can one W in your gpa really kill you? Forum

[ml1212]

have one W from a calculus class 2nd yr i withdrew from realizing it was not exactly my strongpoint. it drops my lsac gpa from a 3.71 to a 3.58!!! is that really what law schools will see right away???

[alicrimson]

have one W from a calculus class 2nd yr i withdrew from realizing it was not exactly my strongpoint. it drops my lsac gpa from a 3.71 to a 3.58!!! is that really what law schools will see right away???

I thought Withdrawals so long as they weren't Withdraw Failing weren't included in your gpa....

[Kohinoor]

have one W from a calculus class 2nd yr i withdrew from realizing it was not exactly my strongpoint. it drops my lsac gpa from a 3.71 to a 3.58!!! is that really what law schools will see right away???

I saw down with my dean to some soothing chamomile tea and he told me that Ws are an autoreject.

[alicrimson]

have one W from a calculus class 2nd yr i withdrew from realizing it was not exactly my strongpoint. it drops my lsac gpa from a 3.71 to a 3.58!!! is that really what law schools will see right away???

I saw down with my dean to some soothing chamomile tea and he told me that Ws are an autoreject.

At some schools they'll slit your throat too. They won't count in your lsdas gpa but they'll be carved into your tombstone.

[ml1212]

c'mon really one W in a course that wasn't for your major/related to your major at all and early on in college career? that is ridiculous! anyone got other news on this???

[alicrimson]

c'mon really one W in a course that wasn't for your major/related to your major at all and early on in college career? that is ridiculous! anyone got other news on this???

I already answered your question. If its WF, then it counts as an F. If its just a W, relax. It doesn't count.

[Nom Sawyer]

Is that GPA you're referring to an official LSAC GPA or your own calculation?

The above poster is correct, unless the W was a Withdraw- Failing, you usually won't be penalized.

[im_blue]

One F if your GPA can really kill you, but W doesn't count as F unless it's punitive.

[Bildungsroman]

have one W from a calculus class 2nd yr i withdrew from realizing it was not exactly my strongpoint. it drops my lsac gpa from a 3.71 to a 3.58!!! is that really what law schools will see right away???

I thought Withdrawals so long as they weren't Withdraw Failing weren't included in your gpa....

True, but they're still included in your academic summary report from LSAC. A pattern of (even non-punitive) withdrawals can hurt someone by calling their GPA into question. "Oh, this person has a 3.8, but they withdrew from a class every semester after 6 weeks into it. I wonder why..."

[ml1212]

the gpa on the lsac scale was 3.71 without the W, and 3.58 with the "F" but apparently since it was a W dropped without WF it should be somewhat ok..

[phoenix323]

I had a whole quarter of W's due to emergency surgery and I don't think it affected my cycle at all. But if it dropped OP's LSAC GPA that much, it must have been punitive. I'd check with your school and see what the deal is. Good luck.

[eandy]

True, but they're still included in your academic summary report from LSAC. A pattern of (even non-punitive) withdrawals can hurt someone by calling their GPA into question. "Oh, this person has a 3.8, but they withdrew from a class every semester after 6 weeks into it. I wonder why..."

That's me. I don't think they really cared too much.

OP, your W may have been punitive because you waited too long to withdraw.

[TCScrutinizer]

There's something else at work. I had a W in a course in my major field, and it affected my LSAC GPA not one bit.

[alicrimson]

have one W from a calculus class 2nd yr i withdrew from realizing it was not exactly my strongpoint. it drops my lsac gpa from a 3.71 to a 3.58!!! is that really what law schools will see right away???

I thought Withdrawals so long as they weren't Withdraw Failing weren't included in your gpa....

True, but they're still included in your academic summary report from LSAC. A pattern of (even non-punitive) withdrawals can hurt someone by calling their GPA into question. "Oh, this person has a 3.8, but they withdrew from a class every semester after 6 weeks into it. I wonder why..."

OP said they had one very early on. I seriously doubt that warrants the same treatment as a W every semester. You can probably have as many as two and be okay.

[eandy]

have one W from a calculus class 2nd yr i withdrew from realizing it was not exactly my strongpoint. it drops my lsac gpa from a 3.71 to a 3.58!!! is that really what law schools will see right away???

I thought Withdrawals so long as they weren't Withdraw Failing weren't included in your gpa....

True, but they're still included in your academic summary report from LSAC. A pattern of (even non-punitive) withdrawals can hurt someone by calling their GPA into question. "Oh, this person has a 3.8, but they withdrew from a class every semester after 6 weeks into it. I wonder why..."

OP said they had one very early on. I seriously doubt that warrants the same treatment as a W every semester. You can probably have as many as two and be okay.

I had six.

[TheTopBloke]

have one W from a calculus class 2nd yr i withdrew from realizing it was not exactly my strongpoint. it drops my lsac gpa from a 3.71 to a 3.58!!! is that really what law schools will see right away???

Withdrawals have no effect on your GPA, or at least it shouldn't.

[alicrimson]

I had six.

So W's really aren't the kiss of death everyone makes them out to be. I remember wanting to W an impending C+ frosh year but papaalicrimson had me convinced the world would end. Well, now I'll probably end gpa wise at a 3.78 by the end of this summer [i'll have 12 more credits. A's or A+'s] whereas if the W went down instead of my only C in life, it'd be a lot higher.

[katie90]

Anecdotally, I have a friend who graduated with a 3.9 and 13 W's. Basically, he would sign up for 6 or 7 classes every semester, and if he realized he wasn't going to get an A, he would withdraw. He got a 174 on his lsat and is now at NYU...

[im_blue]

Anecdotally, I have a friend who graduated with a 3.9 and 13 W's. Basically, he would sign up for 6 or 7 classes every semester, and if he realized he wasn't going to get an A, he would withdraw. He got a 174 on his lsat and is now at NYU...

Awesome! I firmly believe that this approach carries much less risk than taking a B+ or lower just to avoid a W. Another approach could be to just pass/fail the class and aim for a C-.

[TheTopBloke]

Exactly. Or you might end up with a jerk prof that thinks his shit doesn't stink, can't teach, won't teach, makes excuses for his poor performance, threatens you with ethics violations when you suggest you go to the ombudsmen to resolve the matter, and then ignores you the rest of the semester. W's are a fact of life. not everybody gets along, and you shouldn't be penalized for that.

[Tautology]

No one cares about W's on your transcript.

[Miracle]

I had a whole quarter of W's due to emergency surgery and I don't think it affected my cycle at all. But if it dropped OP's LSAC GPA that much, it must have been punitive. I'd check with your school and see what the deal is. Good luck.

I did as well, and it did not affect me in any shape or form.