LOS ANGELES — Last spring, Josh Potgieter faced a severe mental health crisis. The San Diego community college student had taken on extra work to pay rent. The additional responsibility, combined with the stress of college applications and the weight of the pandemic, exacerbated his anxiety and depression.
It took an emotional toll. He worried about his biology class — a mandatory class he needed to take in order to transfer to a university. Biology wasn't his strong suit and he feared that a low grade could tank his grade-point average, potentially jeopardizing his dream of attending a competitive four-year university. But if he dropped the class, he would lose the financial aid he needed to stay in school. He opted instead for a "pass/no pass" mark — earning credit for the class without affecting his GPA or aid.
"It was one less thing I had to worry about," said Potgieter, 20, who is now a political science major at UC Berkeley.
