Pass/Fail Program

By Sami Ahmed

The transition from high school to college might be the most difficult obstacle a college student might face academic wise. For example on average, freshmen in Georgia Tech have the lowest average GPA compared to upperclassmen. Many colleges have different programs in order to ease the transition from high school to college. MIT (as well as John Hopkins University, Brown University, and Reed College) has a very unique pass/fail system in which all freshmen have to participate in. In the pass/fail program, if a student receives a passing grade (A, B, or C) they receive a 4.0 GPA in that class. If the student fails his class (D or F), they receive a 0.0 GPA in that class. The purpose of the pass/fail system is to make students less stressed in school and worry less in school. It allows students to get situated into the university a lot easier since they have to worry less about their grades. It also makes the students a lot less stressful.

The pass/fail system may have its benefits, but also it has some flaws. This system makes students less hardworking. It also makes them less prepared for the rest of their college academic life due to it doesn’t put them in the difficulty level they will face for the rest of their time in their university. It is unfair to the very hardworking students who would have received an A, receive the same GPA as a student who would have received a C.

According to a study done by sociologist Charles L. Stannard, students who have experienced the program have an “overwhelming support for Pass/Fail [program].” Georgia Tech, a school notorious to being really hard, should look into this Pass/Fail program for freshmen students to see if it can apply in Georgia Tech’s unique situation.