Gender, risk aversion, and the "COVID" grading option in a principles of economics course

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the United States, colleges and universities faced the challenge of completing the academic term. Many institutions offered students the option of a "credit/no credit" grading system, which wouldn't affect their GPA. In this study, we examine which student characteristics are correlated with the decision to choose this grading option over a traditional letter grade. Our findings show that female students, particularly those with lower course grades, were more likely to opt for the "credit/no credit" option than male students. This aligns with previous research indicating that female students tend to be more risk-averse, particularly in economics courses.