Dear USC,

We are incredibly appreciative of the pass/no pass options that have been made available to us this semester (Spring 2022). However, unlike last semester (Fall 2021), the deadline to make this important decision in February, whereas our deadline last semester occurred on the last day of class. We would like to ask for an extension of the pass/no pass grading policy until April 15th which we believe is reasonable especially since we had a halted start to the semester due to COVID. We implore you to reconsider this decision of having the deadline in February and extend until April 15th.

It is unreasonable to expect us to decide between a letter grade or pass/no pass option not even halfway into the semester. Let alone after only a few weeks of in-person classes. In certain classes, a single midterm and final exam are the only assignments that impact our grade. On February 11th we were not able to assess our grades or the content of the class in-person versus online.  

While students are mainly enrolled in classes to learn and appreciate new material, many also need to consider how GPA will impact their access to institutions after graduating from USC. These include grad school, law school, med school, and more common paths. The ability to select pass/no pass for a class may be the defining factor in what institutions we are accepted into after our time at USC.

Please consider offering a short extension for the students who have been impacted by COVID after the original February 11th P/NP deadline. The with-drawl deadline is coming up and many things have happened from February 11th to now, only 5 days away from the drop deadline of April 8th. This includes a new variant just recently discovered, classes being held online for various reasons, several hundred students contracting the virus, and being quarantined for weeks at a time. We appreciate everything that USC has done for us so far, and expect that you will understand our asking for this change as well.

To our fellow students, we encourage you to share your story along with your signature. Fight on!