Pass/Fail for non-BLL class Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm hoping to get the thoughts of some current clerks who review applications. I wouldn't P/F any doctrinals because I assume chambers would think the grade was a B+ or below and be frowned upon. Would you give similar scrutiny to P/F-ing an elective history class? My issue is I have particular hard exam schedule with BLL classes this semester and my history elective which was supposedly not curved, is now curved with a bunch of history PhDs. I'd like to save my gpa and P it since I don't think a judge would view it as an important class, but I wanted to confirm whether P/F of an elective is viewed very negatively, like P/F-ing a BLL.

[Anonymous User]

I'm hoping to get the thoughts of some current clerks who review applications. I wouldn't P/F any doctrinals because I assume chambers would think the grade was a B+ or below and be frowned upon. Would you give similar scrutiny to P/F-ing an elective history class? My issue is I have particular hard exam schedule with BLL classes this semester and my history elective which was supposedly not curved, is now curved with a bunch of history PhDs. I'd like to save my gpa and P it since I don't think a judge would view it as an important class, but I wanted to confirm whether P/F of an elective is viewed very negatively, like P/F-ing a BLL.

It's always hard to know what weird classes are automatically credit/fail or graded, so I wouldn't give it a second look. Depends on how many clerks come from your school and whether they would see it is bad.

[Anonymous User]

(Assuming not COVID related) Honestly as a current clerk I'd prob give it a minor ding if a non-BLL class. If a BLL class it may be enough to move you out of the pile. I just have too many great candidates to sift through. I can definitely see situations though where an otherwise great transcript would overcome it.

[Anonymous User]

OP, how is the course listed on your transcript? If it's something like "HIST 109: The Warring States Period of Ancient China," I personally wouldn't hold it against you at all. If it's a history course you're taking because it's cross-listed with law and it shows up as something like "LAW 708: American Constitutional History," it starts to be a bit of a problem, though nothing an otherwise strong transcript can't make up for.

[Anonymous User]

OP, how is the course listed on your transcript? If it's something like "HIST 109: The Warring States Period of Ancient China," I personally wouldn't hold it against you at all. If it's a history course you're taking because it's cross-listed with law and it shows up as something like "LAW 708: American Constitutional History," it starts to be a bit of a problem, though nothing an otherwise strong transcript can't make up for.

OP here. Good question! It's cross-listed with law and is about American legal history throughout the colonial era. I agree that looks worse than a totally separate class. I've just had some personal issues stack up and distributed more time to studying for my doctrinals than that class. But we'll see, maybe a pass is not needed at all!