Do Ws look bad?

[lalex]

I realize I'm beating a dead horse here, but hear me out.

It used to be virtually impossible to get a W at my school due to such a late drop date. However, I will be taking a W in a course that I could pull off a B/B- in. I absolutely learned nothing and this professor was terrible (first time teaching). I have genuine interest in the course and my Physics course next quarter will even help me in it.

That being said, I will have 1 W on my record. Not a big deal, except I could be one of the only people applying from my school with a W and I'm sure adcoms will know that since my school has a lot of premeds.

And I do not have a good record. This year + my gap year is my chance to turn things around. I currently have an A- or A in all my classes except this one.

Is it okay or should I still rethink my decision?
I still haven't gotten my grade from the midterm I bombed (3 weeks later). So not sure exactly where I stand. All I know is I did not learn much and that infuriates me more than a bad exam grade.

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[Hospitalized]

B > W > C

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

It's one W, it's not gonna kill you. Though if it comes up in an interview that you dropped when you were getting a B, adcoms might start to question your decisions.

 

[lalex]

I don't know where I stand so I won't drop until I do...
But I sent her my essay that I only noticed later wasn't linked correctly so if I do get -20% on the essay, I will be at a C.

 

[lalex]

B > W > C

Even if I'm the only W at my school?

 

[Ismet]

There are a lot more important things to admissions members than keeping track of how many W's come from a specific undergrad.

If you want to drop it, drop it. It's fine.

 

[lalex]

There are a lot more important things to admissions members than keeping track of how many W's come from a specific undergrad.

If you want to drop it, drop it. It's fine.

Okay thank you!
I was going to drop it Monday, but I can drop it the day before the final so I'll just continue to wait for my exam grade.

 

[WedgeDawg]

In my not-very-informed opinion, I would say a W is always worse than a B and always better than a D. Whether or not it's better or worse than a C is a toss-up, but probably depends on the rest of your track record. If you have mostly As, a W is probably better than a C.

 

[lalex]

In my not-very-informed opinion, I would say a W is always worse than a B and always better than a D. Whether or not it's better or worse than a C is a toss-up, but probably depends on the rest of your track record. If you have mostly As, a W is probably better than a C.

But I don't... This is my start to an upward trend. So a B will definitely look like a rocky start to one. I have no clue what to do and don't want to debate about this class to the point it affects my other grades.

 

[WedgeDawg]

But I don't... This is my start to an upward trend. So a B will definitely look like a rocky start to one. I have no clue what to do and don't want to debate about this class to the point it affects my other grades.

What is your GPA and what year of college are you in?

 

[lalex]

What is your GPA and what year of college are you in?

I'm a senior applying a year after my senior year. So I have this year + next year to raise my GPA.
My cGPA is higher than a 3.2 (CC classes).
My sGPA is a 3.08 (lower w/o CC classes).

After this quarter, if I drop this class, I'll have a 3.15 sGPA (if I get an A- in my upperlevel Biochem, I might get an A). If I don't drop and get a B I'll have a 3.145. LOL so not that big of a difference, but I might be looking at a C for all I know.

I'm so sick of her lack of professionalism. She's thinking about lowering my assignment 20% for noticing 10 hours later my document didn't attach right, but she gives us exam grades over 2 weeks later than she promises.

 

[WedgeDawg]

I'm a senior applying a year after my senior year. So I have this year + next year to raise my GPA.
My cGPA is higher than a 3.2 (CC classes).
My sGPA is a 3.08 (lower w/o CC classes).

After this quarter, if I drop this class, I'll have a 3.15 sGPA (if I get an A- in my upperlevel Biochem, I might get an A). If I don't drop and get a B I'll have a 3.145. LOL so not that big of a difference, but I might be looking at a C for all I know.

I'm so sick of her lack of professionalism. She's thinking about lowering me a grade for noticing 10 hours later my document didn't attach right, but she gives us exam grades over 2 weeks later than she promises.

