A "W" on my transcript, or a C?

[reese07]

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So it turns out that ecology lab in my school is CRAZY HARD. The class average is a C and I'm scared I'll end up with a C as well. Would sticking with the lab and not getting an A or even a B hurt me more than dropping it now and getting a W on my transcript? Btw the lecture is not hard just the lab..

 

[IamAriDO]

The General rule being that when you retake the class you should get an "A" or at least a "B." If you get a good grade then it is doubtful that the W will be a problem. It wont be as bad as a C provided you do better and actually retake it. The problem with W's is when you have more than one. So if this is your only one then go ahead...wont be the end of the world. You may be asked to explain and then again maybe not. I had a W in Gen Chem I....just had some stuff going on. But when I retook it I made damn sure I got an A, and it wasn't a problem. I got asked about it on one out of several interviews and got into that school anyway.

IamAriDO

 

[reese07]

Well, I don't think this particular lab is a requirement, I just took it because it sounded easy.

 

[IamAriDO]

Right...its not a requirement... you just have to make sure you dont appear as if you cant handle something. I wouldnt take the C either way, especially if you will have only the one W. Just have some reason to explain to the adcom if they ask, otherwise lighten your load and drop the damn thing.

IamAriDO

 

[175961]

Either way....a C or a W wont kill your chances at med school....I got accepted and I have one of each(not a blanket statement, just what happened to me) HOWEVER, I did get asked about one particular C in a class in an interview, so be prepared to explain why you got what you did.

 

[JaggerPlate]

A W is better than a C, but dropping a lab because you "heard" it's hard and the average grade is a C (which is the definition of average) is misguided in my opinion. Just work hard and beat the average.

 

[Morsetlis]

Well the lab isn't going to go away... so you better figure something out.

 

[dapdrow]

I've been in plenty of classes where the average is a C---that's a pretty standard thing. That doesn't mean that no one can get grades above that.

That being said, I would take a W if I thought I wasn't going to do well at all. But really, you can't go by what other people say/do.

 

[xnfs93hy]

I've been in plenty of classes where the average is a C---that's a pretty standard thing. That doesn't mean that no one can get grades above that.

That being said, I would take a W if I thought I wasn't going to do well at all. But really, you can't go by what other people say/do.

+1

and a W is better than a C. Period.

 

[fitz0809]

I had 1 2.0 and 3 or 4 2.5s and got accepted to multiple schools...

A C will not kill you.

On the other hand neither will a W...

I feel like it is easier to explain a C than a withdrawal, especially because it is easy to have something go wrong in a lab.

 

[thumbz]

Alright, please don't flame away at me I know this is one case and by no means is indicative about how medical schools view it but this is MY experience:

A very very close friend of mine does hiring for summer studentships in a research lab. When they see a W on a transcript they view it as an F. This is a direct quote:

"People don't attend a class for a couple months and pay all that money just to take no credit in it unless they were going to fail it anyways."

Again, this may not be commonplace but is my experience with it.

 

[Morsetlis]

Research labs aren't med school.

 

[same21]

my pre med advisors told me the same thing, W=F in the eyes of allopathic admissions committee. Not sure about osteopathic

 

[JaggerPlate]

my pre med advisors told me the same thing, W=F in the eyes of allopathic admissions committee. Not sure about osteopathic

It's almost like pre-med advisers don't know what the hell they are talking about.

 

[same21]

I don't think that they would make something like that up....and it IS their job to know these things

 

[JaggerPlate]

I don't think that they would make something like that up....and it IS their job to know these things

They aren't "making it up," pre-med advisers are just notoriously and ironically misinformed.

I can tell you first hand that I applied both MD and DO, neither AMCAS or AACOMAS counts a W as a 0 as long as your school doesn't put it as a 0 on your transcripts (few do from what I've seen). I was never asked about it (had like 2) during an interview. If there's a pattern, it's an issue. If there isn't ... don't stress, and maybe get ready to explain them in an off chance an interviewer asks. I've also never heard any of the adcoms on this site (ie Lizzy) say it counts as an F in their eyes.

 

[175961]

It's almost like pre-med advisers don't know what the hell they are talking about.

Noooooo, couldnt be, could it?? Dont ya love pre-med advisors

 

[DrDre2001]

I have no idea honestly.

I am just really mad right now. 😡😡😡

Seriously.

In my freshman and sophomore year I was doing horribly in few classes. I did not want to go with W's though, because I thought W = F. I stuck with the classes, and got an F in one and D in other. Had I known that a W=C (assuming you people are right, which I believe you are because JaggerPlate knows his stuff), my GPA would look so much better right now. 😡😡😡😡

Wow.

 

[JaggerPlate]

I have no idea honestly.

I am just really mad right now. 😡😡😡

Seriously.

In my freshman and sophomore year I was doing horribly in few classes. I did not want to go with W's though, because I thought W = F. I stuck with the classes, and got an F in one and D in other. Had I known that a W=C (assuming you people are right, which I believe you are because JaggerPlate knows his stuff), my GPA would look so much better right now. 😡😡😡😡

Wow.

In my experience, a W = nothing as long as your university doesn't count it as a 0 or F on your transcripts/calculating your GPA. I've personally never heard anyone who's said this is the case. I had like 2 W's, and neither AMCAS or AACOMAS counted them as an F, C, or anything else ... they just aren't factored in to your numerical GPA. If interviewers want to ask you about them ... it's their call, but unless there is a pattern, they probably won't.

Dre - I would retake those classes, ace them, and remember AACOMAS uses grade replacement 👍

 

[dapdrow]

In my experience, a W = nothing as long as your university doesn't count it as a 0 or F on your transcripts/calculating your GPA. I've personally never heard anyone who's said this is the case. I had like 2 W's, and neither AMCAS or AACOMAS counted them as an F, C, or anything else ... they just aren't factored in to your numerical GPA. If interviewers want to ask you about them ... it's their call, but unless there is a pattern, they probably won't.

Dre - I would retake those classes, ace them, and remember AACOMAS uses grade replacement 👍

This. I know that some programs look at a Pass/Fail grade as something. Like some schools with look as a "P" as a C. I'm not sure if AMCAS or AACOMAS does this. I hope not because I had a professional practice thing through a laboratory and you could only receive a grade of P/F.