W's before application

[polyploidy516]

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Hi,

I would really appreciate your help on an issue.

I am taking several classes as a postbac this semester and have A's in all but one class.

Specifically, for this one class, we just had a midterm where I got a 51/100; roughly half the class (the class is 5 students) got around the same score. It is an online class where due to a computer issue during the exam, I had to rush through to finish which ended up significantly impacting my score.

As I have not withdrawn in any class in over 5 years ( I am a postbac) with a 4.0 the past 2 years, would it be advisable to withdraw to protect my gpa ( i.e. I have a borderline gpa--3.43-- but a very high mcat-523). The highest grade I can get is a B+ but that's not guaranteed given how the course is currently going?

I plan on talking to the professor next week and hope to remedy this situation (i.e. if it's possible to do additional work to get the A, etc due to this unexpected issue).

Would withdrawing now be looked unfavorably to adcoms? I plan on taking 2-3 more classes during the summer session before I submit my application. This class is an upper division protein analysis class that had a pre-req of biochem ( where I received an A-).

I would be grateful for your thoughts as I am trying to maximize my competitiveness at all ranges of schools.

Thank you.

@gonnif @LizzyM

 

[polyploidy516]

thank you for your response @gonnif. This semester, I am only taking 2 classes as I am also working 80 hours per week ( 2 jobs); the grade on the exam was strictly due to the computer issue which led to a significant loss of time.

My postbac gpa is composed of 125 credits ( i did a second degree) and I have a 3.7 cgpa and sgpa with a 4.0 in a science heavy curriculum for 2 years.

I honestly do not know if I could get a B range grade in this course given how it is going. Would withdrawing in this case be used against me especially given the overall context of my app and as I will be taking 1-2 more classes before I submit my app?

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Your overall GPA is not nearly as important as your grade trends per year and.most importantly, post bacc GPA and number of credits
Additionally, getting a B is ok

Is this actually true, given that cGPA is usually one of the first metrics used by Adcoms in evaluating an applicant, even it’s just a fast heuristic? Also I would imagine that some schools may filter by a LizzyM type composite score (not actually the LM score but a combined MCAT/GPA grade) to rank the order in which candidates are evaluated.


Also to answer your question OP. I don’t think the Ws too much, unless they’re excessive. This kinda goes with the point I made above. First quantitative/academic impressions will be formed by numbers, not necessarily the minutiae of the transcript

 

[LizzyM]

Taking the B+ or whatever is preferable to taking a W to protect a 4.0 gpa. Adcoms see through that ruse. Learn what you can, take the grade you earn, and move on.

 

[polyploidy516]

Taking the B+ or whatever is preferable to taking a W to protect a 4.0 gpa. Adcoms see through that ruse. Learn what you can, take the grade you earn, and move on.

thank you for your response! I am mainly concerned as I have a rising gpa trend and honestly do not know if this issue will occur again given how strict the grading is; the best I can do is a B+ provided I get 100s on everything which I do not know how realistic that is.

Would a W with an explanation of the circumstances be okay in this scenario? I will stick it out in the course for now and hope for a positive response from the professors but want to be strategically prepared.

Is this actually true, given that cGPA is usually one of the first metrics used by Adcoms in evaluating an applicant, even it’s just a fast heuristic? Also I would imagine that some schools may filter by a LizzyM type composite score (not actually the LM score but a combined MCAT/GPA grade) to rank the order in which candidates are evaluated.


Also to answer your question OP. I don’t think the Ws too much, unless they’re excessive. This kinda goes with the point I made above. First quantitative/academic impressions will be formed by numbers, not necessarily the minutiae of the transcript

regarding W's, I have not had one in several years with great grades after (4.0). I was just concerned because it's right before I apply and is an elective.

 

[KnightDoc]

Taking the B+ or whatever is preferable to taking a W to protect a 4.0 gpa. Adcoms see through that ruse. Learn what you can, take the grade you earn, and move on.

