F it wont be much of an issue. On the other, if you have a weaker candidate, it can look like they were trying to avoid a difficulty.

In short, the future applicant will have to use something that few students rarely do: their judgement. Will you be that 3.7-3.8 strong candidate with great ECs and MCAT or will you be a 3.5 candidate with solid but not so impressive stats? If you fear the latter, then reduce the risk of the P/F in a BCPM class and take it for a grade.

That makes a lot of sense. In the case of a psych major who may not have many, if any, sciences outside of the prereqs, would the same apply? Or would having more graded sciences help in their case if they wanted to attempt them? I guess that comes down to the rest of the application as well.