Failing a class

[disneyprincess]

We all know how competitive vet school admissions are. I was wondering if anyone who has been accepted to a vet school failed and had to repeat any of their classes. If so, how do you think that figured into the application process. The reason I am asking is that my father had a heart attack in June and has had several set-backs health wise since then, and I have had trouble managing my course load with trying to help him all the way in California. I ended up failing Calculus last semester, and I am barely passing a management class for my BA this semester🙁. I am really hoping that I have not ruined my chances of getting into a good school.

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[twelvetigers]

This is where the explanation section on the VMCAS application comes into play. You can explain that, because of these extenuating circumstances, your grades suffered. However, you still need to retake the class that you failed. The management class is less important than the pre-req, but you should still try not to fail it. If you think you will, DROP IT. NOW. Th thing about a GPA is... it goes down with one blow and then takes forever to recover. It's not worth the damage. If you feel like you can't handle the courseload right now, then take a break. I'm fairly vertain that admissions would rather see a break than a massive drop in grades, no matter what the circumstances.

I hope your father is doing well... good luck with everything and don't let it overwhelm you. 🙂

 

[littlecaitling]

Yeah, I've been in your situation too. In freshman year I got really sick and ended up having to be hospitalized. Because of that I ended up having more absences than my freshman writing teacher allowed, plus I missed a due date for a major paper in that class. I ended up with a D in that class, and now no matter how hard I work I'm still struggling to get my GPA to an acceptable level. I also had to drop Orgo II last semester because my father was diagnosed with cancer and he too was out in California at the time and needed someone to go across the country to take care of him.

So I would have to agree with twelvetigers and tell you to drop any classes you think might hurt your GPA. I'm glad that I dropped the orgo class, even though I'll need to retake it for my chem minor. My GPA is going to be a weak point for me when applying to schools because of that stupid freshman writing course; I'm counting on my science GPA and all the other factors that go into apps to make up for the GPA.

 

[RockStarKDub]

We all know how competitive vet school admissions are. I was wondering if anyone who has been accepted to a vet school failed and had to repeat any of their classes. If so, how do you think that figured into the application process. The reason I am asking is that my father had a heart attack in June and has had several set-backs health wise since then, and I have had trouble managing my course load with trying to help him all the way in California. I ended up failing Calculus last semester, and I am barely passing a management class for my BA this semester🙁. I am really hoping that I have not ruined my chances of getting into a good school.

Use the explanation statement, and also discuss it in your interviews. You have a legitimate reason, most vet schools will be understanding. I failed out of 2 different colleges due to extenuating circumstances, took 6 years off and turned my life around, and wrote and talked about my failures openly and honestly on my VMCAS and in interviews. I was interviewed at 4 schools (of 7 total applications) of which I was accepted to 2 (both OOS) and waitlisted at a third. The only school that rejected me from interview was my IS! So there is plenty of hope for you 😀

 

[Electrophile]

I had a rough sophomore year, as my grandmother (who I was very close to) had lymphoma and died in late December of that year. My grandfather (her husband) almost died of stomach cancer right around then. We had final family photos during Thanksgiving of that year because we thought we would lose them both. My grandfather ended up on a drug that ended up saving him. But suffice it to say, that screwed up my tests for finals for fall semester and the first test or two for spring semester. I ended up with a C in organic I, a C- in organic II, and a C in cell biology (which I took the same semester as organic II, bad idea!!). I lost my big scholarship for falling under a 3.0 and ended up switching out of pre-med for that. I eventually did fine and managed a 3.3ish GPA by the end of undergrad. They did ask me about it during my interview for vet school (but not grad school). I explained what happened and they nodded in understanding and I did end up getting into both vet and grad school. But you'll definitely want to retake what they will let you retake.

 

[BruceCaboose]

I got a D my first go round in gen chem for no reason other than poor time management as a freshman. I retook it over the summer and made A's both semesters. I also did really well in all my upper level chem classes. I explained on my application that I made a bad decision to get a job and join a sports team while balancing a difficult course load. I got rejected at a bunch of out of state schools but my IS accepted me. There is hope!

 

[pressmom]

Withdraw, withdraw, withdraw! I withdrew from several classes for medical reasons early in my college career. I used my explanation statement to address everything I had done to recover, and I feel I would have had a lot harder road if I had gotten bad grades in those courses rather than withdraws. GPA is such an early cut for so many schools that I really is better to explain a W than recover from a D/F.

Good luck!!

 

[lailanni]

I had to withdraw from my first quarter of physics in the 7th week - I'm pretty sure if I would have stayed in the class I would have gotten a C at best.

I had just changed my mind to go into vet med, it was the first science-y class I had taken in years - I also had never, ever taken physics before. I was quite lost and it sucked.

So I dropped it, took it later, got a B. I got into 2 schools and waitlisted at 1 (I only applied to 4) so it worked out just fine.

PLEASE NOTE: you'll want to look into a Hardship Withdraw. If you have a good valid reason, and it sounds like you do, they'll grant you one of those and they're looked upon much more favorably than regular withrdraws.

 

[rachroo]

PLEASE NOTE: you'll want to look into a Hardship Withdraw.

What is that?!

I'm kind of bummed...when I was a freshman at my university we were allowed to drop up till the day before the final. Then starting my sophmore year they adopted a new policy that only allows you to withdraw after the first few weeks (I can't remember for sure but ~ one-1.5 months into the the semester). Usually you haven't even had your first test yet, so sometimes it's hard to know if you should drop of not. I sure wish that I had the option of dropping some classes the past few years!!!

