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I understand this question has been asked in this forum. But I still want to have some advice on my case.

I am current a research master student in one of the top universities in Canada. In the last semester, I got two B+. This gives me a GPA of 3.3 which is lower than the PhD admission requirements of 3.5. Now, due to Covid-19, our school allows us to choose to report a Pass in our transcript instead of a letter grade. Students choosing this Pass/Fail option will not have their GPA obtained in this semester counted towards their final GPA. That means if I can obtain a GPA higher than 3.5 in the next semester, I can still satisfy the PhD admission requirements. So should I choose this Pass/Fail option if I am considering the opportunity of apply for PhD programs? Thanks.

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You can choose “Pass” if you want but everyone will understand you made this choice to preserve your average, so your file will still look bad admission to a PhD program.

With “Pass” you may technically qualify to apply but I doubt admission into a PhD is simply a matter of meeting the technical requirements. Regardless of what you choose, you need to do better next term, so you can establish that this past term was just a one-off due to COVID.

On a related matter: are you sure you can still choose between “Pass” or a grade? For most students the window to make that choice closed with or near the end of exams (at the latest).

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  • Why shouldn't one be able to chose this after.the exam?
    – user111388
    Commented Jun 18, 2020 at 15:30
  • @user111388 in some cases you could but there was a cut-off date long passed.
    – ZeroTheHero
    Commented Jun 18, 2020 at 16:24
  • So all exams in Canada have already passes a long time ago?
    – user111388
    Commented Jun 18, 2020 at 16:45
  • @user111388 yes the end of classes was in early April or somewhere around then. They start in early January and go for 14 weeks there so exams are usually done by 3rd week of April (modulo some late exams).
    – ZeroTheHero
    Commented Jun 18, 2020 at 17:36
  • Okay, interesting! In my countrily, exams are done after the end of the classes in June or July.
    – user111388
    Commented Jun 18, 2020 at 21:06

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