THIS^^^^, especially in a post-bacc. Taking Ws in courses you are taking to reinvent yourself kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

Adcoms will assume W=C or below. Only the most neurotic among us take a W to mask a B.

You are honestly not protecting anything by doing it, especially in a post-bacc. Your situation sucks, but, as @LizzyM said, just do your best and move on. It is what it is, and a W is not going to fix it.

 

[polyploidy516]

THIS^^^^, especially in a post-bacc. Taking Ws in courses you are taking to reinvent yourself kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

Adcoms will assume W=C or below. Only the most neurotic among us take a W to mask a B.

You are honestly not protecting anything by doing it, especially in a post-bacc. Your situation sucks, but, as @LizzyM said, just do your best and move on. It is what it is, and a W is not going to fix it.

i definitely agree; the thing is, I have already reinvented myself with my previous grades of a 4.0 with a full semester load; this semester, I am taking only 2 classes and did not expect this issue to happen ( computer issue) and have a solid A in the other class.

I will stick it out for now but in case I do need to withdraw, would an explanation be okay? I mainly just took the class to show academic continuity rather than taking a semester off before application season. I am also going to take classes in the first summer session before I submit to further mask this issue if need be?

 

[KnightDoc]

In hindsight, if you were done with reinvention, you should have stopped, since you have nothing but downside risk from that point forward. You really don't need to take classes to the bitter end. Remember, no one taking a gap year (or two or three) who is not reinventing is taking classes, and they do just fine with their applications.

It's one class in an entire body of work. I seriously doubt an explanation will be necessary. Anything above a C is really fine. If you end up with a C and feel the need to explain, of course it will be okay, but it still probably won't be necessary. No application rises and falls with a single class, and a lot of people on SDN have posted success stories with multiple Cs, Fs and Ws. Good luck!!

 

[polyploidy516]

In hindsight, if you were done with reinvention, you should have stopped, since you have nothing but downside risk from that point forward. You really don't need to take classes to the bitter end. Remember, no one taking a gap year (or two or three) who is not reinventing is taking classes, and they do just fine with their applications.

It's one class in an entire body of work. I seriously doubt an explanation will be necessary. Anything above a C is really fine. If you end up with a C and feel the need to explain, of course it will be okay, but it still probably won't be necessary. No application rises and falls with a single class, and a lot of people on SDN have posted success stories with multiple Cs, Fs and Ws. Good luck!!

I definitely agree with this; the only thing is that if I do end up getting a C, I would prefer taking the W since it doesn't pull my GPA down; would this be okay if I end up in this situation ( I will probably explain if needed but otherwise wont give my good performance overall).

 

[KnightDoc]

i definitely agree with this; the only thing is that if I do end up getting a C, i would prefer taking the W since it doesn't pull my gpa down; would this be okay if i end up in this situation ( i will probably explain if needed but otherwise wont give my good performance overall

In that case, it will be six of one and half a dozen of the other, so do whatever makes you happy. Sure, optically your GPA will be saved, but adcoms will also see the W and know exactly what it is, so as @LizzyM said, no one is going to be fooled. OTOH, as I said before, you are probably going to be fine either way, so, it really doesn't matter.

 

[polyploidy516]

I definitely agree; I emailed the professor asking if anything can be done about this (i.e. tech issue during exam; makeup/ec possibility) so hopefully there's a remedy where I do not need to withdraw or take a C. I will also take 1-2 classes after this semester/before I apply in case I need to withdraw/get a C if need be.

 

[KnightDoc]

I definitely agree; I emailed the professor asking if anything can be done about this (i.e. tech issue during exam; makeup/ec possibility) so hopefully there's a remedy where I do not need to withdraw or take a C. I will also take 1-2 classes after this semester/before I apply in case I need to withdraw/get a C if need be.

Sounds good, but please consider what I said before about needing to take classes until the very end after successfully reinventing. You do not need to do penance now to make up for a single W or C in a sea of As.

If I were you, I'd focus on getting through my existing classes and my upcoming application, and not bother with another class or two. As before, nothing to gain with 1-2 more As, and a whole lot of anxiety if anything unexpected happens.