I don't really know what to tell you here. Are you trying to apply to MD schools or DO schools? If DO, just do grade replacement. If MD, you might have to do an SMP. It's unlikely that a postbacc will raise your GPA enough to be within a comfortable range.

 

[lalex]

I don't really know what to tell you here. Are you trying to apply to MD schools or DO schools? If DO, just do grade replacement. If MD, you might have to do an SMP. It's unlikely that a postbacc will raise your GPA enough to be within a comfortable range.

Based on my calculations, I'll have 3.3 sGPA (conservatively) at the end of my year which from my grade-deflating school, is pretty common with a good MCAT. After a year of taking more classes (not taking into account grade replacement), I'll have a 3.5. Of course, I'll be doing DO as well so that GPA will be higher.

My main concern is this class though. Do I really want a B- or lower at this point?

 

[Glandzburg]

Is this in regards to the class that you already asked about withdrawing from a few weeks ago?
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/devastated-w.1168853/

I'll tell you again: you need to relax. I highly doubt there are any Adcoms that are keeping track of the fact that people from your specific school don't have a lot of W's. One W will not kill you. But I would NOT take a W over a B.

 

[lalex]

Is this in regards to the class that you already asked about withdrawing from a few weeks ago?
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/devastated-w.1168853/

I'll tell you again: you need to relax. I highly doubt there are any Adcoms that are keeping track of the fact that people from your specific school don't have a lot of W's. One W will not kill you. But I would NOT take a W over a B.

I know I know. I just hate not know where I stand THIS late in the quarter. There are literally 2 more classes left. I am currently at a B+ but after the midterm I bombed and if she takes off 20%, I could be at a D for all I know.

 

[Glandzburg]

I know I know. I just hate not know where I stand THIS late in the quarter. There are literally 2 more classes left. I am currently at a B+ but after the midterm I bombed and if she takes off 20%, I could be at a D for all I know.

Do you know for sure that you bombed the midterm yet?

 

[lalex]

Do you know for sure that you bombed the midterm yet?

No.. She said she would post grades Monday (exam was Wednesday). It is now two weeks later.
I do know others had a hard time with the exam too and have called this the "worst class ever". That would make me feel better if this class was graded on a bell-curve.

I can't believe I would be complaining about a class with a predetermined grading scale... LOL.

The professor next quarter is amazing.

 

[lalex]

Also the final isn't cumulative which is definitely a plus!

 

[Mardangel]

Ws are not bad if you keep them do 1-2. more than that it gets bad

 

[lalex]

Ws are not bad if you keep them do 1-2. more than that it gets bad

This will be my only one if I choose to. I have decided that if she does not post grades by Tuesday, I will drop. I am not going through Thanksgiving/reading week worried about where I stand.

 

[occams_razor]

Ws are not bad if you keep them do 1-2. more than that it gets bad

Even if someone has more than 2 it won't be an app killer but they would probably get asked about it in interviews and need a good explanation

 

[hiphopcrates]

I had 7-8 Ws, mostly from my first bout as an undergrad when I was undisciplined and would dabble in elective classes for a few weeks, then drop them. I had one in a science class during my post-bacc due to an illness. They were a red flag, sure, and got brought up in several interviews, but ultimately they didn't hinder my chances of getting accepted to multiple schools.

1: If you can get a B, get a B. It would suck to have to repeat an entire class.
2: But if you really can't stand a B, take the W. It's not a big deal. Don't make a habit of it, like I did, and I doubt it'll even get brought up.

 

[soadhead]

Ws are not bad if you keep them do 1-2. more than that it gets bad

What about 13 W's?

 

[Ismet]

What about 13 W's?

Depends on why.

 

[vera.o]

Is a W really better than a C?

 

[soadhead]

Depends on why.

2 years of not going to class or putting much effort into school (that's when all of the W's happened), followed by a break of about 7 years, then 4 years of school with mostly A's and couple of B's.

 

[Glandzburg]

Is a W really better than a C?

