Is a W on the transcript going to hurt T6 chances? Forum

[Fish127]

The title is more or less self explanatory. For personal reasons I had to drop a class. It's non-punitive, but because the the aforementioned personal reasons my grade is a C or something (although I don't think that shows up). I've researched the question and have gotten some somewhat conflicting responses. If anybody has personal experience or a good basis for your knowledge that would be helpful.

Also most of the threads I've been looking into have been asking if having a W would hurt you for T14 or T10 schools. I realize that the higher up the list you go, the more competitive things get and the more schools take other non GPA/LSAT factors into account. So will having a W hurt me for T6 chances? How about YHS?

[gertie]

I had a W on my transcript and I do not think that it hurt my application chances. I was accepted into H and a large number of other T14 schools.

The title is more or less self explanatory. For personal reasons I had to drop a class. It's non-punitive, but because the the aforementioned personal reasons my grade is a C or something (although I don't think that shows up). I've researched the question and have gotten some somewhat conflicting responses. If anybody has personal experience or a good basis for your knowledge that would be helpful.

Also most of the threads I've been looking into have been asking of having a W would hurt you for T14 ot T10 schools. I realize that the higher up the list you go, the more competitive things get and the more schools take other non GPA/LSAT factors into account. So will having a W hurt me for T6 chances? How about YHS?

[RodneyRuxin]

You vs someone without a W that's close to you (ie 1 or 2 LSAT points, >0.1 GPA)--you'll lose.

So yes, it will hurt your chances (slightly). You have a 3.8; get a 174 and enjoy HYS.

[hiltopp01]

You vs someone without a W that's close to you (ie 1 or 2 LSAT points, >0.1 GPA)--you'll lose.

So yes, it will hurt your chances (slightly). You have a 3.8; get a 174 and enjoy HYS.

One or two LSAT points and/or >0.1 GPA is huge... I'm sure they'd take a 175/3.9 with a couple W's over a 173/3.8 no W's any day..

OP: Don't worry about the W; general tls consensus is that a few non-punitive W's won't impact your application.

[Br3v]

No

[jbagelboy]

One W means basically nothing. Nothing.

A record of several W constitutes an average academic negative soft at top schools, similar to taking excessively light course loads, stacking community college credits, having a minor academic C&F, ect. Either way, even multiple W wont tank an application by any stretch

Entire semesters of withdrawals clearly require an addendum and maybe a statement from a dean or academic representative

Ultimately this is all most relevant for Yale and Stanford, somewhat less so for HCCN, and basically meaningless below the lower T14.

[stillwater]

No

[North]

[quote="RodneyRuxin"]You vs someone without a W that's close to you (ie 1 or 2 LSAT points, >0.1 GPA)--you'll lose.

So yes, it will hurt your chances (slightly). You have a 3.8; get a 174 and enjoy HYS.[/quote]

[North]

No

[RodneyRuxin]

If the 0Ls in the thread could all hold their breath for a moment, I think you kids are going too far with the "numbers mean everything" shtick on TLS.

You really think that if it comes down to two relatively identical candidates at HYSCCN (GPA/LSAT are in the same places with respect to the 25, 50, and 75th percentiles) that the schools aren't going to look at softs(including a transcript)?

[North]

If the 0Ls in the thread could all hold their breath for a moment, I think you kids are going too far with the "numbers mean everything" shtick on TLS.

You really think that if it comes down to two relatively identical candidates at HYSCCN (GPA/LSAT are in the same places with respect to the 25, 50, and 75th percentiles) that the schools aren't going to look at softs(including a transcript)?

A W on a transcript is not equal to 1 or 2 points on the LSAT, no matter how much admissions knowledge you think being in LS has given you.

Even with numerically identical candidates, a W on a transcript is so low on the totem pole of softs an AdComm might consider important that it shouldn't even be discussed seriously.

But what do we know, you're in law school.

[A. Nony Mouse]

If the 0Ls in the thread could all hold their breath for a moment, I think you kids are going too far with the "numbers mean everything" shtick on TLS.