 

[allseasons]

I definitely agree; I emailed the professor asking if anything can be done about this (i.e. tech issue during exam; makeup/ec possibility) so hopefully there's a remedy where I do not need to withdraw or take a C. I will also take 1-2 classes after this semester/before I apply in case I need to withdraw/get a C if need be.

What class is this? pre-req? upper level science? liberal arts?

 

[polyploidy516]

What class is this? pre-req? upper level science? liberal arts?

it's an upper level elective with the pre-req being biochem ( where I received an A-). The course is not a prereq for med school but an upper division course in the biochem dept.

 

[LizzyM]

If these are undergrad courses taken after the diploma is awarded, they are going to be massed together on a line that says "post bac" all the credits taken, all smashed together. One grade < 4.0 will be buoyed upward by all those 4.0s! Take the grade and move on.

 

[polyploidy516]

If these are undergrad courses taken after the diploma is awarded, they are going to be massed together on a line that says "post bac" all the credits taken, all smashed together. One grade < 4.0 will be buoyed upward by all those 4.0s! Take the grade and move on.

thank you for this! I will wait it out and see; hopefully the professor allows me to take a make-up or give extra credit of some sort as several students had the same issue as me/got similar grades on the first exam.

I have one question on this; do schools analyze each individual grade in the postbac or just the entire postbac gpa? also, should we select schools based on our postbac grades or combined undergrad + postbac?

 

[allseasons]

If these are undergrad courses taken after the diploma is awarded, they are going to be massed together on a line that says "post bac" all the credits taken, all smashed together. One grade < 4.0 will be buoyed upward by all those 4.0s! Take the grade and move on.

I think I'd choose a W over a C/C+, but a B- and above over a W.

 

[polyploidy516]

I think I'd choose a W over a C/C+, but a B- and above over a W.

that's what I am thinking as well; if the professor ends up giving me a makeup/ec then I will just stay and put in the work

 

[LizzyM]

thank you for this! I will wait it out and see; hopefully the professor allows me to take a make-up or give extra credit of some sort as several students had the same issue as me/got similar grades on the first exam.

I have one question on this; do schools analyze each individual grade in the postbac or just the entire postbac gpa? also, should we select schools based on our postbac grades or combined undergrad + postbac?

Some schools may use a hard cut off of total GPA or sGPA and then give a holistic review if one passes the initial screen. There could be other factors that override GPA such that some applicants will get a holistic review even if not meeting the minimum GPA. Each school is going to do its own thing and I can't tell you what that's going to be.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

I can relate to your situation. I had a 4.0 PB that was shattered during a final where the instructor messed up by not providing the necessary info I needed to complete the full question which accounted for 25% of the final exam grade. I asked for a redo that went all the way up to the Dean. Even though the instructor acknowledged that the info should have been provided, my proposal for redress was denied.

I ended up with a B, and had to take another 7-10 credits with the same instructor the following year. I had to weigh the pros and cons of either protecting what was left of my PB GPA against dropping out of the program. Because I had a very tenuous relationship with the instructor and was now marked as a troublemaker by the Dean's office (I sensed it when afterwards I walked by her in the hallway, said hello to her, and she looked at me and walked on by without acknowledging my greeting). I knew I wasn't going to get any favorable resolutions should the instructor pull the same stunt again in the 7-10 credits, and my shot at medschool would be over because my state medschools loved high GPAs.

I confided in a professor of the program with whom I trusted before submitting my resignation. It was a huge gamble, but in the end, I got into medschool.

Moral of story: Do what you need to do to protect your dream of medschool!

Edit: A few years later, this instructor ended up starting a relationship with one of his students, had to resign, and married her. The Dean also was forced out after an investigation revealed she violated some of the norms of her office.

 

[polyploidy516]

I can relate to your situation. I had a 4.0 PB that was shattered during a final where the instructor messed up by not providing the necessary info I needed to complete the full question which accounted for 25% of the final exam grade. I asked for a redo that went all the way up to the Dean. Even though the instructor acknowledged that the info should have been provided, my proposal for redress was denied.

