Failed classes due to illness. Will ADEA AADSAS understand?

[Dentmancan]

Okay so during freshman year I got struck with an autoimmune disease and was hospitalized the week of finals for about a month and a half. I ended up failing all 3 classes I took that quarter (well, because I didn't take the final), but I returned a year later after I had fully recovered from my illness and killed it in those classes; however, by the time I returned, my school told me that it was too late to file for an "Incomplete" in those classes. I know I should have filed for an incomplete right after I missed the final, but I was a little pre-occupied with the whole fighting for my life business. To be honest I didn't think I would be well enough to go back to school, but I'm doing great now and have my autoimmune condition under control... woo!

Anyways, does anyone think the ADEA would be sympathetic to my situation and not include those grades in my application? Has anyone else gone through something similar?

Any advice on how to handle this would be great!

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[CareerNumTwo]

Okay so during freshman year I got struck with an autoimmune disease and was hospitalized the week of finals for about a month and a half. I ended up failing all 3 classes I took that quarter (well, because I didn't take the final), but I returned a year later after I had fully recovered from my illness and killed it in those classes; however, by the time I returned, my school told me that it was too late to file for an "Incomplete" in those classes. I know I should have filed for an incomplete right after I missed the final, but I was a little pre-occupied with the whole fighting for my life business. To be honest I didn't think I would be well enough to go back to school, but I'm doing great now and have my autoimmune condition under control... woo!

Anyways, does anyone think the ADEA would be sympathetic to my situation and not include those grades in my application? Has anyone else gone through something similar?

Any advice on how to handle this would be great!

As an assistant professor at a large state school, I'm shocked your school was unwilling to work with you. I've had some students dealing with personal or medical situations that caused them to fail their classes. My go to response has always been to set them up with the Dean of Students. Our Dean of students office has several ways to help students in situations like yours. I understand the idea that it was too late to take an incomplete but your school should have a special medical withdrawal procedure. Of course, the burden of proof is on you to provide documentation, but at my school this results in them deleting the failed classes off your record... This even applies to students dealing with depression that didn't get treatment till after the fact.

As for AADSAS, they aren't sympathetic to numbers. Your grades are your grades. You'll just need to make a solid case in your personal statement. Unfortunately, a solid gpa is still necessary to get that first look.

 

[FeralisExtremum]

AADSAS will include them regardless - they aren't partial to circumstances, they just verify what the grades you actually received were. But as @CareerNumTwo said, there should be a procedure in place at your school for special medical withdrawals if you can provide the appropriate documentation - that could get them changed to W's (or incompletes) if you're successful. I'd be very surprised if the school knew you were unable to attend classes and still failed you, even if it is after the fact.

 

[PeachDMD]

Okay so during freshman year I got struck with an autoimmune disease and was hospitalized the week of finals for about a month and a half. I ended up failing all 3 classes I took that quarter (well, because I didn't take the final), but I returned a year later after I had fully recovered from my illness and killed it in those classes; however, by the time I returned, my school told me that it was too late to file for an "Incomplete" in those classes. I know I should have filed for an incomplete right after I missed the final, but I was a little pre-occupied with the whole fighting for my life business. To be honest I didn't think I would be well enough to go back to school, but I'm doing great now and have my autoimmune condition under control... woo!

Anyways, does anyone think the ADEA would be sympathetic to my situation and not include those grades in my application? Has anyone else gone through something similar?

Any advice on how to handle this would be great!

As already stated, AADSAS will just compute what's there and doesn't take into consideration special circumstances. However, my two cents would be that this is a perfect foundation for your PS. Seriously, what could be better than you telling the story of fighting for your life, battling your circumstances successfully, coming back to kill the classes that you failed and thereby proving you have the capacity for success, and ultimately want to pursue your dream of now using your life story to help others on a daily basis. Roll the music, start the credits.

 

[mystery84]

Dental admissions committees are run by robots! They do not understand that there may be extenuating circumstances, or other human mistakes.

Kidding of course, as stated go through your school with the proper documentation. Be prepared to explain your situation on your application ( there is a section for these things) and at interviews.