 

[RazorDoc2010]

I withdrew from a class and retook it and it was never brought up by any of the 7 schools I applied to. Freakin' electric circuits and machines...

 

[wi girl]

That sounds suspiciously like physics II ...... The only class I was ever worried I would have to take again.

 

[Truth74]

Be happy you can withdraw, and just do it!

My freshman year, I was having a rough time of things being on my own for the first time in my life.
The school had a policy (at that time)that you had to get each teachers signature on a form in order to withdraw from a course, or the teacher had to withdraw you.
Unfortunately, two of my instructors were ***es, didn't sign my form, and didn't withdraw me when I asked them to.

Needless to say, I've been working to overcome one bad semester for the rest of my life. Now, people don't even have to talk to the instructor. You select withdraw, press the button and you're done.

You lucky, lucky people.

 

[twelvetigers]

My university has a set of dates. One, usually about a week or so in, lets you drop the course completely with a full refund. A week or two after that is a deadline for dropping with 50% refund. Then, about a month away from finals, there's a deadline for dropping the course with a "W". (and no refund) After that, you'd have to have some pretty crazy excuse and some signatures to get out of anything. Overall, I think OKSU is fairly lenient and I appreciate that.

 

[lailanni]

What is that?!

I'm kind of bummed...when I was a freshman at my university we were allowed to drop up till the day before the final. Then starting my sophmore year they adopted a new policy that only allows you to withdraw after the first few weeks (I can't remember for sure but ~ one-1.5 months into the the semester). Usually you haven't even had your first test yet, so sometimes it's hard to know if you should drop of not. I sure wish that I had the option of dropping some classes the past few years!!!

From my school's website, I know all schools are different though....

Hardship Withdrawl
You may petition the Registrar for a hardship withdrawal if the following apply: 1) you are unable to complete the course in question because of a physical and/or mental debilitation, or 2) unusual or extenuating circumstances beyond your control prevented you from dropping the course by the drop deadline (the last day to drop an individual course for the quarter).

Pretty much if something really bad happens to you (getting really sick, death of a family member, etc) then you can drop the class due to hardship and it will not negatively affect your transcript.

 

[rachroo]

Do you know if this applies to classes taken in the past?

I had one semester in particular a year ago where I had to deal with 2 family deaths and my parents divorce on top of a few other things. This all occured during one semester while taking Biochem, Physiolgy, Calculus, and an upper level Latin course. To say the least, my grades really suffered, causing a dent in my GPA that's still there 🙁

 

[clawsbeatskin]

Hmmm, let's see...I gathered a number of F's in Chem I, Calculus, Physics II, it goes on and on. It was all during freshman and sophomore years...I refer to that period as the "lost years" 🙄.

I'm not saying that of course you can fail classes and have no problem getting into vet school. But I'm also not going to say it's impossible, because I got in on my second try.

 

[disneyprincess]

I tried to withdraw from the class that I am in danger of failing, and I missed the withdraw deadline. Office closed at noon that day and I got there at two.
I tried calling and explaining the situation and the school has been very unhelpful. I was told by one adviser that there is a possibility of an appeal, which I will be looking into tomorrow. I have not heard of a hardship withdrawal I will have to look into that. They won't even let me take an incomplete because I missed a test. My school seems to have no flexibility at all.😡

Thanks to all that have responded, I am really stressing out. Just what I need with all the other stress I am under.

 

[pressmom]

I tried to withdraw from the class that I am in danger of failing, and I missed the withdraw deadline. Office closed at noon that day and I got there at two.
I tried calling and explaining the situation and the school has been very unhelpful. I was told by one adviser that there is a possibility of an appeal, which I will be looking into tomorrow. I have not heard of a hardship withdrawal I will have to look into that. They won't even let me take an incomplete because I missed a test. My school seems to have no flexibility at all.😡

Thanks to all that have responded, I am really stressing out. Just what I need with all the other stress I am under.

Usually if you can get the professor and the dean to sign off on a withdraw, you can do it after the deadline. It's been that way at all the schools I've gone to. Just get a letter typed up explaining your situation, so you remember everything you want them to know, and had it to each person you need to get to sign off on it.

 

[lailanni]

Do you know if this applies to classes taken in the past?

I had one semester in particular a year ago where I had to deal with 2 family deaths and my parents divorce on top of a few other things. This all occured during one semester while taking Biochem, Physiolgy, Calculus, and an upper level Latin course. To say the least, my grades really suffered, causing a dent in my GPA that's still there 🙁

At my school it can apply to classes in a previous quarter (all schools are different though)

You just need the appropriate documentation, and they suggest you get the paperwork done sooner rather than later. Hope it works out for you!

 

[erinasky]

I wanted to thank everyone who took the time to post their thoughts and helpful advice to this forum. I am new to this, a current vet student told me about it, and it has really kept me sane. I am a transfer student and this is my first semester at a University. I was completely unprepared and I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. I was taking 14 credits, had two part time jobs a husband and a dog and a household to take care of. I was overloaded. Because of this I have had to drop trigonometry and chemistry. It is really quite embarrassing, I have been on the deans list and have made straight A's throughout my college career so far, so I was devastated when I continued to fail these tests.
Because of the advice on here I have decided to cut back and re-take these classes next year. I though about just hunkering down and getting through it but I would be absolutely crushed if I failed, and of course my GPA would suffer as well.
Thank you again for your incite, the few people I have told about this have questioned my ability to continue my path towards vet school, and that really pisses me off. I am glad that there is a place where I can go to get the support that I need : )