How do credit/no credit grades affect transfer applications to 4-year colleges?

[Jurrasic]

At 2 year colleges, there is this thing called credit / no credit grading option, does anyone know what some reasons are as to why someone would take a class for credit / no credit ? What purpose does this serve? (At some school's it's also called pass / no pass ?)
They appear on a transcript as credit or no credit depending on the effort put into it.
And, how do these look on a students transcript, for transferring to a 4 year college? As far as whether they look good or bad by those reviewing an application for admission into 4 year colleges?

 

[bp_psy]

At 2 year colleges, there is this thing called credit / no credit grading option, does anyone know what some reasons are as to why someone would take a class for credit / no credit ? What purpose does this serve? (At some school's it's also called pass / no pass ?)
They appear on a transcript as credit or no credit depending on the effort put into it.
And, how do these look on a students transcript, for transferring to a 4 year college? As far as whether they look good or bad by those reviewing an application for admission into 4 year colleges?

They do not get calculated in your GPA. So if you want to take some class, but you are not sure that you want or can put the effort to get a good mark they are a nice option.The thing is that you are can't take courses required for your major and you can't transfer them. As for how they are seen by admissions i think if you don't take to many,pass them and your GPA is good they would think that you know what you are doing and when not to take unnecessary ricks

 

[cjwalle]

Medschool in Norway is like that. All of it.

 

[diazona]

Even at 4-year colleges - at least, at every one I know of - they have a similar option. (I didn't realize it until my second year of college, though... oops )

 

[story645]

Even at 4-year colleges - at least, at every one I know of - they have a similar option.

MIT's freshman year works the same way, so even the good schools do it. The MIT rational is so that their freshies don't die under the pressure of trying to get As in everything the first year.

 

[Nabeshin]

Pass/Fail courses can be a good idea if:
a) Subject is not in your intended major,
b) Subject is difficult [for you] to perform very well in,
c) You're looking for a relaxed/flexible option.

It can be very stressing trying to pick up all the points for an A in some classes (especially if it's a subject where you're prone to small errors which accumulate), but knowing you only need to have a 70+ to pass allows you to prioritize, spend more time on other classes, and generally be more flexible. Like I said, so long as these classes aren't in your major, I doubt anyone looks down on them (I know here at Cornell there's a limit to how many you can take anyways).