Withdraw from 5 credit math course?

[imadome]

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[487806]

Lol, I wasn't being sarcastic.

If you're in your first/second year, definitely withdraw. Keep your 3.9 or whatever and move on. If you're in your last year, you could go either way.

I wouldn't take a B from a class that's not required... It's 5 credits of a B (possibly lower, you never know).

A 3.9 with >1 W isn't equivalent to a 3.9 with 0 Ws.

I apologize, I am leaning towards you not being sarcastic now. However, after reading through some other threads, the consensus seems to be that even one W will be asked about and not having a good answer ready can be detrimental. I'm sure no adcom wants to hear that I am protecting my GPA.

👍

Don't even know what to think anymore, good lord.

Ignore those who are advocating you to take the W.

Use the W for the following circumstances:

1. Medical or beyond your control emergencies
2. If you're sitting on a C or lower (maybe even for a C+).

See the prereq grades in my signature (updated by a very respected member). Those who are advocating a W are just wasting your time by confusing you unnecessarily.

Thank you for reading this post before making a thread on this matter. At this point of the year, dozens of students flock to SDN to bewail their misfortune and pledge to get nothing but A's in the pre-reqs/coming semesters/whatevs. I'm here to answer your question and save us veteran posters the hassle of getting cranky over repetitive posts. If this post does not answer your question, please use the search function.

I got a C/B/A- in a pre-req.
You will live, do not retake this course and just do better on future courses.

I did bad this semester/year.
You will live, do not retake those courses and just do better on future courses.

To summarize, there is redemption from bad grades. You might have to work harder. You might have to give up a few things or change your habits. You might, frankly, not be up to the challenge. Regardless, people have survived bad grades and gone all the way to Harvard and Johns Hopkins or whatever your dream school is. It won't be as easy, but it can be done. You aren't doomed to the Carribean/PA school/McDonalds/Janitorwork/DO school or whatever your deepest dark fear is. Move on, don't forget the extra-curriculars, and keep a positive attitude about yourself and try to ignore other pre-meds. They have their own problems too even if they aren't the same as yours.

Love,

Every poster on SDN.

 

[Euxox]

wtf i'm NOT BEING SARCASTIC. i clearly stated it's a SMALL DIFFERENCE but that if you want to get into a top school then i personally would maximize my gpa. what is so ridiculous about that?

If you're not being sarcastic, I'll explain this to you very clearly: It is highly likely that at least one interviewer will ask the OP about why he took the W in that class. The interviewer will likely expect to hear a story about illness, a death in the family, parents doing through a divorce, etc. If the OP says "I took the W because I was afraid of getting a B," the interviewer will be surprised in a very bad way, and it will make the OP look immature and severely hurt his chances at the school. If the OP says anything other than "I was afraid of getting a B," then he would be lying, and hopefully I don't have to explain what is wrong with that.

Frankly, I feel like Agent B is the only other sane voice in this thread. Listen to his advice.

Anyway, OP focus on your MCAT because that is going to matter far more than getting an A or a B in this course. Best of luck.

 

[Plue00]

A 3.9 with >1 W isn't equivalent to a 3.9 with 0 Ws.



👍

I just read more of the posts. I take back my decision. Just stick with it. It seems like getting a B won't hurt your GPA too much, which probably means you're a junior or senior and have a good science gpa buffer.

yolo

 

[ReptarBar]

If you're not being sarcastic, I'll explain this to you very clearly. It is highly likely that at least one interviewer will ask the OP about why he took the W in that class. The interviewer will likely expect to hear a story about illness, a death in the family, parents doing through a divorce, etc. If the OP says "I took the W because I was afraid of getting a B," the interviewer will be surprised in a very bad way and it will make the OP look immature and severely hurt his chances at the school. If the OP says anything other than "I was afraid of getting a B," then he would be lying, and hopefully I don't have to explain what is wrong with that.

i actually disagree that it is a highly likely question...again, previous threads include posters with multiple W's and interviews who never even have it commented on. i do agree that it could happen, however, and that it would put OP in a weird position.

i'm not going to post any further because we have discussed everything. good day.

 

[487806]

i actually disagree that it is a highly likely question...again, previous threads include posters with multiple W's and interviews who never even have it commented on. i do agree that it could happen, however, and that it would put OP in a weird position.

i'm not going to post any further because we have discussed everything. good day.

It's more entertaining had you actually been serious. But anyhow it doesn't matter. Your criticism of the norm by using pseudo-rational arguments is giving false anxiety to the OP, and you're essentially wasting the time for the majority of us who are actually helping the OP resolve the problem.

 

[Euxox]

i actually disagree that it is a highly likely question...again, previous threads include posters with multiple W's and interviews who never even have it commented on. i do agree that it could happen, however, and that it would put OP in a weird position.

My opinion is that if you would be embarrassed of admitting to doing something, then you shouldn't do it in the first place. Others may disagree.

