Should I take a W in Orgo or stick it out?

[ninidia]

Hi,
I'm hoping someone can help me make a decision on this. I'm currently working on my MPH and trying to complete pre-med requirements. My science GPA is ~3.4ish. I have 3 more prereqs to complete excluding Orgo 1 which I'm in.
I'm currently at a B to B+ in the class and the material is only getting more intense (Virtual Orgo with minimal office hours is tough). In addition to a full graduate school course load and a 10hr a week practicum, I am currently working 40+ hours a week and cannot afford to work less. I know I could get an A in this class if I just had more time to study.
Should I take a W and take it in a different semester when I am not so busy? I graduate in May so I can take my prereqs with limited distraction after. Or should I stick it out and potentially get a B or lower? I'm worried about my science gpa getting worse.

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[KnightDoc]

Hi,
I'm hoping someone can help me make a decision on this. I'm currently working on my MPH and trying to complete pre-med requirements. My science GPA is ~3.4ish. I have 3 more prereqs to complete excluding Orgo 1 which I'm in.
I'm currently at a B to B+ in the class and the material is only getting more intense (Virtual Orgo with minimal office hours is tough). In addition to a full graduate school course load and a 10hr a week practicum, I am currently working 40+ hours a week and cannot afford to work less. I know I could get an A in this class if I just had more time to study.
Should I take a W and take it in a different semester when I am not so busy? I graduate in May so I can take my prereqs with limited distraction after. Or should I stick it out and potentially get a B or lower? I'm worried about my science gpa getting worse.

I'm not an adcom, but it's difficult to believe that the difference between an A and a B (or C) in orgo 1 is going to be the difference between success and failure. On the other hand, if you're feeling overwhelmed now, that's what the W is for, and one W in a post-bacc class isn't going to derail your future in medicine. There's no wrong decision here. Just do what feels right for you.

 

[stickgirl390]

Check out Kahn Academy on YouTube if you haven’t already.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Agree with khan academy. It’s clutch.

Also a B in orgo 1 is fine. Will not hurt you at all. Neither will a single W, but a B isn’t worth taking a W over especially since it will probably be obvious that you took the W to avoid a B or a lower grade, which isn’t a great reason.

 

[Damson]

Agreed with above. I would take a B over a W on my transcript.

 

[ninidia]

Thanks for all the responses; they made me consider other options. I have a couple of weeks to withdraw or switch to pass/no credit to take some of the pressure off. I have a quiz coming up so I'll prep as much as I can and take things from there. Definitely feel better knowing I'm not doomed whichever option I choose to take😁.

 

[KnightDoc]

Thanks for all the responses; they made me consider other options. I have a couple of weeks to withdraw or switch to pass/no credit to take some of the pressure off. I have a quiz coming up so I'll prep as much as I can and take things from there. Definitely feel better knowing I'm not doomed whichever option I choose to take😁.

Do what you feel you need to, but if I were you I'd check with schools I'm considering applying to to see how they feel about voluntary P/F grades for prereqs before I chose that option. JMHO, but I'm pretty sure there are schools that do want to see grades, especially for prereqs, since I don't think any school is mandatory P/F this semester.

 

[clumsy.md]

B >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> P/F >>>>> W

Taking a W is essentially shooting yourself in the foot. And almost every school requires a letter grade for pre-requisites (some schools are getting rid of pre-reqs altogether) so P/F won't work unless you plan to retake for a letter grade. Between all these options, the only thing that won't stand out on your application when Adcoms are reading it is a 'B'. I know many people who get into schools with B's in Ochem.

You sound very busy! Best of luck in completing your MPH.

 

[deleted1027026]

Hi,
I'm hoping someone can help me make a decision on this. I'm currently working on my MPH and trying to complete pre-med requirements. My science GPA is ~3.4ish. I have 3 more prereqs to complete excluding Orgo 1 which I'm in.
I'm currently at a B to B+ in the class and the material is only getting more intense (Virtual Orgo with minimal office hours is tough). In addition to a full graduate school course load and a 10hr a week practicum, I am currently working 40+ hours a week and cannot afford to work less. I know I could get an A in this class if I just had more time to study.
Should I take a W and take it in a different semester when I am not so busy? I graduate in May so I can take my prereqs with limited distraction after. Or should I stick it out and potentially get a B or lower? I'm worried about my science gpa getting wors

Of course an A would be ideal but I don't think a B is worth taking a W for. If you were in the C range or lower that would probably be a different story

 

[subparman]

The consensus seems to be that B > W, but I would say that the skills/understandings you develop in Orgo I will be necessary in Orgo II and the labs.
I would personally prefer to take the W and use the retake to build a super sound organic chemistry foundation. And then knock the courses out of the park (higher sGPA)!

 

[Dr. Basketball]

Of course an A would be ideal but I don't think a B is worth taking a W for. If you were in the C range or lower that would probably be a different story

^ This. But even if you do take a W and it's the only one you have on your transcript, it is not going to kill you. I had one W and it never came up in any interviews; but that's anecdotal of course. Best of luck!

 

[ninidia]

Of course an A would be ideal but I don't think a B is worth taking a W for. If you were in the C range or lower that would probably be a different story

I think my biggest dilemma stems from the final being 35% of the grade so if I can't effectively study for it, my grade could drop dramatically from a B to a C or lower if I royally tank it lol. That's why I was wondering if I should cut my losses and take a W or P/F.

 

[clumsy.md]

I think my biggest dilemma stems from the final being 35% of the grade so if I can't effectively study for it, my grade could drop dramatically from a B to a C or lower if I royally tank it lol. That's why I was wondering if I should cut my losses and take a W or P/F.

If you take a W or P/F, you'll need to retake the course anyway. So, even if you ended up with a C or lower, you would still be in the same position, where you would most likely retake for a better grade. However, you could also smash the final and end up with a B or better (and who knows, the professor might give a generous curve on the final).

If the course and time commitment are killing your mental health, consider withdrawing. There's never a good time for O Chem! But, not having to take it again would be a huge plus for you.

 

[ninidia]

If you take a W or P/F, you'll need to retake the course anyway. So, even if you ended up with a C or lower, you would still be in the same position, where you would most likely retake for a better grade. However, you could also smash the final and end up with a B or better (and who knows, the professor might give a generous curve on the final).

If the course and time commitment are killing your mental health, consider withdrawing. There's never a good time for O Chem! But, not having to take it again would be a huge plus for you.

Yeah, exactly. Considering that, I've decided to stick with it at least till after my last quiz cos I really don't want to have to retake. I have a couple of weeks and I should have a better picture by then.

 

[Mr. Nightmare]

Take the W. A W is better than a D or a failing grade.

 

[stickgirl390]

Just a heads up: orgo 2 tends to be more challenging than orgo 1, and 2 builds on the concepts learned in 1.