I ended up with a B, and had to take another 7-10 credits with the same instructor the following year. I had to weigh the pros and cons of either protecting what was left of my PB GPA against dropping out of the program. Because I had a very tenuous relationship with the instructor and was now marked as a troublemaker by the Dean's office (I sensed it when afterwards I walked by her in the hallway, said hello to her, and she looked at me and walked on by without acknowledging my greeting). I knew I wasn't going to get any favorable resolutions should the instructor pull the same stunt again in the 7-10 credits, and my shot at medschool would be over because my state medschools loved high GPAs.

I confided in a professor of the program with whom I trusted before submitting my resignation. It was a huge gamble, but in the end, I got into medschool.

Moral of story: Do what you need to do to protect your dream of medschool!

Edit: A few years later, this instructor ended up starting a relationship with one of his students, had to resign, and married her. The Dean also was forced out after an investigation revealed she violated some of the norms of her office.

I definitely can relate to this and am glad things worked out for you; as of now, I am waiting to hear back from the instructor on whether any remedy can be done due to this situation and as I am not the only student in this right now; worst case, I will withdraw and focus on my app/take 1-2 additional classes if time permits.

 

[allseasons]

I can relate to your situation. I had a 4.0 PB that was shattered during a final where the instructor messed up by not providing the necessary info I needed to complete the full question which accounted for 25% of the final exam grade. I asked for a redo that went all the way up to the Dean. Even though the instructor acknowledged that the info should have been provided, my proposal for redress was denied.

I ended up with a B, and had to take another 7-10 credits with the same instructor the following year. I had to weigh the pros and cons of either protecting what was left of my PB GPA against dropping out of the program. Because I had a very tenuous relationship with the instructor and was now marked as a troublemaker by the Dean's office (I sensed it when afterwards I walked by her in the hallway, said hello to her, and she looked at me and walked on by without acknowledging my greeting). I knew I wasn't going to get any favorable resolutions should the instructor pull the same stunt again in the 7-10 credits, and my shot at medschool would be over because my state medschools loved high GPAs.

I confided in a professor of the program with whom I trusted before submitting my resignation. It was a huge gamble, but in the end, I got into medschool.

Moral of story: Do what you need to do to protect your dream of medschool!

Edit: A few years later, this instructor ended up starting a relationship with one of his students, had to resign, and married her. The Dean also was forced out after an investigation revealed she violated some of the norms of her office.

I don't even understand how this situation occurs. Damn, that's unlucky.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

Yeah. It was a crazy situation. I had to go with my gut feeling, but in the end I got into medschool. What I am most happy about is that the professor with whom I trusted and handed my resignation to, she wrote a wonderful LOR for me, believed in my so much that she delayed her retirement for one year to attend my whitecoat, and even though she has moved to another state, we have kept in touch and she will be attending my graduation.

 

[polyploidy516]

Yeah. It was a crazy situation. I had to go with my gut feeling, but in the end I got into medschool. What I am most happy about is that the professor with whom I trusted and handed my resignation to, she wrote a wonderful LOR for me, believed in my so much that she delayed her retirement for one year to attend my whitecoat, and even though she has moved to another state, we have kept in touch and she will be attending my graduation.

do you think the resignation affected your application in any way/did you have to provide an explanation?

Very glad it worked out for you

 

[allseasons]

Yeah. It was a crazy situation. I had to go with my gut feeling, but in the end I got into medschool. What I am most happy about is that the professor with whom I trusted and handed my resignation to, she wrote a wonderful LOR for me, believed in my so much that she delayed her retirement for one year to attend my whitecoat, and even though she has moved to another state, we have kept in touch and she will be attending my graduation.

Why did she have to delay retirement to attend a whitecoat? Don't they let friends and family in to watch?

 

[SpoiledMilk]

I'm sure of it might have affected some of the schools in their decisions to send me an interview. I applied to 12 Texas schools and received 7 invites. In all 7 interviews I went to, I didn't have to explain my resignation and received 6 out of 7 offers.

