2 W’s on Transcript Course Load

[939959]

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Hello, all!

I’ve just been kind of concerned about my academic record. I have 2 W’s on my transcript (one from Calculus II which I retook the following semester and received an A in, and the other one was in a business class I dropped due to a change in minor). I still have a 3.8-3.9 GPA and I got a 21 on the DAT. I’ve taken a light course load freshman year (11-13 credits per semester), but for the tail end of sophomore year I’ve been taking 16-17 credits and doing really well. I’m currently on track to graduate a semester early.

Is my “weak” performance freshman/sophomore year (not many credits and 2 W’s) going to hurt my admissions chances?

Thank you guys!!!

 

[deleted942432]

no.

 

[princeafrica]

I’ve been taking 12-13 credits each semester and no one has questioned whether I have a light load. You retook one of the Ws so you’re fine and the other one is understandable

 

[coldicecream]

nah you're good, I'm in the exact same situation and have had interviews.
if you're a non-science major, then make sure to have a semester where you have 3 or more science classes to show you can handle the rigor. might not be needed, but that's what i did

 

[dent_wannabe]

One or two W's isn't going to be the end all be all. I would probably still be prepared to explain what happened in case an interviewer asks. But your academic record and DAT is not going to be a barrier to you getting interviews.

 

[939959]

Hello, all!

I’ve just been kind of concerned about my academic record. I have 2 W’s on my transcript (one from Calculus II which I retook the following semester and received an A in, and the other one was in a business class I dropped due to a change in minor). I still have a 3.8-3.9 GPA and I got a 21 on the DAT. I’ve taken a light course load freshman year (11-13 credits per semester), but for the tail end of sophomore year I’ve been taking 16-17 credits and doing really well. I’m currently on track to graduate a semester early.

Is my “weak” performance freshman/sophomore year (not many credits and 2 W’s) going to hurt my admissions chances?

Thank you guys!!!

Thank you for the feedback guys!!

I just had some follow-up questions:

1. Do adcoms really look that closely at your transcripts, or do they kinda just skim through it to check for major red flags (i.e. 5+ W’s, failed courses, etc.) and focus more on your overall GPA?

2. Also, I’ve heard that GPA and DAT are preliminary, and there is more emphasis on the ECs/essays/LORs during the evaluation process. I know admissions are holistic and everything is accounted for, but it seems like schools look more at you as a person?

 

[Ollivander]

Thank you for the feedback guys!!

I just had some follow-up questions:

1. Do adcoms really look that closely at your transcripts, or do they kinda just skim through it to check for major red flags (i.e. 5+ W’s, failed courses, etc.) and focus more on your overall GPA?

2. Also, I’ve heard that GPA and DAT are preliminary, and there is more emphasis on the ECs/essays/LORs during the evaluation process. I know admissions are holistic and everything is accounted for, but it seems like schools look more at you as a person?

I'm no longer dental, but I just had 7 interviews for grad school and not a single admissions committee asked about the 11 W's I have on my transcript. I had to explain them away in supplementals prior to being offered an interview, but they never came up in interviews. I think withdrawals are overrated. A withdrawal is always better than a C or worse.