Did I do the right thing?

[Chris127]

So a few weeks ago I posted asking if I should have dropped Calc and taken the W. Well I did. There was pretty much no way out of a C, and so far I have been doing well my Freshman year and didnt want a C on my transcript, so I took the W. Although I am part time now, since I took 19 credits last semester I wont be affected at all. So basically, did I do the right thing? Should I have taken the C, or was it wise to take the W and spare my GPA?

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[MN81]

So a few weeks ago I posted asking if I should have dropped Calc and taken the W. Well I did. There was pretty much no way out of a C, and so far I have been doing well my Freshman year and didnt want a C on my transcript, so I took the W. Although I am part time now, since I took 19 credits last semester I wont be affected at all. So basically, did I do the right thing? Should I have taken the C, or was it wise to take the W and spare my GPA?

You can't do anything about it now. So it doesn't really matter if it was the 'right' thing to do.

But just so you know, I don't think it was a bad choice.

 

[slb830]

So a few weeks ago I posted asking if I should have dropped Calc and taken the W. Well I did. There was pretty much no way out of a C, and so far I have been doing well my Freshman year and didnt want a C on my transcript, so I took the W. Although I am part time now, since I took 19 credits last semester I wont be affected at all. So basically, did I do the right thing? Should I have taken the C, or was it wise to take the W and spare my GPA?

who knows.
revisit this question again when you are actually applying to medical school.
1 W on a stellar academic record = no worries
1 W on a crap academic record = bigger problems than the W

 

[BKN]

So a few weeks ago I posted asking if I should have dropped Calc and taken the W. Well I did. There was pretty much no way out of a C, and so far I have been doing well my Freshman year and didnt want a C on my transcript, so I took the W. Although I am part time now, since I took 19 credits last semester I wont be affected at all. So basically, did I do the right thing? Should I have taken the C, or was it wise to take the W and spare my GPA?

Go back and take the calc later. Do better.

 

[happydays]

one or two W's is not fatal, but you DO have to make up for it.

 

[MediMama23]

So a few weeks ago I posted asking if I should have dropped Calc and taken the W. Well I did. There was pretty much no way out of a C, and so far I have been doing well my Freshman year and didnt want a C on my transcript, so I took the W. Although I am part time now, since I took 19 credits last semester I wont be affected at all. So basically, did I do the right thing? Should I have taken the C, or was it wise to take the W and spare my GPA?

Like MN81 said, what's done is done. Just pray this doesn't become a pattern.

 

[crazy_cavalier]

Yes.

You're fine. Don't worry. In retrospect, I sorta wish I had withdrawn one of the classes I got a C in and retook it later.

Although as fair warning, some people view W's as a worst-case scenario, i.e. a W means you were getting a D in the class. Fortunately you don't have to worry about it much and the GPA is left unadulterated.

 

[Dov]

I had a W in spanish. I am glad I took it instead of a C. A W is ambigious. there could be many factors contributing to your decision to drop the class (i.e. the teacher, one bad test grade, etc.). The medical school does not know the circumstances. A C is a C especially in a BCPM class. You made the right choice just rock it the next time around.

On secondaries, some schools give you the option to explain additional aspects of your profile. Explain the W. I explained the teacher was good but very demanding and all major exams were on the same day os my physics exams. Not wanting to compromise both classes, I chose to drop spanish. One of the best choices I've ever made and it all turned out well for me. Hang in there, everyone is allowed one mistake. I had plenty more than one... your only human.

Best of luck to you.

Dov

 

[notdeadyet]

If you're retaking the class, I don't think the W is any big deal and wouldn't bother explaining it in your PS (but have your story ready during interview).

If you DON'T retake the class, that could be sticky. A W for a class that's retaken is no biggie. A W for a class that's not retaken makes you look like a quitter. Especially for something like Calculus.

I took a class in Studio Guitar when I was 17 and dropped it for a W. I'm not overly concerned. I would be if it was a Stats class I never retook.

 

[MediMama23]

If you're retaking the class, I don't think the W is any big deal and wouldn't bother explaining it in your PS (but have your story ready during interview).

If you DON'T retake the class, that could be sticky. A W for a class that's retaken is no biggie. A W for a class that's not retaken makes you look like a quitter. Especially for something like Calculus.

I took a class in Studio Guitar when I was 17 and dropped it for a W. I'm not overly concerned. I would be if it was a Stats class I never retook.

