How Many Withdrawals Really Matter? Forum

[rocklawbster]

I am wondering specifically about my withdrawal situation and withdrawals in general. I am currently a 3rd year with a 3.85 GPA at a big state university. I have all A's in 5 of my classes and currently cruising for a B in another. I currently have 2 non-punitive withdrawals from my freshman year and my university allows up to 4. I am essentially done with my majors and can almost guarantee that I will have two semesters of all A's next year. If that happens then I will end up with around a 3.9. With a B in this course I will have no shot at a 3.9 and even with all A's this semester my GPA drops slightly. I know this is the epitome of TLS worrying but I want to know whether people feel I should take the 3rd withdrawal and nearly guarantee a 3.9 or likely take the B in the class and end up below the 3.9 threshold. Also a 3.9 allows for a suma cum laude distinction vs. magna at my school. So questions here are:
1. How many non-punitive withdrawals are too many? ( I know 1-2 seems like the norm but how about 3 and up?)
2. Would you take a B over a W?
3. Is there a psychological boost on apps between a 3.89 and a 3.91/ suma cum laude vs. magna cum laude? (That is nitpicky but I wonder how TLS feels about this).

[Ti Malice]

Withdraw. It's better than a B, and three or four Ws will not hurt you.

[cynthiad]

Can you take the class pass/fail? If not, just withdraw.

[hookem7]

Try to change to pass/fail if the school will let you, otherwise absolutely withdraw if you are on track to graduate next year regardless. It's not like you are taking the minimum number of hours with 6 classes, which I'm guessing is ~18 hours, so I don't think any explanation would be needed.

[rocklawbster]

Thanks for the replies everybody. I am currently at 18 hours so I would end up at 15 with a W.The pass/fail option is a great suggestion that I had not even thought of. Sadly, it looks like after drop/ add it is not possible to switch over to pass/fail. I am on track to graduate next year and do not need the class for my majors. I know it varies by school, but generally are 3 withdrawals not frowned upon by admissions committees?

[Bronck]

Thanks for the replies everybody. I am currently at 18 hours so I would end up at 15 with a W.The pass/fail option is a great suggestion that I had not even thought of. Sadly, it looks like after drop/ add it is not possible to switch over to pass/fail. I am on track to graduate next year and do not need the class for my majors. I know it varies by school, but generally are 3 withdrawals not frowned upon by admissions committees?

Not at all. Three is minor. There are stories of applicants here who had many more and performed as their numbers would indicate.

[WokeUpInACar]

Thanks for the replies everybody. I am currently at 18 hours so I would end up at 15 with a W.The pass/fail option is a great suggestion that I had not even thought of. Sadly, it looks like after drop/ add it is not possible to switch over to pass/fail. I am on track to graduate next year and do not need the class for my majors. I know it varies by school, but generally are 3 withdrawals not frowned upon by admissions committees?

Not at all. Three is minor. There are stories of applicants here who had many more and performed as their numbers would indicate.

Yup. I had 20+ and my cycle is going as expected.

[wannabelawstudent]

Thanks for the replies everybody. I am currently at 18 hours so I would end up at 15 with a W.The pass/fail option is a great suggestion that I had not even thought of. Sadly, it looks like after drop/ add it is not possible to switch over to pass/fail. I am on track to graduate next year and do not need the class for my majors. I know it varies by school, but generally are 3 withdrawals not frowned upon by admissions committees?

Not at all. Three is minor. There are stories of applicants here who had many more and performed as their numbers would indicate.

Yup. I had 20+ and my cycle is going as expected.

+1 I have an embarrassing amount of W's and a couple of terrible grade. Schools didn't care at all (except notre dame). Its all about dat lsat.

[Varys]

I was really wondering about this. There are two semesters where I had a bunch of W's. One semester was because my partner and I moved to another state and there was fluctuating uncertainty due to his job which led to a year long break from school and the other was a ruptured appendix. Hopefully if I do well on the LSAT, T14 schools won't look poorly upon these semesters.

[TheBiggerMediocre]

i got a few looking to get some more. this is good.