For students with an inconsistent undergraduate experience, sometimes it is necessary to get an unfunded master’s degree before being accepted to a funded PhD program. I do know a few cases of students who applied to a funded PhD program but were accepted to an unfunded master’s degree instead. There are some very good one year master’s degrees which at least limits the amount of time that someone needs to pay the big bucks.
On the other hand, applying to PhD programs is a bit like applying to university, and a bit like applying for a job. They are looking for a good fit. What constitutes a “good fit” can vary.
The info that makes its way onto college webpages are the common situations, not the corner cases. Furthermore at many colleges the deans are vested with almost unlimited powers so if the dean is on board she may be able to just retroactively withdraw from that single class. It would seem a reasonable request; she leaves college for medical reasons, she no longer has access to the lab or resources for the final project, she did not return to the college so was never able to do the final project.
She won’t know unless she asks, and there’s reason to hope. A few years ago (2018) there was a thread by someone who had a seemingly worse situation and got a retroactive withdrawal approved. See Bad grades from 5 years ago haunting me
I agree that this may be more concerning to grad school acceptances than the incomplete (depending). If the incomplete cannot be removed, there will likely be a spot on the application to explain it. Also, what your daughter has been doing in the years between undergrad and graduate school may be more important than an incomplete 4-5+ years ago.
One of my kids applied to a very competitive grad school program, and these schools made it clear that they wanted to admit students who were committed to the profession and would not leave the program.
During undergrad my D accepted a 2 year position set to begin immediately after graduation, and at the end of the 2 years she was offered an opportunity to stay. She declined the offer. She was asked about this during grad school interviews, and had to explain how she came to that decision. She also had to discuss how she discovered the path that was right for her.
I don’t know your daughter and what her plans are, but this may be something to consider. If it is something relevant to the programs, perhaps she can discuss this in her essays (if advised to).
Again, I don’t know, but it is something to consider and to possibly ask a grad school advisor.
I don’t think there is a one size fits all answer, as every program is different and we do not have enough information.
We also do not know the strength of this students application and we do not know what/where she is applying.
I am 50/50 about bringing up the incomplete to the prior college, and I am not against discussing it in the grad school application and showing transparency, esp if it was a medical or family issue that is now resolved. Personally, I don’t see this incomplete as a problem if it is addressed.
As far as discussing 3 different colleges, it really depends on the essay prompts, the story that the student wishes to tell, and the type of program the student is applying to.
Programs value resiliency, maturity, perseverance, self awareness etc, and discussing the transfers within this context could be seen as a positive. It prevents the school from guessing why this happened and allows the applicant to manage perceptions and discussion.
I am talking about competitive grad programs and not PhD programs (cannot speak directly about that). Regardless, schools meticulously review apps and I think it is beneficial to explain something that might be questioned or misunderstood.
Just my observations and experience. It is hard to provide an answer highly specific to this student when we do not have a lot of information
The student can do some research, talk to students, maybe try to connect with a prof etc…and decide.
Does your daughter have a professor who can speak about her resiliency, determination, and growth in a letter of recommendation?
I think this is more important than focusing on an incomplete from 5 years ago (personally, and after thinking some more, I would not contact the school).
Interesting that the school seems to allow a final grade of incomplete. I honestly don’t know how that will play out at various schools for grad admissions. I did admissions for a grad school, and I would not have had an issue with an incomplete grade in a program from which a student did not actually graduate. (A faculty member might question it, but it would not have kept me from approving the application as acceptable for admission - faculty chose from approved applicants. I don’t think any of the faculty I worked with would have considered it a deal breaker, because they would be more interested in the coursework that actually led to the degree obtained.) That is just one data point, though. It would be wise for her to contact the grad school admissions offices of programs that interest her & ask whether that incomplete will be an issue.
Honestly - what can she do. Her transcript is what it is. It will need to be shared.
Funded Masters programs are few. Sometimes you can get some money for things like staffing a computer lab or holding a recitation (breakout) as I did - but that will depend on the major and school.
Masters programs today are often cash cows with exorbitant costs - so she should be very intentional on where she applies if costs matter. She should be guided by budget over name if the budget is limited.
Her advisor may be right. But may not be. He’s not admissions.
But all she can do is apply and see. She attended. They will want the transcript. If you withhold it and they find out, then it’s game over.
OP, does your D have a sense of how competitive the programs she’s applying for have been over the last few years? And is there a reasonable alternative?
I know someone now in a PsyD program (for example) who had an incomplete and a few withdrawals which were on her transcript. Her heart was set on a PhD program in Clinical Psych and her advisor told her “not happening”. So in addition to taking an extra year off- to gain more work experience, in this case working as a counselor/aide at a program for “at risk” youth, she made a VERY long list of “reasonable alternatives”. That included PsyD, MSW with counseling, even chaplaincy programs. It included U’s everyone has heard of, as well as some smaller, less well known, off the beaten track programs.
Due to time and costs, she ended up applying to a small version of her huge list. A reach or two; one or two sure things; one outlier (a program to train HS guidance counselors where she’d have to first enroll as an “accelerated undergrad” to get a second BA in education.
Any chance your D can “open the aperture” a bit so the admissions process isn’t so uncertain? This particular person did NOT have the transcript that the Clinical Psych PhD committees want to see-- and any “blips” just means they move onto the next application (pretty competitive process). But the end goal- a career in mental health focused on counseling- had a bunch of alternative possiblities.
OP are you comfortable providing more information such as the type of grad program, career interests etc? Having more info might be helpful. I agree that calling the programs of interest is a good idea.
Some masters programs are easier to get accepted to, while others are quite competitive and also necessary for work in that specific career. That is something to consider.
I said this earlier but it is worth repeating- grad schools will care more about what your daughter has been doing for the past 3 years than about an incomplete from 5 years ago, especially if she has a prof who can speak about her growth and perseverance.
She’s interested in MFA programs in Creative Writing. My impression is that the portfolio is of utmost importance, and admissions to funded MFA programs are incredibly competitive. It does seem as if the transcript isn’t terribly important for most funded MFA programs.
From what I understand, funded MFA programs are very competitive, only accepting a handful of students from hundreds and hundreds of applicants. It also seems that the portfolio is most important.
Here is my opinion, and it is only an opinion. Your daughter can contact schools and ask.
I do not think that an incomplete from 5 years ago will matter if the portfolio is very strong. That being said, if the school is comparing students who are all superior and they are looking for a reason to reject, it is possible that the incomplete or multiple transfers can come into play. Idk for sure; this is just an opinion.
The student can call and ask, or she can just apply. Best wishes!