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I have an urgent issue and I hope to receive advice from you:
I want to withdraw a course, but as of today I would obtain a "W" if I do (missed the deadline by ONE day!). My ultimate goal is to attend a HYSCCN - my GPA as of right now is 3.973 - and I will not take the "W" if it affects my chances at all. Can you please inform me whether and how one "W" will affect my chances? Or of any process through which I can null the effect during the law school application process - an addendum?

Note: I am capable of getting an A in the course, but I would suffer an exceptional amount. I have heard that law schools simply count the "W" as an "F," and in that case I will not withdraw. Can anyone make this clear for me on what the consensus currently is?

EDIT: The "W" is non-punitive and I understand that it won't be calculated into my GPA. However, won't the law schools take a holistic approach and count the "W" as a negative anyway?2

One "W" will have literally zero effect on your application, especially with a GPA as high as yours.

Just one addendum to the above: make sure it's a non-punitive W that doesn't affect your GPA. Not that it would be a huge problem, but an F could lower your GPA enough that it affected your chances at YLS (since that's a goal school for you).

(Disclaimer: this next bit has nothing to do with your admissions chances.)

But I think you should finish the class. Wrestling with uncomfortable topics is a good thing, and it's pretty much in the syllabus of some of the best courses you'll take in college. When you graduate, you'll get the option to filter your news feed, change the channel, etc. School is the chance to train your mind to not do those things and instead expose yourself to the realities of different viewpoints.

/off-topic

If it's a W that's punitive then it counts as an F. But if it's just a "W" alone, it will have no impact on admissions. Having 1 W will more than likely not turn any heads. lots of people have W's and get into good schools, don't sweat it if it's not punitive.