How bad does a W look vs a C+ with a good GPA?

[floatingribs]

I've been calculating my chemistry II grade and there's a strong probability I'll be getting a C+ since it's highly likely I won't do too good on the ACS final, that being said with all my other science grades inc this C+ I'd have a 3.81 sGPA and around a 3.85 cGPA.

I've heard the general advice of A>B>W>C>D>F, but given my gpa is still high would it reflect so badly if I stick with it?

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[aalamruad]

Any other W's?

 

[floatingribs]

Any other W's?

Nope

 

[aalamruad]

Freshman? Sophomore?

 

[mwsapphire]

The choice is your's , but if you're a non science major then that C+ will be a huge kick to your sGPA ( because it's calculated with fewer classes, so any one bad grade messed you up MUCH more). Your high gpa makes it so it's about the same effect either way if you're a science major ( and will therefore have more science classes to make up for this low grade)

 

[floatingribs]

Freshman? Sophomore?

sophomore

 

[mwsapphire]

One W sophomore year won't kill you, if you aren't gonna have too many BCPM classes I'd take the W. Most people who are struggling in a class mess up the final, and if you get below a C you'll have to retake anyway.

 

[floatingribs]

One W sophomore year won't kill you, if you aren't gonna have too many BCPM classes I'd take the W. Most people who are struggling in a class mess up the final, and if you get below a C you'll have to retake anyway.

Yeah I guess I'll see where I'm sitting with my last exam (which with the curve is probably a C) but that whole having to repeat a class would probably reflect far worse.

 

[mwsapphire]

Yeah I guess I'll see where I'm sitting with my last exam (which with the curve is probably a C) but that whole having to repeat a class would probably reflect far worse.

Not really. If you take a W, you repeat, it's not the repeating that looks bad. Plenty of people would argue a W>C. I W's orgo last semester because I was getting, like , a D. I have an A- now. It's always better the second time. I was soo below the average last semester ( for the first time in my life) but now I'm two SD above the average on every test/quiz. It does get better, so if you think you'll get lower than a C,you'll have to retake anyway.

 

[floatingribs]

Not really. If you take a W, you repeat, it's not the repeating that looks bad. Plenty of people would argue a W>C. I W's orgo last semester because I was getting, like , a D. I have an A- now. It's always better the second time. I was soo below the average last semester ( for the first time in my life) but now I'm two SD above the average on every test/quiz. It does get better, so if you think you'll get lower than a C, you'll have to retake anyway.

I meant in the sense of getting a D and then having to take the class again, but having my gpa avg in the 2 scores (in my university there's grade replacement for F's but not with D's which seems like it's punishing people for doing slightly better).
Just not sure if I should risk it because I probably will end up with a C+, so not sure if I should take the W and repeat in the summer. But thanks it gave me a lot more more info to take into consideration when making the decision tomorrow lol.

 

[mwsapphire]

You never said what major.
And I think my A- in Orgo is impressive enough that AdCommitee members aren't gonna say " OMG. She's withdrew from orgo. She clearly isnt med school material. "

 

[aalamruad]

sophomore

When I was in a similar position, I took the W. I don't know if it was the right decision, but I'm glad I did it, and I made sure it was the first and last time I had something on my transcript that I wasn't proud of.

Whether you take the W or C+, you'll be completely fine if you focus on the two things that will ultimately matter:
1) kick that class's ass if you retake it
2) don't let yourself get into this position for the rest of your college career

Good luck!

 

[mwsapphire]

When I was in a similar position, I took the W. I don't know if it was the right decision, but I'm glad I did it, and I made sure it was the first and last time I had something on my transcript that I wasn't proud of.

Whether you take the W or C+, you'll be completely fine if you focus on the two things that will ultimately matter:
1) kick that class's ass if you retake it
2) don't let yourself get into this position for the rest of your college career

Good luck!

I think up to 3 W"s indicates a pattern ( so even if OP takes a super hard class later on and W's it, they shouldnt panic, it wont kill them.)
My advisor said something like this.
just putting it out there, in case a situation like this comes up in the future and you start freaking out because you think 2W's is way worse than 1, according my pre med advisor ( and he isn't bad) it's about the same.

 

[aalamruad]

I think up to 3 W"s indicates a pattern ( so even if OP takes a super hard class later on and W's it, they shouldnt panic, it wont kill them.)
My advisor said something like this.
just putting it out there, in case a situation like this comes up in the future and you start freaking out because you think 2W's is way worse than 1, according my pre med advisor ( and he isn't bad) it's about the same.

The bigger issue wouldn't be the second W in and of itself, but the fact that you didn't sufficiently learn how to prevent mediocrity after your first mistake. It's not that another W would sink OP's app, and it might not even hurt at all, but it could indicate that s/he has a flawed system for correcting obvious problems that s/he has previously run into, which isn't a good sign. That said, OP seems bright and I doubt s/he'll fail to prevent this kind of mistake going forward.