Clarification on Unofficial Withdrawals

[Grapes4u85]

Hey guys. This might have been answered before but I just needed some clarification:

According to AMCAS:

"Grades of "IF" or unauthorized/unofficial/administrative withdrawal may be treated as "F" in the GPA depending on how they are considered by your school."

10 years ago, I did not officially withdraw from my 2nd semester freshman year. Essentially, my college put a UW for those classes with a total of 15 credit hours. However, they were NOT included in the GPA calculation. In addition, the classes were 3 credit non-BCPM classes.

Recently, I returned as a nontrad in a state school with a GPA of 3.96 double majoring in biochemistry and public health, earned 38R on the MCAT, hours of shadowing and working as a medical assistant, and 2 years of research without any publications. I play the violin in an orchestra and I am a polyglot. I am worried that these UWs will detrimentally factor in my AMCAS GPA calculations. I am even considering in applying to a SMP program to improve my credentials Please kindly advise.

Thanks!!

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[DrMidlife]

Unfortunately yes, those are F's, and unfortunately no, your college transcript's non-inclusion of those F's in your college's GPA makes no difference.

Med school apps collect line items from college transcripts, and calculate GPAs with wanton disregard for your college's policies.

So yes, the F's will hurt, but I seriously doubt that they'll hurt enough that you need to consider an SMP. Just keep getting A's and kill the MCAT, and have a humble and truthful story for how far you've come since then.

Every app has a place where you can explain academic anomalies, and that's where you'll explain that semester.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Mako555]

how can you know that AMCAS will treat them as F's? The school does not treat them as F's so why should AMCAS? I think AMCAS generally tries to mimic school policy. But maybe you know something that I don't.

I definitely wouldn't let them count as F's without fighting for W's (which don't count towards GPA). Enter them as W's when you fill out your grades on AMCAS, and make them change it if that's what they're gonna do. If possible, try to get in contact with AMCAS ahead of time and get their opinion on the matter.

 

[Juan Solo]

I too had a number of "W's" aka withdrawals early on in the beginning years of my academics in college. I know that you definitely input all this into AMCAS and it shows up after being verified and all the schools can see it. However, I don't know if it actually counts against your GPA because there is no value assigned to a '"W." It's just there.

 

[hallowmann]

A "W" is different than a "UW"/"IF". A "W" is an official withdrawal, meaning you actually submitted the appropriate forms to withdraw. A "UW" is an unofficial withdrawal and usually considered an F. (A lot of schools don't have UWs, they just consider them Fs.)

That being said with that kind of GPA for a double major it should probably not affect you that much, maybe drop you down a few tenths (depending of course on how many credits were taken), but given how high your MCAT and GPA are, and that those grades are so old, it really shouldn't hold you back.

If I were you, I would be prepared for them to be considered Fs (especially since Adcoms might calculate them that way regardless), but really you need to ask AMCAS, explaining how your school considers them just to be sure.