Four Benefits of Pass/No Pass Law School Classes

Four Benefits of Pass/No Pass Law School Classes

For all of the stress and pressures that law school students endure, there are some saving graces. One thing that can make law school more palatable comes in the form of pass/no pass classes. Yes, we’re referring to taking a class without the stress of receiving a letter grade at the end of the semester! So, what are some other benefits to pass/no pass classes?  We discuss this in more detail below.

Four Benefits of Pass/No Pass Law School Classes

Relationship To The Bar Exam

While you may be sitting back and relaxing in your pass/no pass class, think about the bar exam. That test is pass/no pass. So, even though you’re enrolled in a pass/no pass class in law school, don’t forget that you still need to put in the work in order to pass. While it may seem convenient to take your foot from the gas pedal completely, avoid the urge. There’s a possibility that a final exam or paper will come around and deliver a world of pain. Instead, if your class covers a bar exam topic, treat your pass/no pass class in law school as an additional bar prep course.

Less Stress

Pass/no pass classes in law school are innately less stressful when compared to graded classes. The pressure to perform at the top of your class and receive a top mark is lessened. Instead, all you have to do is simply pass the class. What does that mean? Well, what constitutes a passing grade differs between law schools. Most law schools consider a grade of a C- or higher to be passing. That means you don’t need to obsess over learning every single area of the law that might be tested. Instead, it’s pretty safe to say that you only need a substantive understanding of the material. This often results in less stress for law students.

 No GPA Impact

Another benefit of pass/no pass classes in law school is the net-zero impact on your GPA. Yes, that’s right, no impact to your GPA takes place if you take a pass/no pass class. Completely nail the final exam? No impact on your GPA. Completely tank the final exam? No impact on your GPA. The only negative academic consequence of not passing a pass/no pass class is that you won’t receive academic credit. A certain number of academic credits are required to graduate from law school. While that may seem harsh, consider the flip side. Assume you bombed the final exam and received a D or F final grade. That would have devastating consequences on your GPA.  Another aspect to consider is that a pass/no pass class will not increase your GPA, even if you do really well.

Shifting Focus

Pass/no pass classes in law school allow students to shift time and energy to focus on more pressing classes. Since most law schools require a C- or higher to pass a class, students can dedicate themselves elsewhere. This is because the level of preparation for a final exam in a pass/no pass class is reduced. For example, imagine that a student is taking a graded class worth four credits. The student is also taking a pass/no pass class worth only two units. The higher the unit count, the more difficult the class and the more impact a grade will have on GPA. In a situation like this, it would make sense to focus more time and effort on the graded four-unit class. Pass/no pass classes allow for this type of flexibility while minimizing the negative effect.

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