Pass/Fail

[ouroboros39]

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I've seen a few threads about taking a course or two pass fail, but I've got a slightly different question. I've been having a terrible year for multiple reasons and will probably not be able to get the A's in the 4 relatively difficult courses I know I could have gotten A's in otherwise. I'm taking:

IB140: Human Reproduction
Chem114: Advanced Synthetic O-Chem
MCB 100a: Biophysical Chem
MCB160: Neurobiology

(I think its like 15-16 units)

None of these are pre-reqs - all of which I've satisified (except for english). My current GPA is 3.84 with a math/science gpa of 3.91. In the past I took a p/f course in Math 53 - an upper div course I didnt have to take - in my 2nd semester. I'm currently in my 4th semester. I'm also Asian-Indian by the way, and I've yet to take the MCAT.

So basically: How bad will it look, and will I still have the same, a slightly lower, or a much lower chance of geting into a medical school if I were to switch all my courses to P/F and pass them all.

I'm going to go speak to a counselor too, but I was wondering if anyone here had any personal experiences or ideas about this matter.

Thanks in advance.

 

[red doctober]

I think it would look very bad if you were to take all of them P/F unless you have extenuating circumstances for doing so.

 

[GopherMD]

I think it would look very bad if you were to take all of them P/F unless you have extenuating circumstances for doing so.

This.

 

[Aerus]

Similar to getting many W's, taking too many P/F courses in the same term can be seen as protecting your GPA.

 

[Daodejing]

So basically: How bad will it look, and will I still have the same, a slightly lower, or a much lower chance of geting into a medical school if I were to switch all my courses to P/F and pass them all.

I'm going to go speak to a counselor too, but I was wondering if anyone here had any personal experiences or ideas about this matter.

I'm surprised your school would even allow this. At my school, it's one max. per semester. Your gpa is pretty respectable as is; unless you're really tanking every single course (and by that I don't mean "not getting an A"), then you shouldn't be thinking about taking drastic measures. Definitely talk to your counselor, and go from there.

 

[Juxxtaposition]

Off topic and probably not necessary, but looking at the course numbers and names, you go to Berkeley; so GO BEARS!

 

[bobow98]

Try to switch one to P/F and one to withraw without failing if you can?

 

[Chir0nex]

Talk to your counselor for sure. I would say switch 1, maybe 2, but not all of them since it is a little too obvious that it is for grade purposes. With a 3.84 average a few less than stellar grades should't drop it too much, plus you can compensate on the MCAT if it is truly necessary. I think it would be more harmful to have a 4 p/f classes at once, without a reason, and thus make the adcoms suspicious of any other GPA manipulation.

 

[NewYorker9]

I would recommend switching just one course to P/F

 

[ouroboros39]

Thanks for all the input guys. Thats kind of the general idea I had expected I guess. I'm not sure whether my reason would qualify or if its even something I'd be too keen to explain in person or an essay, but thats fine - I'm sure I'll figure it out. Thanks again!