How bad is one "W"

[woodhorse22]

Hello. THis semester I overloaded on some classes and have some time conflicts with some classes.So i am thinking of dropping my ANatomy class this semester which I will def. take next semester.. I am senior now and so far I have no "W"'s. But if I drop anatomy, a "W" will show up on my transcript. Will one "W" look really bad especially since I am dropping a major science class? The thing is that I am dropping it not because I find it hard, but because it is conflicting. WIll I be asked during the med. school interview why I dropped the class? Any opinions?

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[TSK]

I have one W on my transcript in biochem and thus far it hasn't prevented me from getting any interviews...I think that as long as your transcript isn't littered with them, which you say it isn't, you should be fine...

Hello. THis semester I overloaded on some classes and have some time conflicts with some classes.So i am thinking of dropping my ANatomy class this semester which I will def. take next semester.. I am senior now and so far I have no "W"'s. But if I drop anatomy, a "W" will show up on my transcript. Will one "W" look really bad especially since I am dropping a major science class? The thing is that I am dropping it not because I find it hard, but because it is conflicting. WIll I be asked during the med. school interview why I dropped the class? Any opinions?

 

[DoctorPardi]

I know of one MD who graduated from UAB and she had several W's. She would just withdraw from any class she didn't have an A in, even as late as a few week before finals. This is just one case, and I think she ended up being a reapplicant, but it shows that even with a few W's, they shouldn't hurt you.

I myself have a W, from my first semester in college. I hardly think about it, so you shouldn't either.

 

[DE12MD]

Hello. THis semester I overloaded on some classes and have some time conflicts with some classes.So i am thinking of dropping my ANatomy class this semester which I will def. take next semester.. I am senior now and so far I have no "W"'s. But if I drop anatomy, a "W" will show up on my transcript. Will one "W" look really bad especially since I am dropping a major science class? The thing is that I am dropping it not because I find it hard, but because it is conflicting. WIll I be asked during the med. school interview why I dropped the class? Any opinions?

I have one W and I actually asked my pre-med advisor that same question and he said not to worry about it unless it was a whole semester of Ws or you have a bunch of Ws on your transcript. So one W def will not look bad.

 

[LabMonster]

You may be asked, you should reply. Don't repeat, make good on your error. Above all, man, don't worry about it.

Everyone screws up.

 

[KornKobs]

Yea, you shouldn't worry about one W. You can probably explain it in the interview if it's really bothering you. Heck, I'm gonna have to explain my 5+ W's and why I failed all my classes in one semester (stopped going obv.). There was a lot that contributed to my bad first year..but I'm at a new school now and grades have improved, and I have a roof over my head. So..don't worry about it!!

 

[UMP]

probably not as bad as the 5 I have on my transcript

 

[Caristra]

I've got one W for calc 2 and it doesn't seem to be hurting me yet. At the time I got the W I asked several advisors about it and they all said that it was fine.

Just be prepared to explain why you opted to go the W route if it comes up in interview. In my case I get to say that a really great opportunity came up that was once in a lifetime and meant that I could not complete the class. It's a nice conversation starter. In your case you can explain about the time conflicts and how you plan to take it next semester which could lead you to discuss your next semesters goals...

 

[leahmaria]

I have one W on my transcript in biochem and thus far it hasn't prevented me from getting any interviews...I think that as long as your transcript isn't littered with them, which you say it isn't, you should be fine...

Same here...i took biochem the following year and I did very well. I think taking the class and showing that I could do it is good.

 

[abraxas20]

I had a couple Ws....and two Ds and an E (we have E instead of F) and I got in early decision in state. So it can be done (3.3 undergrad, 3.8 grad school, 29S MCAT)!!!

Don't quit!!!!

S
UKCOM 2009

 

[Medikit]

I had two semesters worth of W's, people were more concerned with the single D I got freshman year than all of the W's COMBINED. Still got into medical school.

 

[snowkhat]

7 W's=5 interviews so far.

I retook all classes, generally, with an A. And I was working 40+ hours. But just goes to show that they could care less. No one has even asked about them.

 

[63768]

you're taking the course next semester so it's not like you're dropping it and never taking it again. and you can always explain this in interviews or update letters if it comes up. i think it's a commonplace occurrence, so no worries.

 

[TX515]

No, it is not a problem. It probably will not even come up in the interview. I had 3 Ws, retook all of them and made good grades, accepted into medical school.

 

[KIGY]

only hopkins ad coms cares about w's i havent heard that anyone else does.....so since that schyool is out of your league you should be "A" ok...