I got a W. The end?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

the duck

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Messages
884
Reaction score
3
I just got my 2nd stats test back, and I got an F, the first test was a C. For obvious reasons I dropped the class. However, because of the date I received a W on my transcript. I'm going to community college right now, and this is my first year. Besides the W I Should have a 4.0 by the end of this year with a few hours of er volunteering...no research, or leadership....but I know things are going to get significantly harder once I transfer to UCLA. Will this W be frowned upon by ADCOMS? Should I even bother continuing with being pre-med since I'll have this W AND no real extra-curriculars after this year? Help please...
 
Can't you retake the course?
 
No, one W is not going to bring the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Work on the other stuff-- your volunteering and ECs and not failing stats again, though.
 
I just got my 2nd stats test back, and I got an F, the first test was a C. For obvious reasons I dropped the class. However, because of the date I received a W on my transcript. I'm going to community college right now, and this is my first year. Besides the W I Should have a 4.0 by the end of this year with a few hours of er volunteering...no research, or leadership....but I know things are going to get significantly harder once I transfer to UCLA. Will this W be frowned upon by ADCOMS? Should I even bother continuing with being pre-med since I'll have this W AND no real extra-curriculars after this year? Help please...

If you look around a bit or use the search function, you'll find several threads recently about how many Ws is too many. One W won't hurt you. Start on your ECs. And don't be so quick to throw away your career, you're going to need more resolve than that.
 
You'll be fine. A bit premature to be throwing in the towel. Like Ok2Panic said, one W is not going to end you.
 
I'd be more worried about the reason for the W than the consequences.
 
The reason is way more important.

I had 4 Ws on my transcript, I didn't even think about it...

I received 4 interview invites from 9 places I applied to. Got into my top choice... and my GPA was an extremely mediocre 3.65, 36Q MCAT.

It's not the end of the world, seriously. Stop being a flusie pre-med.😉
 
Last edited:
I'd be more worried about the reason for the W than the consequences.

He/She was busy saving (insert historically significant artifact here) from the Nazis. Or if you want to be more politically correct and ruin everything, the Soviets.
 
Last edited:
I think the reason is that up until this point, I've been blessed with really good math teachers, so when I got an extremely lousy one (all my classmates agree she is horrible, not just my bias) I wasn't so sure how to teach it to myself. Secondly the class was at 7am and I have pneumonia...I generally consider myself quite good at math, so I'm not overly worried about my ability to get an A the second time around.

Glad to hear its not completely the end of the world. Thanks guys!
 
1) I don't think you'll ever make it to attending if you worry yourself to death. Technically speaking you can't pass your boards if you are dead, and residency directors do frown on admitting corpses to their programs.

2) If you ever have a really awful teacher, see if there's anyone you know who'd be willing to help you out with your class when you're stuck on something.
 
He/She was busy saving (insert historically significant artifact here) from the Nazis. Or if you want to be more politically correct and ruin everything, the Soviets.

👍 Yeah, Marcus, I absolutely love your name and avatar! I enjoy seeing your posts if for no other reason than your name and picture!

OP, seriously, you are going to have an infarct before your 21, wooosaaa. Say it with me, wwhhhhooooooossssaaaaaahhhhhh.

Ok, calm down and dont be so quick to have the sky fall in on you. I had two "dubbyas" on my script, and they were the same class (english lit)! lol Of course I had an explanation (online course with severe internet issues and then schedule issues) and retook it for an A, but was only ever even asked about it once and that was an interview for a Caribbean school :shrug: 😀
 
And hey if it makes you feel better I actually failed one of my classes...then retook it and got a C....and I never even got asked about them in my interview! All I said in my ps was that I failed it and realized it wasn't the end of the world so I pursued!
 
Wow. Thanks guys, I'm really glad to hear that you guys think there is still hope for me( though I am not sure if I believe you)...😳

I guess you'll be hearing from me again when I get my first B! 😎
 
Wow. Thanks guys, I'm really glad to hear that you guys think there is still hope for me( though I am not sure if I believe you)...😳

I guess you'll be hearing from me again when I get my first B! 😎

Or when you have a stroke because you're too high strung...
 
deleted
And hey if it makes you feel better I actually failed one of my classes...then retook it and got a C....and I never even got asked about them in my interview! All I said in my ps was that I failed it and realized it wasn't the end of the world so I pursued!
 
