We’ve all had that one professor (and if you haven’t you will soon). You know that professor, he either made your blood boil or he was your favorite, for only one reason. The pass/fail professor.  

There are two different types of pass/fail professors. One that allows students to sleep in class, and pass with the 68 they’ve worked super hard for so that they can earn the same credit as the student who earned a 98. Needless to say, those types of professors are really popular with the 68 crowd. Then there is the type that is popular with absolute none of the crowds. The one who assigns tests or finals that are pass/fail, requiring a ridiculous number like 90 to pass. I happen to think both types are absolutely awful. Yes, I am the annoying, hard-working, bothered by anything but an A, student.

Freshman year I had a professor who assigned a final project. It, of course, was a pass/fail project. I sat in class and watched students who threw words on a powerpoint and passed off their little brother as a legitimate information source get the same grade as students who did nights of research and spent more than 30 seconds putting together a presentation. I, of course, was the latter. Don’t let me fool you, of course I think it is fair that the students who spent the minute and a half they had to spare in their super important lives on their presentation got the same grade. Why ever wouldn’t it be? Needless to say he was not my favorite teacher, though not just for that reason, but that’s a story for another day.

Completely on the other spectrum, my roommate had a teacher last year who gave a test at the end of the year that you needed to pass to pass the course. You needed a 90 to pass it. A+ student all year round? Didn’t get that 90 in three chances? Guess you’re taking that class again.