 

[ReptarBar]

It's more entertaining had you actually been serious. But anyhow it doesn't matter. Your criticism of the norm by using pseudo-rational arguments is giving false anxiety to the OP, and you're essentially wasting the time for the majority of us who are actually helping the OP resolve the problem.

you have contributed nothing to this discussion. the OP values my input from the PM's we exchanged. he is tired of hearing your optimistic point of view.

 

[ReptarBar]

my friend who got into harvard's HST program, arguably one of the most selective program of any kind in the entire nation, said his 4.0 gpa was the main reason why he got in. everyone had excellent EC's and research, but his amazing gpa just put him over the top. i just texted him and he said he wouldn't think twice about taking a W in a non-essential course to keep 0.1 gpa.

take it for what it's worth

 

[SN12357]

my friend who got into harvard's HST program, arguably one of the most selective program of any kind in the entire nation, said his 4.0 gpa was the main reason why he got in. everyone had excellent EC's and research, but his amazing gpa just put him over the top. i just texted him and he said he wouldn't think twice about taking a W in a non-essential course to keep 0.1 gpa.

take it for what it's worth

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Ok, now I believe you're being sarcastic.

Harvard's HST adcom literally gives no **** about a 4.0 vs a 3.96 vs. a 3.8. And I have that straight from the horse's mouth (read: actual adcom member).

There are two possibilities a)you're trolling, and trolling hard or b)you're staggeringly ignorant of how admissions at top schools actually works, and are passing off hearsay and comments from equally ignorant people as truth.

 

[Euxox]

my friend who got into harvard's HST program, arguably one of the most selective program of any kind in the entire nation, said his 4.0 gpa was the main reason why he got in. everyone had excellent EC's and research, but his amazing gpa just put him over the top. i just texted him and he said he wouldn't think twice about taking a W in a non-essential course to keep 0.1 gpa.

take it for what it's worth

I know someone who got into U Penn SoM with three C's. Anecdotes are not evidence upon which to draw generalizations.

Also I agree that HST couldn't care less about 3.8 vs 4.0. They will care much more about your math coursework and your research experience. That's why everyone in HST has excellent research experience. But (gasp), according to your friend, not everyone in HST has a 4.0. Hmm, maybe that means that excellent research experience is a must for HST, but not a 4.0? If a 4.0 mattered more than excellent research, then HST would be filled with people with 4.0s and so-so research.

 

[487806]

you have contributed nothing to this discussion. the OP values my input from the PM's we exchanged. he is tired of hearing your optimistic point of view.

Optimism here is being realistic, which other SDNers agreed compared to the inaccurate assertions you made, which only one other person agreed.

Saying that the OP agreed with you from behind the scenes isn't helping your case. An ordinary viewer of this thread will realize which side OP belongs to.

There are two possibilities a)you're trolling, and trolling hard or b)you're staggeringly ignorant of how admissions at top schools actually works, and are passing off hearsay and comments from equally ignorant people as truth.

Beautifully said.

 

[487806]

my friend who got into harvard's HST program, arguably one of the most selective program of any kind in the entire nation, said his 4.0 gpa was the main reason why he got in. everyone had excellent EC's and research, but his amazing gpa just put him over the top. i just texted him and he said he wouldn't think twice about taking a W in a non-essential course to keep 0.1 gpa.

take it for what it's worth

Your friend is trolling you, and you are in turn trolling us and the OP.

 

[imadome]

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[487806]

We did exchange PMs and the only part I disagreed with is the assertion that a 3.88 is equivalent to 3.96. Of course, a 3.96 is more impressive than a 3.88. 3.96 with a W versus 3.88 with no W's is debatable.

I have seen on numerous threads, however, that one W does not affect your chances at all and it is not likely to be asked about in an interview. The posters on this thread, however, seem to think the opposite.

If I had to guess how this is going to play out, it would go something like this: I decide to stick with the class because my ego is too big and I want to prove to myself that I can get an A in a clutch situation (literally need an almost perfect score on the exam). I'd then proceed to get a B and regret not taking the W.

I know a lot of people would kill for a GPA above 3.8 but I'm a natural product of greed. Those with 3.5's would love to have a 3.7, those with a 3.7 would love to have a 3.9, etc.

Did you even read the post I quoted on top of this page? Your question has been answered, and this marginal benefit of having a slight GPA increase is essentially quite low at this point. Saying you're greedy isn't helping your case.

 

[imadome]

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[487806]

Your link to pre-med grades? I did, and I know that poster to be very reliable. I'm leaning towards keeping it but it sucks to be in this position to begin with, although I have no one to blame but myself.

I'm just tired from a week+weekend of nonstop studying for this exam so calling it quits and taking a W sounds good at the moment

This exactly.

