If i Have F and W on my transcript?

[GFT]

what should i do to explain them?
will medical schools think me as a less-competitive student?
i am very very very very worried...
i beg for everyone's inpt on this....

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[callie]

At OSU-COM they didn't have my grades but did have my W and asked about it. Anyway, I didn't get in last year, trying again, and for my interview at KCUMB this year my advisor said not to mention it unless they ask about it or something related to it. Good luck and I'm interested in what others have to say as well.

 

[DubZteR]

what should i do to explain them?
will medical schools think me as a less-competitive student?
i am very very very very worried...
i beg for everyone's inpt on this....

If you have an F .. retake the course and do well. A good mark will speak for itself. As for the W .. I'm not sure what that stands for (maybe .. withdrawal)?

In general it is not a feasible idea to bring up things like bad marks in your apps. The only exception would be if you get specifically asked about it during an interview.

Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about your F. I have one as well on my transcript and I haven't even been asked about it at my interviews yet.

Good Luck

 

[smc927]

I had one F, from back in '97. Some media class I think. Never retook it. Didn't need to.

I also have a "W" from withdrawing from a chemistry lab course.

I also have a C in a chemistry class. Other than that all A's and some B's. KCOM asked about the C. What to tell them? The truth. If you just procrastinated, say so and then explain the lesson learned. Didn't get the material, too tought? Perhaps you should retake it. Your MCAT has some weight in demonstrating if you "got it" or not.

Nobody mentioned my F or the W. And I was accepted - Class of 2009.

 

[OnMyWayThere]

I have many of both and got love from many schools... but I made up for it with returning to school 2 years ago and maintaining straight A's. If it's a thing of the past, they look past it (I applied DO).

 

[GFT]

thank you for all input but i need, seriously, more suggetions for constructive guidelines....

 

[2tall]

thank you for all input but i need, seriously, more suggetions for constructive guidelines....

The W is probably not a big deal. If the F and the W were for the same course, then maybe it's something they'll pause for.

When did you take these courses? Did you ever retake them? Were they science courses?

 

[2tall]

I think the constructive guidelines were to do better next time.

 

[GFT]

W is a process problem...
F is a cell biology, and i have retook it with B+//A-

 

[2tall]

I don't know what a process problem is...

Cell Bio...As you can see from the above post, this is a commom occurence. So first, stop freakin' out. One F will not come deter your future career in medicine. Let's look at it from the adcom's perspective. An F says...does it mean you're not very bright? Obviously it does NOT, since you retook the class and did much better. Did you lack a basic science foundation to succeed in the class the first time? Were you not disciplined at the time? How did you do in your other classes that semester? Is this your only F? Is is an aberration? Did something happen in your home life?

Bad grades will not keep you from getting an interview. I can testify to that. Whether you have a stellar GPA, eloquent letters of rec, and a low MCAT OR did a bad job the first time you took cell bio...interviews can overcome. Excuses won't be of any value to you. Thoughtful explanations...what you did to correct those mistakes...that's what they want/need to hear.

And like some of the previous posters mentioned...you may not have to discuss your grades.

 

[MrTee]

One W and an F that you re-took will have very little effect on your app as long as you have shown improvement and have a decent mcat. I have an F that was retaken to a C, and more than a couple other C's on my transcript, and it hasn't even been brought up in any of my interviews so far...and I've gotten an acceptance at an MD school.

 

[Baditude]

I had an F and retook the class and did well I also had a couple C's in non-science classes. I was asked about them and I told the truth that I was really having a bad year due to some family issues. I was accepted at 2 DO schools but ultimately chose to attend AUC in the Caribbean to get the MD degree over a DO degree.