I am currently in my third year. I have a score of 51/100 before the final exam. Should I drop it or keep it ? I will have to go for LWD as the deadline for dropping a course has already passed. I already have one LWD from my 2nd year. I want to get into a grad school. All the grad schools look for grades 3rd and 4th year. I am scared another LWD would look bad on my transcript. What should i do ?
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hey there,
i can’t make that call for you, mon amigo. it depends on how much the exam is worth. it depends on how confident you are in your understanding of the material. it depends on how much studying you think you can pack in before the exam. all of these things are subjective, not easily quantifiable, and, unfortunately, not things a stranger can decide for you. as much as it would be comforting to download all your responsibilities and hard decisions onto another person, that’s not how life works. it’s not something aska can do for you – i’m sorry.
even though it’s a lot harder than just sending off an e-mail, the best advisers you could ask for right now would be the folks at your college/divisional registrar’s office. they will be able to look at your marks so far, have an in-depth chat with you about this course, your aspirations for grad school, and your overall transcript. based on all of that, they can help you make the best decision moving forward.
i will say that, generally speaking, an LWD is better than a failed mark that drags down your GPA. two LWD’s aren’t great, but if the rest of your transcript is really strong – if you can pull off a really strong AGPA in your fourth year, for example – you may be able to counterbalance two LWD’s. that being said, there’s no cut-and-dry, surefire formula for applying to grad school, both because there is no one standard application, and no one standard grad school. it’s all about negotiating your particular capabilities with their particular expectations and trying to make them meet.
as far as i know, most (if not every) college registrar’s office needs to meet with you before LWD’ing anyway, so take that opportunity to have an in-depth, honest discussion with your adviser about your needs and concerns. ask them what they think the best option would be, considering the grad schools you’re interested in and your transcript. they won’t be able to tell you ‘yes’ or ‘no’ either, but they will have more information than i do, and thus be better able to advise you.
ultimately, while this is a hard decision to make, i believe that you know the right answer. listen to the advice you get from your registrar’s office, but when the time comes, trust your gut. ask yourself honestly: is it worth it to write this exam? can i pass this course? you know your own abilities better than anyone else. trust them.
all the best,
aska