Withdrawl or Drop on the Application?

[Nanon]

I went to Berkeley for undergrad a while back, and I was just looking over my transcript, and noticed 2 things that I'm not sure how to deal with.

1. Berkeley doesn't "Withdraw" you, it "Drops" you on week so-and-so. Should I include these drops as withdraws?

2. I withdrew entirely from Berkeley the semester my mother, who is gravely disabled, came down with breast cancer. (I took over her care full time). Berkeley doesn't include which classes I withdrew from, it's just a global "WITHDREW FROM CLASSES." I have no recollection at all what they were, so how do I deal with that?

Thanks.

S.

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[ACSurgeon]

I went to Berkeley for undergrad a while back, and I was just looking over my transcript, and noticed 2 things that I'm not sure how to deal with.

1. Berkeley doesn't "Withdraw" you, it "Drops" you on week so-and-so. Should I include these drops as withdraws?

2. I withdrew entirely from Berkeley the semester my mother, who is gravely disabled, came down with breast cancer. (I took over her care full time). Berkeley doesn't include which classes I withdrew from, it's just a global "WITHDREW FROM CLASSES." I have no recollection at all what they were, so how do I deal with that?

Thanks.

S.

First of all, I know that there is a contact number for AAMC to ask them how to deal with certain topics on the application. They are your best source.

Second, I would count the drop as a withdrawl (again, call and ask).

Third, make sure your secondaries address the issue of your dropped semester. Call AAMC and ask how to enter in that semester, but it might a semester full of W's. I don't think your PS would be a place to explain that issue. Maybe others would have better insight as to where you should address your mother's illness' effect on your grades (or dropped semester).

 

[Nanon]

First of all, I know that there is a contact number for AAMC to ask them how to deal with certain topics on the application. They are your best source.

Second, I would count the drop as a withdrawl (again, call and ask).

Third, make sure your secondaries address the issue of your dropped semester. Call AAMC and ask how to enter in that semester, but it might a semester full of W's. I don't think your PS would be a place to explain that issue. Maybe others would have better insight as to where you should address your mother's illness' effect on your grades (or dropped semester).

Good call on contacting AAMC... that was going to be my second stop. It's really... er, difficult to wait on hold forever with an active 2 year old. I'll let you know what they say.

I did address this a little in my PS, and was actually considering using that experience as the primary topic of my PS. Her illnesses did have a huge impact on my grades, my childhood, my entire life. The only reason I feel like I'm able to apply now is because she's finally been conserved by the state this year, and no longer my responsibility alone. But it's a really long, convoluted story, and maybe a little too personal, if you know what I mean.

Thanks for the advice. I'm thinking nap time tomorrow, haha.

 

[Nanon]

I called AAMC about these issues.

1. Drops = Withdraws... eh.

2. I have to "put something in" for the withdraw for the semester. "If the school has no record, try to recall the classes you were in."

Seriously, I can't remember at all. So, I called the registrar's office at Berkeley. They have no record of that semester, and told me to call Letters and Science. I called L&S, and they have no record of that semester, so they transferred me to the pre-med counselor, who told me to call AAMC.

Here's my idea: I'm going to put "Semester" in the class field, and in the grade field, put a W. On the other hand, there is no record of these classes anywhere, so I could say that I withdrew from anything, I suppose.

I hate the ambiguity. HELP.

S.

 

[biogirl215]

Do the drops affect GPA (as opposed to withdrawals, which usually don't)?

Good luck!

 

[Nanon]

Do the drops affect GPA (as opposed to withdrawals, which usually don't)?

Good luck!

No - at most school, dropping a class means that it doesn't even appear on your transcript. And if I remember correctly, if you drop a class within a few weeks at Berkeley, it also doesn't show on your transcript.

 

[Raryn]

If you dropped early enough the classes dont show up on your transcript, don't worry about it.