I am going to lose my mind.

[Philoguru]

I don't know what I am going to do. Five years ago I left college (French major) to travel and mainly have fun, and I am just now coming back to school. (I was living in California for those years.) I just have declared myself pre-med, and I begin school again in the spring. Here's my problem... my last semester here at school I withdrew from my classes so that I could go to Europe with some friends. I picked up my transcript in September and the whole semester is listed as F's instead of W's. My 3.66 became a 2.98. I have been fighting with the school ever since. And it seems that I have exhausted my options, too. My advisor says that it will make me more interesting when applying to school. Is he full of it or is there a small possibility that he's right (assuming I make A's from here on out...)



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[simseema17]

W's are much better than F's. At the same time, if you work your ass off and get all A's, it should look really damn impressive to the adcomm's. I would do whatever I can to get the W's...but if it doesn't work out, just do what you can right now...get all A's. You still have time to make up your GPA, and you'll have a story to tell the adcomm's...good luck to you

 

[alceria]

I think that as long as you do good in your other classes, you have a fighting chance, however this is one time when I would explain the discrepancy in your personal statement. Your whole statement shouldn't be about it, but maybe you can make some reference to your trip and mention the problem with the grades.

However, I would continue to fight this. At my school, you can get a W for a formal withdrawal and an X for an unofficial drop (which are usually given when someone stops showing up midsemester). If you filled out the right paperwork to drop the classes, then the problem is on their end, and I wouldn't sit around and let them destroy your GPA like that. Continue to complain, and speak to people higher on the totem pole. If you haven't yet, seek out your university omsbudperson and make a formal complaint, and continue to hound the people in the records dept. and academic advising. Since this only happned last semester, I suggest that you try to track down the teachers that you would have had and see if you are were even on their class list. Some of the individual departments may be able to assist you as well. Just because your advisor says it's hopeless, don't give up. Half the time they don't know what they are talking about anyway. Make an appointment with someone in charge at the recods office. I know first hand what a pain it is to get the university to straighten out your record, but I think in this case, it's definately worth the grief. Good luck.

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^v^

 

[gower]

It is YOUR responsibility to know the rules at your college for dropping courses. The rules vary, often widely, from college to college. Commonly, there is a free drop period and the transcript might not show you were even registered. After that, if you drop with permission (and there may also be a limited time period for that), W may appear on the transcript. If you just walk away the common procedure is to use F or WU (Unauthorized Withdrawal), which may be calculated as an F.

Before you go screaming and fighting it, possibily wasting time, energy, and attention to your current program, check the rules. If YOU ARE in the wrong, fighting it to the bitter end may be counterproductive.
How do you then explain the Fs? A single sentence, perhaps, in your personal statement accepting responsibilty. The essay should not focus on the negatives but on the positives. There is severely limited space for the personal comments; do not waste it on alibis, defenses and pointing fingers. THAT never sits well with the folks evaluating you from the other side of the desk.

 

[ethicsguru]

I would like to thank you all for your replies, advice and encouragement. (I am philoguru under another username, left my password at work, ha.) I thought that I might give you an update since it is GOOD news. Beth, a very nice lady in the registar's office helped me to identify the person who handled my withdrawl 5 years ago, and the second that I told my contact in the registar's office who had helped me she turned very, very pale. Apparently this person has a history of screwing things up, and has long since left the university. I have been assured that this will be taken care of, and my GPA will be reinstated at the 3.66. So thank you all for encouraging me to keep plugging away! And thank you Beth for helping me identify the lady who took my withdrawl request. I might be a doctor one day thanks to you!

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j'existe