Remember, there are numerous premeds who were in the same spot like you. I felt the same way for some of my courses. But I just bit the bullet and moved on, and it feels a lot better in the long run. With your high GPA, I'd focus more on the MCAT and ECs.

 

[SN12357]

I'm just tired from a week+weekend of nonstop studying for this exam so calling it quits and taking a W sounds good at the moment

Well, that's an attitude that will take you far in medical school.

To be slightly nicer for a minute, your insecurity is understandable but irrational. If you actually get to a top school you might start to understand why this is. Top schools could fill their ranks with 4.0s if they want to. They don't want to. Your grades open the door but don't get you through it. Your GPA serves exactly one purpose on your application: it is an attestation to your ability to do well in a classroom setting. This constitutes only a fraction of what is needed to succeed in medical school, which is why adcoms view it fractionally. Once you hit a threshold that indicates your ability to excel at high level coursework, they just stop caring about the increment.

 

[Dash2021]

I'm currently enrolled in a 5 credit math course that is NOT needed for med school. I have a high possibility of getting a B in the course which would mean losing 5 GPA points. Of course, this puts a significant dent into my sGPA (would drop below 3.9 and probably won't be able to bring it back up to a 3.9 before it's time to apply). Is it worth it to take a W? Specifically, how do research-heavy/top-tier schools view W's? I know at most schools one or two W's aren't a problem but I am looking into research heavy schools.

Just skimmed this thread, as it seems to be mostly a troll/epeen match, but something I haven't seen brought up or addressed yet: How far into the year are you?

Most schools I know of have a grace period for withdrawls. If you are < 1 week in, most schools have a grace period in which you can drop w/out taking the W.

I assume you've already thought of/know this, and that your school probably just starts early in the year and you are in the middle of your course. Just putting this here on the off chance it would be useful.

 

[SN12357]

Just skimmed this thread, as it seems to be mostly a troll/epeen match, but something I haven't seen brought up or addressed yet: How far into the year are you?

Most schools I know of have a grace period for withdrawls. If you are < 1 week in, most schools have a grace period in which you can drop w/out taking the W.

I assume you've already thought of/know this, and that your school probably just starts early in the year and you are in the middle of your course. Just putting this here on the off chance it would be useful.

If you'd read the thread you would have found out that he/she is currently studying for his/her final.

 

[KnuxNole]

Noone should ever be anal over a 0.1 change in their GPA. It's not like it's that insanely competitive that a drop that low will hurt your chances.

Anyone who is freaked out by that: Chillax. Down a few beers. 🙂

 

[imadome]

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[Euxox]

I just found this gem from ReptarBar in another thread.

i might be the only one in this thread who thinks that academic cheating is in NO WAY unethical. i perfectly condone cheating because life is a race and formal education is overall BS. i don't cheat myself, but bravo to anyone who has the balls to cheat rampantly. great reward, huge risk. if you get caught lying on your amcas somehow at any point during med school, then they will kick you out.

You, sir, are a grade A troll.

OP, I hope this sorts things out.

 

[SN12357]

Excuse me? It seems like you are under the impression that medical students never get tired and are perfect at everything they do. Being tired is completely human and I have not yet made the decision to drop the course. I have an acceptance through an early entrance program which is why this thread is specifically geared towards research-heavy schools.

Also, my school does have a one week grace period but I am taking this class during a summer session so the 'semester' for this course is almost over.

Please. My entire argument in this thread has been oriented around the fact that people are NOT perfect and DO have limits and that there is much more to life than getting a 4.0. The fact that you are freaked out enough at the prospect of a B to still be considering dropping a course shows that you're way too buried in the undergrad premed mentality that focuses on trivial things at the expense of the big picture. If this minor potential imperfection in your record causes you to flip out to the point where you are attempting to erase it, instead of accepting it, learning from it, and moving on, medical school will eat you alive. Residency, if you make it that far, will destroy you.

Also, I have extensive experience at top schools/institutions (not as a medical student, but as undergrad, staff, research, and volunteering). Your inability to accept multiple people with credibility on this topic telling you that your GPA will be JUST FINE with the B is getting ridiculous.

....and FWIW, I didn't really have an opinion on whether or not the W looks bad in and of itself, but dropping a summer course where you're theoretically supposed to be able to focus on it exclusively probably does look worse than dropping a normal class would.

 

[imadome]

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[imadome]

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[SN12357]

In regards to your snarky little comment about whether I'll even make it to residency is petty. I have nothing to prove to you and your destructive criticism isn't welcome on SDN.

You think my comments are destructive criticism? Oh boy.

Good luck on your final. I genuinely do wish you the best. Whether or not you believe me, a thicker skin and longer-term perspective will carry you a lot farther than your grades.

 

[TheBossDoctor]

OP- unless you're applying this cycle, you'll have at least a year to bring your GPA up from 3.88 to 3.90+. That's plenty of time to do that.