You really think that if it comes down to two relatively identical candidates at HYSCCN (GPA/LSAT are in the same places with respect to the 25, 50, and 75th percentiles) that the schools aren't going to look at softs(including a transcript)?

They'll look at transcripts, but thing is, you're never going to get two candidates who have the IDENTICAL transcript, except that one has one lonely W and the other doesn't. I suppose one W might, possibly, register, but I think the content of the rest of the transcript is going to be a much bigger deal than having a W.

[Dany]

I had like ~5 Ws and it didn't hurt me at all at T6 schools. One is not an issue.

[RodneyRuxin]

The number scale was to give the OP an idea of what a similar candidate looked like, I wasn't saying (and I think it's clear) that a W=1-2 points on the LSAT.

Nony's post is much more accurate, it's likely insignificant but could have a "slight" (what I said in my original post) detrimental effect.

Post's like Dany's are dangerous. "I had a W and I got in XYZ" is the equivalent of saying "I had multiple mistakes on my writing sample and I got in XYZ." You can't automatically equate that with the "these things don't matter, numbers are everything" approach that TLS loves. If you aren't borderline, softs are unlikely to matter (again, what I implied in my original post), but they can be used to distinguish between candidates.

Also, it's obvious there's not going to be two completely equal candidates--but arguing that is just fighting the hypo rather than acknowledging that it can be a slight detriment to an otherwise equally qualified candidate.

ETA: Sorry about the 0L comment, didn't mean to make it personal. But if you look back a couple years there are threads on this topic where the consensus was the same thing I'm saying.

[North]

You vs someone without a W that's close to you (ie 1 or 2 LSAT points, >0.1 GPA)--you'll lose.

[Dany]

If you think one W on a transcript matters you are delusional.

[Dany]

You vs someone without a W that's close to you (ie 1 or 2 LSAT points, >0.1 GPA)--you'll lose.

And this is stupid.

[ManOfTheMinute]

You vs someone without a W that's close to you (ie 1 or 2 LSAT points, >0.1 GPA)--you'll lose.

And this is stupid.

To think it's not gonna matter at all is delusional... and stupid. OP - it will be a small negative, but nothing to break your balls over

[John_rizzy_rawls]

You vs someone without a W that's close to you (ie 1 or 2 LSAT points, >0.1 GPA)--you'll lose.

And this is stupid.

To think it's not gonna matter at all is delusional... and stupid. OP - it will be a small negative, but nothing to break your balls over

No, it's flat out idiotic to categorically say that numbers equal, the dude with the W loses. As if to say that once numbers are hashed out the next thing they jump to is transcript analysis? GTFOOH.

On the list of negative softs, Ws are way way down on the list.

/thread

[RodneyRuxin]

You vs someone without a W that's close to you (ie 1 or 2 LSAT points, >0.1 GPA)--you'll lose.

And this is stupid.

To think it's not gonna matter at all is delusional... and stupid. OP - it will be a small negative, but nothing to break your balls over

This.

/thread.

[stillwater]

To think it's not gonna matter at all is delusional... and stupid. OP - it will be a small negative, but nothing to break your balls over

This.

/thread.

AND ON THE 116th TIEBREAKER, IT GOES TO NOT OP!!!!!

Seriously, its so minor that Ws have no real world value as a determinant.

I could see if we were talking 15+ Ws. Yeah, that looks terrible. But this is 1. Give me a break.

[jselson]

Enjoy Cooley.

[North]

I can't believe that there was a debate about this.

[Clearly]

Anyone who thinks one W is going to mean a difference at any school in the country is crazy. The perceived difficulty of classwork is going to make 10x the difference in an exact tie numbers situation than one W would. Work experience, undergrad prestige, geographic location, PS, LORs, early/late application, addenda, etc will all come into play before one candidate gets in over another because of one solitary W on a transcript. I'm actually shocked anyone is even suggesting it will have an effect...

[vzapana]

I can't believe that there was a debate about this.