W or UW - which is worse on transcript?

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I had a really bad semester a couple of years ago due to my Grandma (whom I was very close with) dying in a car accident. I wasn't able to take all of my finals, and I ended up with an F in Chemistry, a UW in Calc, and a W in Biology I.

I'm going back to fight those grades, and my Chemistry teacher is working on changing the F. However, should I ask for her to change it to a "W" or a "UW"? My Calc professor said he'd give me the UW so that I could avoid having an F on my transcript...

I plan on explaining my situation during my interview when the time comes, but which one will affect my GPA the least?

I don't think I understand the difference between W and UW.

Originally Posted by All4MyDaughter

I don't think I understand the difference between W and UW.

W=withdrawal: indicates action taken to officially withdraw from the class
UW=unofficial withdrawal: usually given when a student just stops participating in a class

I would say W looks better because UW might give the impression of irresponsibility. I am not sure how UW calculates into a GPA, but W will not hurt. It will just be excluded from calculations. But UW might be counted as an F -- not sure about this. I would definitely choose W though.

W.

People withdraw from classes for several personal reasons, a lot which they cannot help. Adcoms understand this, as long as your transcript is not littered with them and made an A or B in the class when you retook it (A preferred, of course).

UW or WF (it's called Withdraw Fail at my school), means you just stopped going and the instructor had to withdraw you without you taking the responsibility and getting the paperwork to do it yourself. This is frowned upon for obvious reasons. WF at my school counts as an F towards your GPA. W's do not.

Unfortunately, if you are failing after your schools official withdraw date, you're pretty much screwed. My advice is if you can get a professional counselor, therapist, psychiatrist to testify on your behalf that the loss of your loved one made it so you could not complete the courses, it's my understanding that the board at your school that handles such cases could allow you to complete the courses...this would turn the grades into an IN - incomplete, and you complete whatever coursework you missed to get your final grade (i.e. the final exams)

Good luck.

I'm trying to get my Calc professor to change the grade from a "UW" to a "W" and he said he can't do it since I have to request it before the add/drop deadline, but he did ask me what else I had in mind (he said he can't give me a passing grade either since I didn't complete the course, obviously).

Anyone have any ideas?

Maybe he could possibly let you take a makeup final? If anything talk to the Dead at your school. If you had serious personal reasons as to why you couldn't complete a class they have to accommodate for you.

Originally Posted by axelz165

If anything talk to the Dead at your school.

If the OP can talk to the Dead at his school. may I suggest s/he not waste any time in Pharmacy. There are much more lucrative avenues for such a talent!

Originally Posted by jblil

If the OP can talk to the Dead at his school. may I suggest s/he not waste any time in Pharmacy. There are much more lucrative avenues for such a talent!

Total win