How to explain one "W"?

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If you have one "W" on your transcript, how do you best explain it? I heard that its not a good idea to say that it is due to you being overloaded one semester and thus having to withdraw from the course.

Don't say anything. 1 W isn't anything. They happen to the best of us. No need to draw attention to a tiny, tiny blemish.

There's a question on a school's supplement that asks you to explain any W ' s.

Well, what's the honest reason for why you got a W? Then, write that on the supplement.

Originally Posted by blondie888

There's a question on a school's supplement that asks you to explain any W ' s.

IMO:

1.) Explain truthfully why you got "W"
2.) What did you learn from it?
3.) Did you really apply that lesson into later classes and got better grade?

I think that would be the best answer to your question IMO.

Originally Posted by blondie888

If you have one "W" on your transcript, how do you best explain it? I heard that its not a good idea to say that it is due to you being overloaded one semester and thus having to withdraw from the course.

you tell them the truth.

This happened to me too. I was asked about it in my interview and the truth was that I realized I wouldn't have been able to get an A in the course at that time so I decided to take it again later when I could devote more time to it. If that's the only W you have it shouldn't be a big deal. If you withdrew from a course because you didn't need it or switched majors or something then it really shouldn't matter too much.