It depends on how many W's or C's you've had in the past, but generally yes. W's don't bring down your GPA like a C does, but obviously too many W's (without good reason) looks bad.

 

[lalex]

Now she's claiming my essay was late (the one I didn't attach right) because it was before class, but not an hour before (wtf). Despite unclear instructions. I'm so fed up with this professor... I want a professional.

 

[Ismet]

2 years of not going to class or putting much effort into school (that's when all of the W's happened), followed by a break of about 7 years, then 4 years of school with mostly A's and couple of B's.

Schools like reinvention. I'd say it's fine in your situation. It would be a different story if you were a 22 year old applicant with 13 W's scattered among your 4 years of undergrad. Things like W's at the very beginning of your college career with proven drastic improvement later on, or things like a semester or two of W's due to a family/personal emergency/illness/etc are the more acceptable reasons for having W's. We know you're human. Life happens or you make mistakes, you learn from them, and improve.

For some reason, pre-meds think W's are a death sentence. Honestly they're pretty much never noticed unless there's a ton of them.

 

[lalex]

Okay I'm freaking myself out. I looked up some threads on Ws and it says some schools look at them like Fs?

 

[md-2020]

I had a W in a science course and 2 P's. No one has mentioned it at all. As lo g as you don't get a ton its literally not a big deal at all.

It's not even close to an F lol

 

[lalex]

I had a W in a science course and 2 P's. No one has mentioned it at all. As lo g as you don't get a ton its literally not a big deal at all.

It's not even close to an F lol

Okay.

 

[SOMBound13]

This will be my only one if I choose to. I have decided that if she does not post grades by Tuesday, I will drop. I am not going through Thanksgiving/reading week worried about where I stand.

One W isn't a big deal at all. I bet the majority of student have at least one W for a variety of reasons...grade, job, illenss, etc.

 

[lalex]

One W isn't a big deal at all. I bet the majority of student have at least one W for a variety of reasons...grade, job, illenss, etc.

True but I shouldn't be starting my comeback with one.

 

[Glandzburg]

You are freaking yourself out about this way too much. A single W on your transcript will not hurt you, nor will it foil your "comeback."

More importantly, you should address why you fell short in this class and learn from it. It seems like the pressure you are putting on yourself is not helping.

 

[occams_razor]

Okay I'm freaking myself out. I looked up some threads on Ws and it says some schools look at them like Fs?

Stop freaking out. They are not viewed the same as an F

 

[SOMBound13]

Okay I'm freaking myself out. I looked up some threads on Ws and it says some schools look at them like Fs?

No....NC's will become F's after AMCAS does its recalculation. Med schools don't do their own recalculations.

 

[ZPakEffect]

As somone who has received 7 MD II's and 3 acceptances this cycle with 10+ W's on my record, I'd even venture to say that a W is preferable to a B.

 

[SOMBound13]

As somone who has received 7 MD II's and 3 acceptances this cycle with 10+ W's on my record, I'd even venture to say that a W is preferable to a B.

While I could also argue that a W is better than a B in some situations, I need to ask: Are you a non-Trad? And if so, were most of the W's from an earlier time and then you returned to school? Or, do you have another logical explanation, such as a military assignment or ??

Have you been asked about that many W's.

I also took a W when I became very sick during the semester of Orgo II, and didn't want a B. I dropped it, retook it the next semester.

 

[lalex]

Hey guys she actually did post grades and I am happy (weird) to say I did do as bad as I thought and I will be withdrawing without hesitation now.

 

[GreenDuck12]

Interesting. Did you need to offer any rationale for the Ws or was it never mentioned?

As somone who has received 7 MD II's and 3 acceptances this cycle with 10+ W's on my record, I'd even venture to say that a W is preferable to a B.

 

[soadhead]

As somone who has received 7 MD II's and 3 acceptances this cycle with 10+ W's on my record, I'd even venture to say that a W is preferable to a B.

Do you mind sharing your overall GPA and MCAT, and whether or not your W's were concentrated closer to your freshman year?