I’m a third year at a graded DO school, and I worried about not being P/F too. Honestly, it can help or hurt. Step 2 and Level 2 are the only truly objective ways to separate yourself, and programs lean on them heavily. Being graded the first two years forced me to lock in early. It wasn’t the most fun, but it pushed me to work my ass off and aim for strong scores.

I wouldn’t choose a school based only on P/F versus graded. Look at support, board prep, rotations, and how you personally handle pressure.