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A course withdrawal, also called a ‘W,’ is the designation on your transcript when you drop a course after the add/drop period has ended. Usually, students take a W to reduce their course load and prevent a failing grade that will affect their GPA.
A single course withdrawal doesn’t usually look bad for medical school admissions, but repeated Ws or a pattern of red flags on your transcript, including multiple withdrawals, can cause problems when applying to med school. Admissions committees consider the context, including course type, timing, and your overall academic performance.
There are pros and cons to withdrawals, so before you take a W, consider the potential implications.
Is It Worth It?
If it’s your first time taking a withdrawal, particularly for health issues or major family problems, or you’re going to fail the class, then taking that W may be worth it.
However, it’s not worth it to take a withdrawal if:
- It’s your senior year, and it’s a core class.
- There’s no reasonable explanation for the withdrawal.
- You’re applying for medical school, and you need this course.
Let’s take a look at how withdrawals may be perceived on your application in more detail.
When a Withdrawal Is Acceptable
Generally, withdrawals are acceptable for a few reasons, such as personal health issues, major family emergencies, or financial aid complications.
A couple of withdrawals from college courses are not inherently a stumbling block to pursuing a career as a doctor. Most med students who have a withdrawal have a justifiable reason for doing so and effectively communicate that to admissions committees.
Here are a few circumstances in which a W is typically not considered a problem.
A Single Withdrawal
Your first time withdrawing from a class will almost never be detrimental to your record, especially if it was early in your college career or due to another extenuating circumstance (severe illness, etc.). Isolated incidents like this happen, especially to brand-new college students.
If it becomes repetitive (usually after freshman year), it’s more likely to be a cause for concern when applying to a medical school.
Withdrawing from Non-Core Courses
Withdrawing from non-essential or elective courses, particularly those unrelated to pre-med prerequisites, is less likely to raise any red flags than withdrawing from a vital course. You may have been exploring an interest that turned out to be a more demanding course than you could legitimately take on.
The easy rule of thumb is whether or not the college course counts towards your BCPM GPA. If it doesn’t, you may be safe to withdraw to avoid a grade that could tank your GPA. Other core courses that you want to avoid dropping at this stage include the prerequisites required for graduation.
Timing matters here, too — a W from a medical school prerequisite course during junior or senior year is more likely to be a problem than dropping out of the course in your first semester of college.
Retaking a Course for a Much Better Grade
A withdrawal may be beneficial if you think you may receive a bad grade in a core class that’s a prerequisite for medical school.
Whether a B or a C is better than a withdrawal depends on each individual applicant and overall GPA; if you have straight A’s and might get a C because of a midterm or final project, it could be worth retaking the course.
Your science GPA is a major factor in med school admissions, so if you believe you’re able to retake a course for an A that you’d otherwise get a C in, a W may be a net positive.
Find out your odds of getting into your preferred medical program.
When a W Is Considered a Red Flag
Admissions committees care that you consistently attended your undergrad courses and maintained a high GPA, particularly in BCPM courses. Repeated withdrawals, especially with a pattern of other red flags on your academic record, might negatively impact your medical school application.
Here’s how an AdCom might look at problematic Ws on your transcript.
A Continuous Pattern
A pattern of multiple Ws, such as a withdrawal from at least one class each fall semester, can look bad on your medical school application. Admissions officers may see this as an inability for you to keep up with a demanding course load or to identify your personal limitations.
To avoid this, keep a close eye on your performance in the first weeks of a class. If you’re genuinely concerned about getting a bad grade or can see from the syllabus that it will get in the way of more critical classes, try dropping the course before the cutoff so it doesn’t result in a W.
Other things that can contribute to a pattern of poor performance include lower grades prerequisites for graduation or your pre-med major or repeated class retakes (without significantly improved scores).
Taking a W at a Bad Time
While life happens to everyone and unforeseen circumstances can’t be helped, taking a W at the wrong time can be off-putting to AdComs.
While taking a W in your freshman year could be seen as adjusting to undergrad from high school, taking one during senior year might look as if you’re not serious about your academic progress.
If you need to take a poorly-timed withdrawal for personal reasons, consider explaining it in your personal statement narrative to help admissions committees see the whole picture.
For instance, if you experienced a major illness or were in the hospital with a parent near death, these encounters may play a significant role in your ongoing desire to become a physician. You can use what would otherwise be a red flag as a compelling story about your unique strengths to offer the field of medicine.
Withdrawing from Core Classes
Ws in science classes (like organic chemistry, for instance, which is a class you need to excel in to succeed in med school) are probably the most problematic on your transcript. A single withdrawal isn’t a huge deal, but multiple withdrawals from different science courses might be a sign that you might not have what it takes to keep up with the coursework required for a medical student.
If you have no choice but to withdraw from a BCPM class, ensure that you get a very good grade when retaking the class. If possible, retake it during the next semester.
How It Impacts GPA
Withdrawals are not calculated in your AMCAS GPA, but they do appear on the transcript included in your medical school application.
It’s better to withdraw from a course than to receive a failing grade (Ds or Fs). It will show up on your record, but won’t affect your undergrad GPA, and poor grades can be hard to combat on your application for med school without first doing a post-baccalaureate or other program to improve your GPA.
How It Impacts Med School Admissions
One W won’t impact your medical school application, but multiple withdrawals and/or those seen as part of a pattern with a low GPA may negatively influence your chances of getting into med school.
Your goal as a pre-med should be that your transcript reflects your academic readiness to excel under the massive demands of medical school. If you have straight As and a withdrawal or two, it’s unlikely anyone will look twice. But if you notice your GPA struggling or that you can’t keep up with your college classes, you may need additional support (such as tutoring, lengthening the time you’re in undergrad, etc.).
If you have a few Ws already, don’t fret! AdComs take many factors into account on your AMCAS or other primaries, such as your GPA, MCAT score, personal statement, and record of extracurricular activities. Consider investing in medical school admissions consulting to ensure your application is memorable and compelling.
Read Next: Steps to Becoming a Doctor: Milestones of a Medical Career
How to Improve Your Academic Record Before Applying to Med School
- Get MCAT tutoring and aim for a score of 511 or higher. A good MCAT score could offset some explainable withdrawals and show your aptitude for med school programs.
- Take a post-baccalaureate or special Master’s program (SMP) to improve your GPA before applying. Admissions committees will look at your most recent GPA as the primary indicator of your relevant academic performance.
- Consider using your personal statement to explain major life occurrences for multiple withdrawals, as long as they make sense from a storytelling standpoint. This may work in situations such as losing a parent in the middle of the school year, experiencing a major medical emergency, or going through significant trauma that inspired you to pursue a medical career. If you go this route, your experience must be compelling and highly relevant to your dream of becoming a doctor.
- Think about taking a gap year or two for whatever you need before applying. This might be for things like a post-bacc or more extracurriculars, but it could also be to give yourself a break before the academic requirements ramp up as you enter medical school.
Increase Your Chances of Getting Into Medical School
Ensure that the course load you are taking is reasonable and doable for you. If taking a withdrawal for a course will allow you to bounce back and retake it for a better grade, your overall chances at acceptance will probably be better. Above all, avoid burnouts and dropouts.
Students who work with us are more than 2X as likely to get accepted to medical school than those who don’t. Learn how our Physician Advisors can take your application to the next level!
Sahil Mehta MD
Dr. Mehta is the founder of MedSchoolCoach and has guided thousands of successful medical school applicants. He is also a practicing physician in Boston where he specializes in vascular and interventional radiology.
