Will this hurt my transcript?? Please help!

[rphfan2009]

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I was taking my Chemistry I and II (plus with labs) this summer at a local university and withdrew from both. I withdrew for these reasons:

1. I was getting a "C" and knew it wasn't good enough for a pharmacy school application (lets face it, you need "A's" and "B's" to be competitive)

2. I didn't feel like I was absorbing the information properly--the classes were 4 weeks each (compared to a normal 16 week semester). They were trying to cover 9 months of chemistry in a 8 week span.

I regret signing up for them and I am glad that I am out--I am going to take them during the normal Fall and Spring semesters. A couple of friends of mine called taking science classes during the summer, "science suicide" and I agree with them now. Chem I and Chem I Lab are now listed as "W's" on my official transcript--will this hurt my application down the road?? Thanks in advance.

 

[FuturePharmist]

How were you taking both gen chem 1 and 2 at the same time? People talk about this all the time on the boards and I wonder why schools let them do this. Anyways....

Mention in your application about how you feel the 4 week sessions weren't sufficient at teaching you the material or something. Then do well in them the second time around and it shouldnt be an issue

 

[rphfan2009]

How were you taking both gen chem 1 and 2 at the same time? People talk about this all the time on the boards and I wonder why schools let them do this. Anyways....

Mention in your application about how you feel the 4 week sessions weren't sufficient at teaching you the material or something. Then do well in them the second time around and it shouldnt be an issue

Chem 1 was first session and then Chem 2 was second session. I wasn't taking both at the same time--Thank god!

 

[atticus27]

Chem 1 was first session and then Chem 2 was second session. I wasn't taking both at the same time--Thank god!

How did you take Chem 2 if you withdrew from Chem 1?

 

[rphfan2009]

How did you take Chem 2 if you withdrew from Chem 1?

I was registered for Chem 1 and 2. I withdrew from Chem 1 and then dropped Chem 2--Chem 2 hasn't even started yet--plus, I couldn't take Chem 2 because I left my Chem 1 class. See what I mean?

 

[atticus27]

See what I mean?

Yep. Dropping those classes won't do any real damage, just avoid a followup act. The real question is "How strong are you academically?" Pharm school is 18-22 credit hours of hardcore science so you may need to prove to the adcoms and especially yourself that you can eat shizza and come out on top when the going gets tough.

 

[busyizzy]

Yep. Dropping those classes won't do any real damage, just avoid a followup act. The real question is "How strong are you academically?" Pharm school is 18-22 credit hours of hardcore science so you may need to prove to the adcoms and especially yourself that you can eat shizza and come out on top when the going gets tough.

Wrong. You don't know that for sure. We do know for sure that Ws might hurt you - they show noncommittment to what you itially committed to, a worry of an admissions committee.

in fact, people recommend getting a C over a W .... as a W indicates the assumption that you were probably failing the course and thus choose to withdraw from it instead of fail it. See why a C looks better?

As long as you don't make it a habit though, 1 or 2 Ws ar supposed to be okay...

 

[rphfan2009]

Yep. Dropping those classes won't do any real damage, just avoid a followup act. The real question is "How strong are you academically?" Pharm school is 18-22 credit hours of hardcore science so you may need to prove to the adcoms and especially yourself that you can eat shizza and come out on top when the going gets tough.

I'm also having some severe personal family issues--things are really bad at home and I think that also increased my anxiety/stress, plus this summer class on top of it.

When I go to pharm school, that stress/family problems won't be following me...luckily and I will be able to block it out.

 

[rphfan2009]

Wrong. You don't know that for sure. We do know for sure that Ws might hurt you - they show noncommittment to what you itially committed to, a worry of an admissions committee.

in fact, people recommend getting a C over a W .... as a W indicates the assumption that you were probably failing the course and thus choose to withdraw from it instead of fail it. See why a C looks better?

As long as you don't make it a habit though, 1 or 2 Ws ar supposed to be okay...

Yeah, I know that "W's" make me look non-committed. The sad part is that I was actually looking forward to my summer sessions and then things turned for the worst at home/personally...it then all went down hill from there.

Luckily, my personal drama won't be following me to pharmacy school.

 

[tommyVoltage]

How were you taking both gen chem 1 and 2 at the same time? People talk about this all the time on the boards and I wonder why schools let them do this. Anyways....

Mention in your application about how you feel the 4 week sessions weren't sufficient at teaching you the material or something. Then do well in them the second time around and it shouldnt be an issue

I took Intro to Biology 2 before I took Intro to Biology 1. For some reason that is how my university does it in the summer.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Wrong. You don't know that for sure. We do know for sure that Ws might hurt you - they show noncommittment to what you itially committed to, a worry of an admissions committee.

in fact, people recommend getting a C over a W .... as a W indicates the assumption that you were probably failing the course and thus choose to withdraw from it instead of fail it. See why a C looks better?

As long as you don't make it a habit though, 1 or 2 Ws ar supposed to be okay...

It is only one W - the other never happened - Simply removing a course from your schedule is not a W.

One or two or even three Ws really won't bother an ADCOM much - Assuming your other grades are high.

To the OP - take sometime and figure out what you did wrong - whether it was study habits, testing technique, etc. Then correct your mistakes. If you struggle with high pressure academics - that is a clear signal to stay away from 3-year accelerated programs.

Make sure to conduct your academic career with your head up - making sound decisions. You now know something that doesn't work for you.