What's the big deal with grades of W?

[Russell7]

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I was thinking of dropping my civil engineering class since I'm switching out of engineering, into science, and this course is going to really lower my GPA, so I phoned today to the medical admissions at my University, and she said that the admissions couldn't care less if you have grades of W, as long as you meet your degree requirements and have a full courseload. Apparently she says that most grades of W occur when someone barely misses the add/drop deadline that is like 10 days after classes start, so it's a non-issue.

So why do people make such a big deal about it? Do some med schools really care about it, or what?

 

[Sondra]

i don't know what the big deal is about W's either. I certainly had plenty on my transcript for varying reasons.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

A W in a class could mean that you were flunking the class (or had no chance of getting anything above a C), and you withdrew from the class to hide that fact. I don't think adcoms will care that much unless the withdrawal is in one of the prereq classes (Orgo, physics, chem, etc) or unless you make a habit of doing it.

 

[szhao]

yea i don't think Ws are that bad unless they are like a great percentage of your transcript.

 

[wolfram241]

At this point I doubt you can drop with a W. Perhaps WF or F, but probably not W. I'd check that out.

 

[NonTradMed]

They care if they see a lot of it, and/or they think you did it because you were failing out of a class.

 

[maygrl110]

If you have more than a few...schools would worry about grade manipulation or that you were incompetent in important courses. This is so not always the case, though...but having four W's like I did may throw up some red flags to some schools. However, I really wouldn't worry about having one...especially if you were switching majors. I never even got asked about mine...so you will be fine! Just don't make it too much of a habit...that's all.

 

[Russell7]

At this point I doubt you can drop with a W. Perhaps WF or F, but probably not W. I'd check that out.

My midterm got postponed 2 weeks, and they are taking forever to mark it, so the registrar at my University is making an exception for me, regarding the drop deadline. I get my exam back tomorrow!

 

[Russell7]

If you have more than a few...schools would worry about grade manipulation or that you were incompetent in important courses. This is so not always the case, though...but having four W's like I did may throw up some red flags to some schools. However, I really wouldn't worry about having one...especially if you were switching majors. I never even got asked about mine...so you will be fine! Just don't make it too much of a habit...that's all.

It'll actually be my second W, but I have a very good reason for my first one. I was switching faculties (into engineering, last year, lol), and I needed room for a pre-req (linear algebra) class in the 2nd semester, or I'd have to take summer school, completely ruining my summer plans; so I dropped a full year course (english, which is not a prereq for further courses) in order to free up some space. Apparently this is a non issue as well. But I won't do it anymore, promise. In fact, if I did well on this midterm (better than expected), I'll stay in the course. I have a 3.91 GPA, and I really don't want a B lowering that.

I was pressured into engineering, despite knowing that I wouldn't like it. I was told to "give it a chance," by my parents. I hate it, and I can't wait for the end of the semester. I'm following my own career ambitions now.

 

[Russell7]

A W in a class could mean that you were flunking the class (or had no chance of getting anything above a C), and you withdrew from the class to hide that fact. I don't think adcoms will care that much unless the withdrawal is in one of the prereq classes (Orgo, physics, chem, etc) or unless you make a habit of doing it.

I've demonstrated a very high level of aptitude in all areas... including math and physics. This is a CivE course, which is comparable to that (moreso applied math and theory). I'm blaming my poor performance based on the fact that the dinguses scheduled 4 assignments and 1 lab due the night before the midterm. I ended up pulling 2 all nighters in a row, and honestly couldn't think during my exam (nor did my studying help any when I was that tired).

 

[Russell7]

Got my exam back. To my surprise, I'm sitting on an A- (lmao). Guess I'll stay in the class... hahaha.

 

[R-35]

Don't worry about it, I went to various interviews, my W didn't come up in any of them. W is >>>>>>>> than a bad grade. Good luck

 

[wolfram241]

In fact, if I did well on this midterm (better than expected), I'll stay in the course. I have a 3.91 GPA, and I really don't want a B lowering that.

This is moot now that your long national nightmare is over, but in the future, please don't take a W over a B. Only take W's over F's, D's, and C's, under certain circumstances. B is >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> than a W.

 

[Russell7]

If I went to school in the states, I wouldn't worry about getting a B either. Up here in Canada, there's no such thing as getting into med school with a 3.6 GPA. To be competitive you need about a 3.8 (edit: or a lot of the times better) at pretty much every med school. If you consider than in a 5 course semester, one person gets 1 B, and the BEST he can do that semester is a 3.8 (assuming all of his other classes were A's). I really can't afford to get anything less than an A- right now.

If my University med admissions said that a W is a complete non-issue, why should I take a B over a W?