This was pre-covid, and she planned to retire out of state.

 

[polyploidy516]

seems like you had a really good application cycle; did you update schools of future grades etc? I hear updates help alot in general

 

[SpoiledMilk]

I had enough credits to apply TMDSAS so after I resigned I did not continue with my DIY PB. Money was a deciding factor in continuing with more classes.

It's important that you have a great PS and secondaries, and practice practice practice your interviewing skills. Remember, treat the interview session like a conversation and you will be fine...

 

[PhD_to_DO]

If you can take a B or B+, take it. That’s better than taking a W. However, if you have a legit reason for taking a W, do what you have to do. A W isn’t an automatic bar to getting into medical school. Different adcoms will look at W’s differently but tit wouldn’t be the thing that would keep you out of med school. I had six or eight W’s on my transcript. I ultimately garnered four DO interviews and two MD interviews along with four acceptances. The subject of my W’s came up in one interview, actually, it was one W, in second term organic chemistry, that an interviewer asked about.

Don’t make yourself go crazy over this. Take the B but if you have to drop, its not the thing that is going to make or break your app.

 

[MB190E]

Hi,

I would really appreciate your help on an issue.

I am taking several classes as a postbac this semester and have A's in all but one class.

Specifically, for this one class, we just had a midterm where I got a 51/100; roughly half the class (the class is 5 students) got around the same score. It is an online class where due to a computer issue during the exam, I had to rush through to finish which ended up significantly impacting my score.

As I have not withdrawn in any class in over 5 years ( I am a postbac) with a 4.0 the past 2 years, would it be advisable to withdraw to protect my gpa ( i.e. I have a borderline gpa--3.43-- but a very high mcat-523). The highest grade I can get is a B+ but that's not guaranteed given how the course is currently going?

I plan on talking to the professor next week and hope to remedy this situation (i.e. if it's possible to do additional work to get the A, etc due to this unexpected issue).

Would withdrawing now be looked unfavorably to adcoms? I plan on taking 2-3 more classes during the summer session before I submit my application. This class is an upper division protein analysis class that had a pre-req of biochem ( where I received an A-).

I would be grateful for your thoughts as I am trying to maximize my competitiveness at all ranges of schools.

Thank you.

@gonnif @LizzyM

n=1 but I was in a similar (but slightly different predicament) my senior year of college: Sitting on an ok GPA at the time I had enrolled in a tough course that was not a pre-req for my program but I thought would look good on my application. I ended up bombing one of the midterms and calculated that I would make a B- at best pulling some miraculous scores. Knowing my GPA wasn't all that great already and the fact that I hadn't ever withdrawn from any course ever, coupled with the course not being a pre-req for graduation, I decided to withdraw from the course to protect my GPA.

Some secondaries had specific questions about this, and I was asked about it as a general question during one of my interviews but I still made it to medical school. It was a gamble but I figured that at least with the W I would make it past the automatic filters and someone would take a look at my app vs dropping a few points under the screens and just getting auto-placed in the R pile. Given that you're in a post-bacc and you're sitting on such a high GPA and MCAT, I don't think it would be worth the hassle to do the same in this case. The B+ (not a bad grade by any means) will be questioned a lot less than a W on a post-bacc program. You might get lucky and be able to remedy it but even if you don't, it won't be an issue. Best of luck to you OP

 

[Metamorphosis.DO]

Hi,

I would really appreciate your help on an issue.

I am taking several classes as a postbac this semester and have A's in all but one class.

Specifically, for this one class, we just had a midterm where I got a 51/100; roughly half the class (the class is 5 students) got around the same score. It is an online class where due to a computer issue during the exam, I had to rush through to finish which ended up significantly impacting my score.

As I have not withdrawn in any class in over 5 years ( I am a postbac) with a 4.0 the past 2 years, would it be advisable to withdraw to protect my gpa ( i.e. I have a borderline gpa--3.43-- but a very high mcat-523). The highest grade I can get is a B+ but that's not guaranteed given how the course is currently going?

