My chances with W's

[ClickityClack]

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I have four W's for classes I dropped before I had considered dentistry as a career. I realize how bad this will seem to schools. Think there will be any hope for me, as long as I don't drop any more?

 

[burgler09]

i don't think it is too big of a deal. what classes were they? If they are worthwhile classes you should probably retake them and get a good grade, if they are useless classes just make sure you do good in your prereqs and upper division science courses like p-chem and biochem.

 

[samurai361]

sry nevermind, good advice though.

 

[Ding2daDong]

I have 5 W's and 1 D and I am not to worried. As long as you kick ass after that and prove you are improving it shouldn't be a problem. Just be prepared to answer questions about it in interviews.

-Matthew

 

[Lonely Sol]

I have 23/21/22 and a 3.3 AA and 3.4 SCi and I got rejected from Temple. I called them yesterday to ask for the reason and they said I had too many withdrawls (3) and they dont like looking at any W's. I think thats bunch of b/s if you ask me.

 

[xdianaax]

I have 23/21/22 and a 3.3 AA and 3.4 SCi and I got rejected from Temple. I called them yesterday to ask for the reason and they said I had too many withdrawls (3) and they dont like looking at any W's. I think thats bunch of b/s if you ask me.

Seriously? That really is a bunch of bull...you think that's the cover up they used because they couldn't think of anything else?

 

[crrees]

ya seriously, 3 Ws is a fine number i think, im biased tho because thats how many I have. But my Ws I retook and got a B, took a more advanced class and got a B, and retook and got an A

 

[xdianaax]

ya seriously, 3 Ws is a fine number i think, im biased tho because thats how many I have. But my Ws I retook and got a B, took a more advanced class and got a B, and retook and got an A

How are your interviews coming along?

 

[ClickityClack]

Thanks.

That sucks about Temple. There's not much I can do to get these things off my record. I wish I had known about it earlier.

I'm switching schools in the spring. I asked the girl working in the admissions office if that college transfered all of my previous grades, dropped them and started fresh, transferred only C and above, etc. I think it confused the poor soul. If this college drops the W's, then I should be okay, right?

Unless it's true what I read, that dental schools expect you to state all grades received after high school. Help?

 

[z3u2]

I'm switching schools in the spring. I asked the girl working in the admissions office if that college transfered all of my previous grades, dropped them and started fresh, transferred only C and above, etc. I think it confused the poor soul. If this college drops the W's, then I should be okay, right?

you asked ur school to drop transferred grades, start fresh, transfer courses with grades that you like?

if that can be done then no one will have a gpa less than 4.0, u sound like it's a grocery store where u can pick only the freshest ones

and yes, u need to report every courses that u've taken since high school, regardless of how many schools u attended

 

[Lonely Sol]

Seriously? That really is a bunch of bull...you think that's the cover up they used because they couldn't think of anything else?

Yea I think that was their way of saying we dont know what else to tell u besides that luck was not on ur side. It sucks balls but what can you do.

 

[ClickityClack]

Well, I didn't know, so I asked. Some colleges actually do that.
For instance: http://static.ut.edu/future/freshman/transfer.cfm

Any positive stories from people with W's?

And, also, a dumb question about predents.com. There is a disparity between the "number of applicants" and the number of people "applied". Would this be the actual number of people, versus the number of people registered with predents? Seems common sense, but just checking.

 

[xdianaax]

Well, I didn't know, so I asked. Some colleges actually do that.
For instance: http://static.ut.edu/future/freshman/transfer.cfm

Any positive stories from people with W's?

And, also, a dumb question about predents.com. There is a disparity between the "number of applicants" and the number of people "applied". Would this be the actual number of people, versus the number of people registered with predents? Seems common sense, but just checking.

What are you talking about? They only transfer grades of a "C" or better, doesn't mean that "C" disappears. Every school will pretty much say something similar to that. Unfortunately just because you don't receive credit for it on their transcript, doesn't mean it's not going to be there. Did I miss something in the text, maybe?

