Graduate School Application (about dropped courses)

In summary: Dropping a course can hurt your chances for graduate school. If you are a math major, it is best to try to get the course forgiveness program at your school. There are other things going on during the term that might be used to justify dropping the course. If you are not a math major, it is still best to try to get the course forgiveness program.
  • #1
rad0786
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Graduate School Aplication (about dropped courses)

Hi

So i am a math majour, and i took a 3rd year finance course.

I wrote the midterm (for the finance course) and just bearly passed - i got ~50% on the midterm and it is worth 25% of our final grade.

I am 3rd year.

If i drop the course, it will show as "Course cancelled" on my transcript (this WON'T inclcude the date dropped nor the reason)

Then my course load will be reduced to 4 courses...from 5.

Would this really hurt my chances for Graduate school?? :confused:
 
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  • #2
First question -- does your school have a course forgiveness program (i.e. can you retake it next year)?

Second -- grad committee's typically look for anomalies on transcripts, but I think a dropped is better than an "F"... and are there other things going on that term... like really exciting difficult courses... or maybe starting some research project, that you could use to justify?

My thoughts have always been that somehow the grad selection process usually puts you in the correct program for YOU. Consider your whole application when it comes to application time... be ambitious but realistic.
 
  • #3
You need to ask the registrar at your school; no one here will know exactly how your school handles withdrawn classes.

- Warren
 
  • #4
Oh i was asking just generally.

I did ask the graduate advisory at my university via email and requested to book an inperson appointment. He did not reply.

Im sorry for complaining here...but I've come to a conclusion that the mathematicans at my school don't socialize much. Theylso never update course websites, they suck at teaching, they suck at helping students academicllay and career wise, and they suck at teaching. The grad TA's generally suck too. Oh, i forgot to mention that 90% of the math prof's at my school have montone voices.

Only a handfull of profs are "prof's for students" who care for us and give us a helping hand.

I hope other universities are better than mine!
 
  • #5
Classes have been pretty good at teaching up until my jr. year. Now its basically here is the book, I'm going to talk about whatever I want for the next 50 minutes, the midterm is on this date, have fun. You'll get use to the suck and embrace it.
 
  • #6
Actually, "Course cancelled" sounds like the university might have been the one to cancel the course. "W[ithdrawn]" is the term I have more commonly seen. As mentioned above, withdrawing is better than failing.

Make the seventh semester count (since it's probably the last semester that'll be seen by admissions committees, assuming you are going straight in after the eighth semester).

What kind of graduate school program are you trying to get into?
Finance? Mathematics? something else? In any case, it probably won't hurt much if you are going into a non-finance graduate program.
 

What is a dropped course?

A dropped course refers to a course that a student has withdrawn from before the designated drop deadline. This means the course will not appear on the student's transcript and will not count towards their academic record.

Do dropped courses affect my graduate school application?

Yes, dropped courses can have an impact on your graduate school application. Admissions committees often look at your entire academic record, including any dropped courses. However, the significance of dropped courses may vary depending on the specific program and institution.

Do I need to disclose dropped courses on my graduate school application?

Yes, it is important to be transparent and honest on your graduate school application. Most applications will ask you to provide information about any dropped courses, and it is important to include this information to avoid any potential discrepancies or issues in the future.

Will dropping a course affect my GPA?

It depends on when you drop the course. If you drop the course before the designated deadline, it will not affect your GPA. However, if you drop the course after the deadline, it may result in a "W" (withdrawal) grade on your transcript, which does not affect your GPA but may be viewed by admissions committees.

Can I explain why I dropped a course on my graduate school application?

Yes, some graduate school applications may provide an opportunity for you to explain any extenuating circumstances that led to dropping a course. This can be helpful in providing context for admissions committees and addressing any concerns they may have about your academic record.

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