I plan on talking to the professor next week and hope to remedy this situation (i.e. if it's possible to do additional work to get the A, etc due to this unexpected issue).

Would withdrawing now be looked unfavorably to adcoms? I plan on taking 2-3 more classes during the summer session before I submit my application. This class is an upper division protein analysis class that had a pre-req of biochem ( where I received an A-).

I would be grateful for your thoughts as I am trying to maximize my competitiveness at all ranges of schools.

Thank you.

@gonnif @LizzyM

Your numbers speak for themselves. It’s highly impressive and I think you first ought to congratulate yourself. Having a lower cGPA despite a 4.0 over the last two years means there was a MAJOR turn around. It may have the potential to help you tell a great story. You fell in love with medicine and it motivated you to perform to the fullest of your ability/gave your study purpose, passion, and direction for the first time.. etc.

A cGPA lower relative to others with a massive upward trend is not to be underestimated. It speaks volumes— if you allow it to. That’s the key.

Now that darn exam that you screwed up. Start with the first option, the “worst” being you getting a B+. If it really was the computer’s fault then that may not be as beneficial: because you can’t learn from it. If you may have made an honest mistake you can show that this experience, as frustrating as it was, was a learning experience and one you are grateful for. Turn it into a learning experience. You can’t control how this affects numbers. You can only make it helo you tell a better story.

If you W. End of the world? No. Again, tell your story well. Consider talking about how you wanted to not just memorize the information for the sake of memorizing it but wanted to truly prepare yourself for medical school and late into the semester (x) happened and you felt it would be more responsible to retake the class and get the most out of it. Something like this.

Whatever you do. It really ought to be a brief, powerful and sincere explanation. Don’t go into too much detail or take up too much space.

You can almost consider the last two years of your study as a fresh start. That being said, you’d have a 3.9x if it weren’t for the first part of your transcript. The admissions will see it this way if you tell the story right. That being said.. if I looked at your transcript and saw all As and one B with a brief “lesson learned” in your application as to why you got a B I would think.. dang.. this person is driven and capable. If a B+ is a big deal to them then they are gifted.

If you overdo the explanation on the B in that context I just gave.. think about how that may look. Most med students (even the straight A undergrads) get bad grades on several exams. If you are that disturbed by one B.. that could be a concern. whereas if you calmly and wisely mention the B not as a weakness on your app but a great experience you had it would be a great addition to your application.

Now.. I know it’s tough because you don’t have a 3.9x on your transcript. That’s why you’re more concerned. Makes sense. You can’t control it. Just let it go. You will do great.

On my application, one of my significant experiences as an undergrad was working for a professor for 1.5 years as a TA and research assistant. I talked about how the content of his very challenging course interested me so much that I Did research and am even considering nephrology as a specialty. I also added (paraphrasing) “Taking this class my freshman year before chemistry despite that being a “strongly recommended Pre-req” was a learning experience for me. Despite it probably being part of the reason I got a grade lower than I would have hoped, it also taught me that I am capable of employing a growth mindset and overcoming learning obstacles to the point of earning their confidence as a TA.”

Make a decision and then make the numbers to tell YOUR story.

 

[allseasons]

Your numbers speak for themselves. It’s highly impressive and I think you first ought to congratulate yourself. Having a lower cGPA despite a 4.0 over the last two years means there was a MAJOR turn around. It may have the potential to help you tell a great story. You fell in love with medicine and it motivated you to perform to the fullest of your ability/gave your study purpose, passion, and direction for the first time.. etc.

A cGPA lower relative to others with a massive upward trend is not to be underestimated. It speaks volumes— if you allow it to. That’s the key.

Now that darn exam that you screwed up. Start with the first option, the “worst” being you getting a B+. If it really was the computer’s fault then that may not be as beneficial: because you can’t learn from it. If you may have made an honest mistake you can show that this experience, as frustrating as it was, was a learning experience and one you are grateful for. Turn it into a learning experience. You can’t control how this affects numbers. You can only make it helo you tell a better story.

