If I drop one of the pre-required courses...

[grettlin]

I would like to listen to your opinions or any information about dropping General Chem II course. I am taking summer school now, but I believe it has become difficult for me to earn an "A" for any chance, even "B". I am thinking to drop it, but with a "w". Will it hurt to my application or interview? For the information I get from this site, it seems it might hurt me. Could anyone please help me out for this situation? Thanks! * *

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DesiDentist]

Don't worry grettlin this site is packed full of over achievers. College is like a strategy game at times, you have to choose on what move to make. If you think you can't get at least a B in the class then drop it. A "W" does not look good, but neither does a 'D' so you can choose what way you want to go. If you get a "D" you will have to explain what happened, but if you drop then you may have to explain that too, but at least it doesn't hurt your gpa, right? And that is the main baby you want to protect from free-falling. I hope this helps.

DesiDentist

 

[Big_Poppa DDS]

I think dropping a course is worse than a D. I think it makes you look like a quitter. There were courses that I had D's in at the mid term and worked my ass off to get a B by the end - Gen Chem was one of them.

 

[ItsGavinC]

My advisor says that dropping a couple of courses and getting "W"s is *not* detrimental to the application, unless it becomes apparent that you are dropping classes left and right because you are unable to get good grades. If you drop lots of required classes, then the admissions committee is going to question your ability to handle a rigourous courseload.

Big Poppa has a point, however. If you are getting a bad grade because you aren't putting forth the effort, then dropping a class isn't going to resolve a long-term problem.

If you are sure you can't get a B grade, go ahead and drop the class. My college advisor is the president of the pre-health (med, dent, pharm, etc.) advisors in the US, and my undergrad had a 94% acceptance rate to dental schools last year -- he knows what he's talking about!

-G

 

[grettlin]

Thanks for you guys. Your suggestions give me some idea to think about it. I will keep going to see what happens after next exam.

 

[DATMATT]

If you do drop a good reason to latter state in interviews would be that the material was covered too quickly for the short summer term. Most summer courses seem to cover less (and are do-able)or plow through the material leaving your head to spin. In either case this is bad if you plan to take the DAT. If I were you I'd withdraw.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[grettlin]

Dropping a pre-required would be a hard decision, especially I can image the situation if I could stand in front of the interviewers. I think they know why I drop the course, because there is no person having high possibility to get "A" at that course and drop it. It means I get low grade.
I would like to ask how much chance would decrease if I did this? Do you ever hear from friends with "actual" case or read any material related to this question? Thanks!

 

[DMD DOC]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by grettlin:
•I would like to listen to your opinions or any information about dropping General Chem II course. I am taking summer school now, but I believe it has become difficult for me to earn an "A" for any chance, even "B". I am thinking to drop it, but with a "w". Will it hurt to my application or interview? For the information I get from this site, it seems it might hurt me. Could anyone please help me out for this situation? Thanks! * *•••••I had four "W"'s on my transcript no one questioned them at all!!! I interviewed at BU, Nova, Temple and Iowa. Maybe it was because I was in engineering and a "W" in Differential Equations or Biomedical Imaging is not that important. But I also had a W in Bio II. Don't worry too much.

 

[racemic01]

Tough question. If you're positive you would get a D or F drop the class, take it the very next semester and make sure you get an A or B. Otherwise, I'd stick it out. Are you sure you've taken into account any possible curve in the class? Luckily dropping a summer class is not as bad as dropping one during a reg semester (IMO). Nevertheless, you should have a good reason when they ask about the withdraw.