Last edited:
Do I have to address my three Ws on my PS? its over a span of six academic years/150 undergraduate credits. The first two Ws were on general study, I retook each and made two As, the reason was not of failing grades, mainly because of schedule conflict and such.
The most recent W is from this semester, a biology research class. I've asked on "my chance", was advised no biggie, because I had research experience in the lab, probably more than anyone sitting in that same classroom, also research course done on my first undergraduate major.
I just had too much going on right now. Also I have no plan to tretake that class and make an A. Does it matter?

Do I have to state all the reasons for all those three Ws?

Sorry for the distraction, to the OP, I've asked the same question a couple days ago. No worries, you'll be fine.


I wouldn't explain that in your PS, only if it is brought up at an interview. Taking time away from the "important" stuff, such as why you want to be a doctor, to state excuses for some Ws is a waste of time. It may also have you come off as a bit of a perfectionist.


As to everyone who is saying I'm going to have a heart attack/stroke, I doubt it I exercise a lot and my blood pressure is 122/80, perfectly normal. Having a nervous breakdown and ending up in a state mental hospital is a distinct possibility however( or so people tell me).
 
As to everyone who is saying I'm going to have a heart attack/stroke, I doubt it I exercise a lot and my blood pressure is 122/80, perfectly normal. Having a nervous breakdown and ending up in a state mental hospital is a distinct possibility however( or so people tell me).

What's that BP look like when you get a C and then an F I wonder?
 
What if the W is in a pre-req class?
 
One or two W's is not going to kill your chances of getting into medical school. Good luck!
 
wow, u've got no B's.. and the first W, and you're worrying abt ur chances.. huh?
i guess if u had my B's, you would die of schock
 
I think the reason is that up until this point, I've been blessed with really good math teachers, so when I got an extremely lousy one (all my classmates agree she is horrible, not just my bias) I wasn't so sure how to teach it to myself. Secondly the class was at 7am and I have pneumonia...I generally consider myself quite good at math, so I'm not overly worried about my ability to get an A the second time around.

Glad to hear its not completely the end of the world. Thanks guys!

The real reason is that you're spending way too much time on SDN.

And, seriously, pneumonia? You have a worse immune system than quarians 😉
 
The real reason is that you're spending way too much time on SDN.

And, seriously, pneumonia? You have a worse immune system than quarians 😉

I've had it 4 times...time before this, the my antibodies went rather crazy and started devouring the proteins in my cerebellum...couldn't really walk for a few months, and I was shaking like a vibrator.

No, spending way too much time on SDN is the reason I'm going to fail my chem test on Thursday, it has nothing to do with my math grade...nothing at all😉
 
I'd be worried about the fact that you got a W in a Community College course.
 
The real reason is that you're spending way too much time on SDN.

And, seriously, pneumonia? You have a worse immune system than quarians 😉

Nice Mass Effect reference.
 
I'd be worried about the fact that you got a W in a Community College course.


The hardest class I ever took was a gen chem class at community college. That sucker was harder than every single med school class.
 
badguy2.jpg


I TAUGHT YOU TO WIN. I TAUGHT YOU TO GO FOR THE "W"
 
badguy2.jpg


I TAUGHT YOU TO WIN. I TAUGHT YOU TO GO FOR THE "W"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

It's not worth playing if you can't win.

I started quacking at my boss the other day. He just stared at me blankly and walked away.
 
I had 1 W on my transcript (with a 3.7) and no one asked about it. The class wasn't required for my degree even though it was a science course and I never took the course again.

I would encourage you to take statistics again (maybe with a different prof) because you will see it again in medical school and again after school if you want to do research.
 
How would adcoms view an "audit" compared to a W?

I'm thinking about switching to audit for my anatomy class. I have a B in it currently, but I honestly don't think I can get it to an A. Getting a B will damage my GPA slightly, but at this point, I can't afford that.
 
My 1st semester I had 0 Extracurriculars. 1 W, 1 C, and a 2.92 GPA

I came back the next semester, got a 4.0

The next semester, couldn't get registered for Gen Chem 2 until after the actual registration deadline...and had TWO classes time conflicting with it...so had to drop both with W's.

The Crappy first semester and the 3 W's NEVER came up.

Do good going forward, and you'll be just fine.
 
Top