Withdrawing From a Class...

mack7 · 10-20-2008, 02:07 PM

Does it look really bad if you have a "W" on your transcript? I heard that law school admissions look at your LSAT and GPA most of all... so will they even care if you have a "W"? Is it better to have a "W" or a "C"? What about a "W" or a "B"?

LawStudentNY · 10-20-2008, 03:56 PM

I am only a recent LS grad, so take my advice with a grain of salt... I don't think that LS even look at the transcript, I really think that it's all about GPA. I took a lot of really silly classes in undergrad, and that never seemed to come back to bite me. I would finish the class if you think you can get an A or a B without making yourself miserable. I would also be careful not to have a W every semester. I highly doubt one or two W's will be a problem.

law_applicant · 10-20-2008, 09:46 PM

The LSAC report does have a space for withdrawals, so they can see that without looking at the transcript. I don't know how much it matters though.

sallyawp · 10-21-2008, 08:53 AM

The amount that a W on your transcript would matter probably depends more on what the rest of your transcript and the rest of your application says. If, for example, you have a 3.9 GPA with one "W" from your freshman year, that W will probably not have much of an effect. As your GPA goes lower or shows any inconsistencies, that W will probably matter more, meaning that you will cause the admissions professionals reviewing your application to raise their eyebrows. To the extent that it is a one-time thing and you have less than perfect or inconsistent grades, you might want to include a one or two sentence explanation of why you dropped the class. That said, if your rationale for dropping class was merely that you didn't think you would get a good grade, I'm not sure how well that rationale will play in the admissions office.

mack7 · 10-21-2008, 11:45 AM

Thanks everyone! I still can't decide whether or not to drop this class but thanks for helping out. haha.

Bosque · 10-24-2008, 11:28 PM

I say, between a W and a B, keep the B. Everyone knows at least one professor at their university who it is just impossible to get an A from, so the only difference between that 4.0 and 3.9 is the 4.0 kid was just luckier. Anyone who tells you different is a gunner, an ass, or in denial.

Now a C is somewhat trickier. I don't really know what to tell you there. I hope you figure it out.

srvnvly90 · 10-28-2008, 05:37 PM

Wow, i had the exact same question. I missed the deadline to drop without a "W" and I just failed (I mean REALLY failed) my math test. I don't know if I raise it up to a B..

wayward_trojan · 11-11-2008, 11:05 AM

But is not the only reason for dropping a class that the student would get a bad grade? I'm a transfer at UPenn and I'm considering dropping my linguistics course, in which I anticipate a C+ at best.

sallyawp · 11-11-2008, 03:25 PM

The biggest part of the problem with having a "w" on your transcript is that those who review your transcript will always assume that you dropped the class to avoid a bad grade. Wayward trojan has made this point for us.

If you have a "w" on your transcript, you have to understand that those reviewing your transcript will assume that you had a bad grade coming your way, thus, you dropped the class. If the rest of your transcript is stellar, you don't have to worry too much. If your transcript is otherwise less than stellar, you may raise questions about your academic abilities.

draftp · 01-25-2009, 02:42 AM

You guys seem especially knowledgeable, and I have a question along the same lines. I'm finishing out my third year as a Computer Science student. I currently have a 3.92 GPA, with a 4.0 major GPA. That said, I'm intending on applying to law schools. I'm currently taking a course that I'd like to withdraw from. I also already have 2 withdrawals from a semester sophomore year that were the result of some personal/family issues. Even after withdrawing however, I'll still be carrying 17 semester (all science and engineering) units this semester. I'm also involved in a couple research projects this term. What do you guys think?

Wes Henricksen · 01-29-2009, 12:39 PM

In my opinion, it's typically better to have a "W" than a "C" or a "B". I think if you have one or two Ws on your transcript, law schools could not care less. They want GPA/LSAT. What classes you took, whether you have a W or not, whether you studied abroad, etc. are all beside the point when they calculate your "number" for admissions ranking purposes. Don't be afraid to take a "W" unless you already have two or more Ws on your transcript.