 

[ClickityClack]

Well, thanks for clearing it up.





Any positive stories from people with W's?

 

[xdianaax]

Well, thanks for clearing it up.





Any positive stories from people with W's?

I wish it was true, as I myself have some W's I would LOVE to get rid of.

It's not impossible though, people go through circumstances where they can't help but drop some classes (that was my scenario). It wasn't because the course load was too heavy or anything, it was simply because I had family matters to tend to. I feel that if you have more than you think is acceptable, explain them in your interview or personal statement, that's our last chance to show them who we really are, right?

Unfortunately, some schools will miss out on some GREAT applicants because they can't look past foolish things like a bad grade or a few W's, that are later on explained, and made up for. What can you do though? You keep on trucking along until someone sees you for who you are, not for that bad grade or "W". 🙂

 

[ClickityClack]

Thanks for the kind words. Truth is, mine were because of my bipolar (before I was diagnosed, and then when some of the medications were making me sick.) I read that sticky at the top of forum about the bipolar med student, but I don't think would like hearing it as a reason for W's. Or just hearing it, period.

(Does it show much that I'm worried? 😳)

I wish I could find some statistics on students that were accepted with this stupid letter in their transcripts. Maybe someone could talk to the person who runs tpredents and sway him/her into adding the option. Who knows if people would be honest enough to state it on their profile, though.

 

[xdianaax]

Thanks for the kind words. Truth is, mine were because of my bipolar (before I was diagnosed, and then when some of the medications were making me sick.) I read that sticky at the top of forum about the bipolar med student, but I don't think would like hearing it as a reason for W's. Or just hearing it, period.

(Does it show much that I'm worried? 😳)

Take it easy, it makes you a stronger person to do this battling an internal battle as well. You should be proud of yourself, I said that to our writer who wrote the article as well. What's a few W's when you've proved yourself capable of handling school and an illness? Relax, don't let it be the thing that drives you nuts, i'm sure everything will work out. Life has a funny way of giving you things when you least expect it 😉

 

[samurai361]

Yeah I'd say just calm down, have a valid reason ready when your interviews do hopefully come, nothing we can do about Ws now. Although I'm really thinking that if an applicant has a GPA of 3.9 with several Ws that were retaken, that looks better than a person with a gpa of 3.1 with no Ws. I really really think it looks better. People may tell you that Ws show you cant cope with the courseload but things just happen in life that we can't predict and cause a need to withdraw and retaking the class should show you're definitely able to do the courseload. Seriously, I talked to a 4th yr at my school today and he had stellar DAT scores, over 100 hrs of shadowing, his father is an oral surgeon teacher at UoP so he definitely knew the ins and outs of dentistry and he applied to 12 schools in mid July and hasn't received one interview yet. And what did the state school admissions officer say? Take harder classes and get As in them to boost your GPA. Obviously GPA is important. While there may be a few Ws scattered thruout the transcript, I think a stellar GPA would certainly distract them from it. So bottom line - excellent DAt and excellent GPA and let the other things take their natural course. just my .02

 

[ClickityClack]

Thanks! That's exactly what I'm hoping they will think.

 

[DentDelOriente]

I got a W in immunology, grad course. It didn't come up at all during my interviews last year. A current classmate of mine had to drop all his courses mid-semester b/c of family emergency, so his GPA is anything but stellar. However, he's smart as anyone in my class. So, someone you just have to get your ass to the interview, and from then oh, wow them with everything you got.

 

[tooth hurty]

and yes, u need to report every courses that u've taken since high school, regardless of how many schools u attended

Slightly off topic, but I was wondering about this in particular. I took calculus my sr. year of high school at the local community college, got a B in it, but didn't get either high school or college credit for it...I took calculus again in college, so I'm good on the requirement, but do I still have to send a transcript from the community college to AASDAS?

Thanks!