Sent from my SM-G935V using SDN mobile

 

[doc toothache]

As an assistant professor at a large state school, I'm shocked your school was unwilling to work with you. I've had some students dealing with personal or medical situations that caused them to fail their classes. My go to response has always been to set them up with the Dean of Students. Our Dean of students office have several ways to help students in situations like yours. I understand the idea that it was too late to take an incomplete but your school should have a special medical withdrawal procedure. Of course, the burden of proof is on you to provide documentation, but at my school this results in them deleting the failed classes off your record... This even applies to students dealing with depression that didn't get treatment till after the fact. As for ADSAS, they aren't sympathetic to numbers. Your grades are your grades. You'll just need to make a solid case in your personal statement. Unfortunately, a solid gpa is still necessary to get that first look.

What is shocking is that as a faculty member you are passing judgement before looking at the other side of the coin.

 

[Dentmancan]

Thank you everyone! The classes I took were at a community college and were taken before I knew I wanted to be a dentist, or even a college graduate for that matter (first generation college student and school was definitely not a priority in my family). From my experience with that community college, they don't want to help out with a lot. I'm going to send a few emails that go higher than then the registration and records department and see what happens. I just remembered that I did provide them with proof of my hospitalization when I needed my financial aid reinstated when I returned the following year. Hopefully they are more helpful.

Thank you again!

 

[CareerNumTwo]

What is shocking is that as a faculty member you are passing judgement before looking at the other side of the coin.

Actually, no judgement passed at all. Knowing only his side of the story, as with my students, I default towards supporting the person who asks for help/has a problem. However, I did say, "the burden of proof is on you to provide documentation." I'm all for supporting students, but if they're lying or exaggerating their condition/situation and can't back it up with paperwork, I fully support the school in not adjusting his transcript. I've actually dealt with the latter more than the former. Unfortunately.

 

[doc toothache]

Actually, no judgement passed at all. Knowing only his side of the story, as with my students, I default towards supporting the person who asks for help/has a problem. However, I did say, "the burden of proof is on you to provide documentation." I'm all for supporting students, but if they're lying or exaggerating their condition/situation and can't back it up with paperwork, I fully support the school in not adjusting his transcript. I've actually dealt with the latter more than the former. Unfortunately.

Looks like the comment vanished in thin air.

 

[Dentmancan]

Actually, no judgement passed at all. Knowing only his side of the story, as with my students, I default towards supporting the person who asks for help/has a problem. However, I did say, "the burden of proof is on you to provide documentation." I'm all for supporting students, but if they're lying or exaggerating their condition/situation and can't back it up with paperwork, I fully support the school in not adjusting his transcript. I've actually dealt with the latter more than the former. Unfortunately.

That's really unfortunate that people do such things. It really makes it hard for people like me to get help. It's probably why the community college I attended keeps blowing me off. I mean I can't even get to the point where I show my proof of hospitalization! I'd just send it out to everyone I've emailed at registration and records if it didn't contain semi sensitive information. Ugh... people really know who to ruin it for others. Anyways, thank you! Also, I completely understood what you meant by providing documentation. I'm fully ready to send off my hospital papers once I get the okay! I think the main issue at this point is because I waited so long, however, when I returned the following year I was told it was a lost cause and didn't know how the ADEA worked quite yet (I just figured grades were replaced after being retaken since that's how it worked at the university I transferred to). I'm definitely going to fight that CC a little harder now that I know it is most likely possible for them to do such things. I just emailed the dean of student affairs, so I will let you know how it goes.

 

[doc toothache]

Let's blame others for our own miscalculations.

 

[Dentmancan]

Let's blame others for our own miscalculations.

Let me get this straight... It says you're a dentist and you joined in 2006, which puts you at a minimum of 28 years old (but I'm guessing older)... and you're telling me that you've found time in your adult life to troll the internet in the middle of the day on a Tuesday (assuming you're on the west coast). If you're on the east coast then I'm going to assume you're spending your evenings trolling the internet leaving semi-insulting and extremely unhelpful comments on student doctor network which is a pretty sad use of your time. Sorry life's been so cruel to you.

 

[cacazor]

Let me get this straight... It says you're a dentist and you joined in 2006, which puts you at a minimum of 28 years old (but I'm guessing older)... and you're telling me that you've found time in your adult life to troll the internet in the middle of the day on a Tuesday (assuming you're on the west coast). If you're on the east coast then I'm going to assume you're spending your evenings trolling the internet leaving semi-insulting and extremely unhelpful comments on student doctor network which is a pretty sad use of your time. Sorry life's been so cruel to you.

28 eh

I think your estimate of doc's age will be more accurate if you flipped that number into 82.

 

[doc toothache]

A sleuth in the making.