If you W. End of the world? No. Again, tell your story well. Consider talking about how you wanted to not just memorize the information for the sake of memorizing it but wanted to truly prepare yourself for medical school and late into the semester (x) happened and you felt it would be more responsible to retake the class and get the most out of it. Something like this.

Whatever you do. It really ought to be a brief, powerful and sincere explanation. Don’t go into too much detail or take up too much space.

You can almost consider the last two years of your study as a fresh start. That being said, you’d have a 3.9x if it weren’t for the first part of your transcript. The admissions will see it this way if you tell the story right. That being said.. if I looked at your transcript and saw all As and one B with a brief “lesson learned” in your application as to why you got a B I would think.. dang.. this person is driven and capable. If a B+ is a big deal to them then they are gifted.

If you overdo the explanation on the B in that context I just gave.. think about how that may look. Most med students (even the straight A undergrads) get bad grades on several exams. If you are that disturbed by one B.. that could be a concern. whereas if you calmly and wisely mention the B not as a weakness on your app but a great experience you had it would be a great addition to your application.

Now.. I know it’s tough because you don’t have a 3.9x on your transcript. That’s why you’re more concerned. Makes sense. You can’t control it. Just let it go. You will do great.

On my application, one of my significant experiences as an undergrad was working for a professor for 1.5 years as a TA and research assistant. I talked about how the content of his very challenging course interested me so much that I Did research and am even considering nephrology as a specialty. I also added (paraphrasing) “Taking this class my freshman year before chemistry despite that being a “strongly recommended Pre-req” was a learning experience for me. Despite it probably being part of the reason I got a grade lower than I would have hoped, it also taught me that I am capable of employing a growth mindset and overcoming learning obstacles to the point of earning their confidence as a TA.”

Make a decision and then make the numbers to tell YOUR story.

maybe I'm misunderstanding or maybe others are, but the way OP phrased it made it seem like B+ was the best case scenario not the worst case (the highest grade they could get assuming perfect scores on future exams).

 

[Metamorphosis.DO]

maybe I'm misunderstanding or maybe others are, but the way OP phrased it made it seem like B+ was the best case scenario not the worst case (the highest grade they could get assuming perfect scores on future exams).

I said worst case because he said:

I plan on talking to the professor next week and hope to remedy this situation (i.e. if it's possible to do additional work to get the A, etc due to this unexpected issue).

So to me the worst case if OP stays in the class is a B+.

To clarify, W is not recommended. So.. excluding that as an option, if talking to prof doesn’t result in an A then B+ would be worst case.

Poorly worded. Sorry.

 

[polyploidy516]

I really, really, appreciate the thoughtful feedback from everyone on this situation.

To give an update, I sent screenshots to the professor regarding the computer issue where it was very evident that an issue occurred during the exam that significantly impacted my timing and subsequently my grade. The professor refused to give any remedy to this situation.

In terms of studying, I was very much on top of the material (i.e. I regularly attended class,studied, and had a strong conceptual grasp of the material) so the exam score was not a competency issue persay; barring the computer issue, I would've scored 20-30 points higher.

After speaking with an advisor and considering my current schedule ( i.e. I am taking 1 other class which is currently an A in addition to working 2 jobs) , the most practical decision was to Withdraw because I honestly do not think I would get straight 100s on 8 graded assignments given the nature/grading of the course and as there is no curve; the highest grade I would've gotten was a B+ but realistically the grade would have been between a B- to B+ given the strict cutoffs of the course ( where the prof did not want to budge).

As of now, my plan is to finish out the other course with an A, prepare my app, and take 1-2 classes in the summer where I expect to get A's. I will also explain if needed on my app. Do you think this will suffice or should I give an explanation for this W? My main concern was that the postbac was for academic enhancement reasons (i.e. i didn't do well in undergrad due to significant health/financial issues which led to withdrawals then). In the postbac, I received a 4.0 in the last 2 years with a full courseload and working 40+ hours a week in addition to getting a 523.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

Sounds good. You'll be fine.