Did I make the right call?

[magictouch]

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So I started this semester in a pretty lackluster sort of way, and really shouldn't have.

I'm now a sophomore. Last year as a freshman in a rigorous freshman honors engineering program I managed a 3.7, with a 3.6 Science. I wasn't thrilled, but I was alright with it.

This year I started taking the biomedical engineering classes. My schedule is:

4 - Organic Chem 1
4 - Math (Last of Calc 3/Linear Algebra/Differential Equations -- smorgasborg of math)
4 - Statics and Mechanics of Materials (engineering class on structures, prereq physics 1)
3 - Intro to BME

Now here's what makes me worried
I just dropped
2 - Organic Chemistry Lab

because at best I will get a B, and to get that B I would probably have to give up the A in Ochem 1 and BME.

I figured this way I can get my act together in the rest of my classes and finish with A's in 3 of them and an A-/B+ in the last.

Is the W going to hurt me more than a 3.3-3.4 this semester would?

I haven't dropped a class yet.

 

[ciestar]

You're fine.

 

[goforbroke754]

So I started this semester in a pretty lackluster sort of way, and really shouldn't have.

I'm now a sophomore. Last year as a freshman in a rigorous freshman honors engineering program I managed a 3.7, with a 3.6 Science. I wasn't thrilled, but I was alright with it.

This year I started taking the biomedical engineering classes. My schedule is:

4 - Organic Chem 1
4 - Math (Last of Calc 3/Linear Algebra/Differential Equations -- smorgasborg of math)
4 - Statics and Mechanics of Materials (engineering class on structures, prereq physics 1)
3 - Intro to BME

Now here's what makes me worried
I just dropped
2 - Organic Chemistry Lab

because at best I will get a B, and to get that B I would probably have to give up the A in Ochem 1 and BME.

I figured this way I can get my act together in the rest of my classes and finish with A's in 3 of them and an A-/B+ in the last.

Is the W going to hurt me more than a 3.3-3.4 this semester would?

I haven't dropped a class yet.

Its okay. A Single W won't likely make or break your application when you apply, just be cognizant that more W's will begin to reflect poorly. Be weary though, the ochem lab is likely a requirement at many medical programs, so you'll have to ensure it's picked up some other time. Additionally, my university doesn't allow students to take the lecture without the lab or vice-versa. Look in to that.

On the flip side, if you decided to leave your courses as they are and swallow a 3.3/3.4 for the semester, your cGPA/sGPA would likely drop, what, .2-ish points? If you managed to pull a nice upward trend over the next two years you could certainly recover from that and still have a competitive GPA (depending on your goals for schools, of course).

 

[terp720]

Its okay. A Single W won't likely make or break your application when you apply, just be cognizant that more W's will begin to reflect poorly. Be weary though, the ochem lab is likely a requirement at many medical programs, so you'll have to ensure it's picked up some other time. Additionally, my university doesn't allow students to take the lecture without the lab or vice-versa. Look in to that.

On the flip side, if you decided to leave your courses as they are and swallow a 3.3/3.4 for the semester, your cGPA/sGPA would likely drop, what, .2-ish points? If you managed to pull a nice upward trend over the next two years you could certainly recover from that and still have a competitive GPA (depending on your goals for schools, of course).

+1
I know at my university, you couldn't take organic chem 2 without having orgo 1 lecture and lab already. Not sure what your plan is, but just make sure that taking orgo 1 lab later wouldn't throw off your academic plan.

edit: I read that last line as if you hadn't dropped the class yet, but reading back over your post, it seems like you already dropped it.

 

[ciestar]

Its okay. A Single W won't likely make or break your application when you apply, just be cognizant that more W's will begin to reflect poorly. Be weary though, the ochem lab is likely a requirement at many medical programs, so you'll have to ensure it's picked up some other time. Additionally, my university doesn't allow students to take the lecture without the lab or vice-versa. Look in to that.

On the flip side, if you decided to leave your courses as they are and swallow a 3.3/3.4 for the semester, your cGPA/sGPA would likely drop, what, .2-ish points? If you managed to pull a nice upward trend over the next two years you could certainly recover from that and still have a competitive GPA (depending on your goals for schools, of course).

My university allows you to take the lab portion any time you want. You just have to either be taking ochem 2 concurrently or as a pre-req. So I guess it really varies by university.

 

[magictouch]

For the record, at my school to take Organic chem lab 1 you have to either have taken or be taking ochem 1. To take Ochem lab 2 you need to have taken or be taking Ochem 2, and have completed ochem lab 1.

Those two classes aren't required for my major. Do they make a big difference on the MCAT and do medical schools need them done? I have room to take them Junior and Senior year if necessary. Next semester I am taking Ochem 2 without lab (my schedule is already full without it).

 

[milkandcereal]

Those two classes aren't required for my major. Do they make a big difference on the MCAT and do medical schools need them done? I have room to take them Junior and Senior year if necessary. Next semester I am taking Ochem 2 without lab (my schedule is already full without it).

I think that most medical schools require Ochem + lab for 1 year. There may be some that don't, but you'll limit your options if you decide not to take the lab.

 

[magictouch]

For schools that do require it, will it matter if I am still taking them at the time of applying? I would probably try and fit Lab1 in Junior Spring at the latest just so they can see the A as a reconciliation for the W.

Realistically, I'm going to take the MCAT prior to taking the labs.

 

[milkandcereal]

For schools that do require it, will it matter if I am still taking them at the time of applying?

Typically, the requirement is to have the prerequisites done by the time you matriculate. It's okay to not have them done while applying.