If that's the case, then don't you already look like a quitter for taking the W in the first place, whether you re-took it or not? A W with a retake just looks like a quitter who tried again.

 

[notdeadyet]

If that's the case, then don't you already look like a quitter for taking the W in the first place, whether you re-took it or not? A W with a retake just looks like a quitter who tried again.

I think there's a perceived difference between someone who says "This is too hard" and walks away versus someone who says "This is hard, but I'll try again anyway" and succeeds.

 

[Dov]

I think there's a perceived difference between someone who says "This is too hard" and walks away versus someone who says "This is hard, but I'll try again anyway" and succeeds.

Agreed with notdeadyet. Yes he did quit but he was at the point where not quitting would do more harm than good. At that point it is pointless to continue. Why damage you future being headstong? Its human to screw up. Its is important to know when to cut your losses and move on, else you only hurt yourself more in the long run. Be nice to the kid he made the right choice.

 

[DrBowtie]

 

[MediMama23]

Agreed with notdeadyet. Yes he did quit but he was at the point where not quitting would do more harm than good. At that point it is pointless to continue. Why damage you future being headstong? Its human to screw up. Its is important to know when to cut your losses and move on, else you only hurt yourself more in the long run. Be nice to the kid he made the right choice.

Dov, who said I'm not being nice? Who said I'm going off on the OP? The way notdeadyet originally explained it, it made it sound like W=quitter. I'm glad he went on to further explain, and I do agree. I'm just looking at what he wrote and trying to look at it from different angles, is all.

But then again, what if OP doesn't succeed the second time? Should he withdraw again? At some point, you gotta roll with the punches (again, I'm just looking at different scenarios. Are we not allowed to do that? ).

OP, YOU need to be comfortable with your decision, not us. It could work out in your favor; then again, it could be the one question every adcom asks you. Again, what's done is done, no worries. Just don't place TOO much faith in us. Did you ask your pre-med advisor for his/her opinion, btw?

 

[mdage]

I think schools take the trend of GPA into the consideration. Getting a W in freshman year is better than getting W in junior year. Definitely try to do better in your future math courses.

 

[Chris127]

Yes, I do plan on retaking Calc and doing much better in it. lol but now I am starting to become a little worried. If I get interviews 3-4 years from now for med school, will the adcoms looks at this thing seriously? I mean, if I took the C, it would have quitely factored into my GPA and 3 years from now may not be a big deal. The W doesnt affect my GPA at all, which is good, but 3 years from now, if I have a good GPA, will it look like a side dish or something? For example, here is this applicant, he has a 3.8 GPA with a W. You know what I mean? I just hope it isnt a big deal as long as I continue to do well.

 

[MediMama23]

Yes, I do plan on retaking Calc and doing much better in it. lol but now I am starting to become a little worried. If I get interviews 3-4 years from now for med school, will the adcoms looks at this thing seriously? I mean, if I took the C, it would have quitely factored into my GPA and 3 years from now may not be a big deal. The W doesnt affect my GPA at all, which is good, but 3 years from now, if I have a good GPA, will it look like a side dish or something? For example, here is this applicant, he has a 3.8 GPA with a W. You know what I mean? I just hope it isnt a big deal as long as I continue to do well.

I think we (I? ) may have scared you. You'll be fine, Chris. One W, in freshman year, with no other Ws will not blackball you from the med school world. Just focus on the rest of your ugrad career. Start leafing through some calc books for the next time. Audit the class if you need to. Go to office hours. Get a tutor. Do what you gotta do to get what you gotta get.

 

[notdeadyet]

Go to office hours. Get a tutor. Do what you gotta do to get what you gotta get.

Don't neglect MediMama's advice about the tutors. If you're a sharp student, you should be able to pull a B in a Calculus course given the right environment. This time around, you may not have had enough time to devote to the course, may have had a lousy instructor, may have been using a nasty textbook, etc. But each of these hurdles can be overcome by things like blocking off adequate time in your schedule, getting a tutor, and using 3rd party sources, respectively.

The nice thing about medschool prereqs is that they are all pretty straightforward. Some folks have a tough time with the visualization of physics, but Calculus and OChem are very procedural and Bio's mostly memorization. Until you get in to the high level, upper division sciences, you should be able to do well on your prereqs if you have the right materials, instruction and time. The last, imho, is the most important.