I have missed 2 weeks of class. I am taking 16 credit hours at Indiana University. I really want to get into med school. I am in the second semester of my freshman year. Last semester I got all A’s and 1 A-, resulting in a 3.9 GPA. I had a tooth that was causing a ton of pain. Of course the dentist has a list of steps they have to go through. They filled one tooth, then filled another one. Then changed my bite twice. Finally I ended up having a root canal. The dentist gave me pain medicine because I could not tolerate the pain. I could not drive with the medicine and I have a 45 minute commute. I have missed so much that I feel like I can not get caught up. I need advice. I tried to contact my academic adviser and she doesn’t have appointments for almost a week. I feel really far behind. I have missed 4 chapters in micro lecture and 1 exam, 3 micro labs and 1 quiz, 4 quizzes in a computer class, an essay in elementary comp, and 6 lessons and 1 exam in pre-calc. My grades are all F’s and only a little over 50%. Very depressing after such a good semester last time. I did contact my professors, they told me to “get better”, it didn’t really go beyond that. If I drop the classes I will have W’s on my transcript. How will this effect my chances for getting into medical school? I am confident that I could retake this semester next semester and do well. I am very dedicated and really want to do well. I feel like even if I study constantly I won’t get my grades up from a 50% to a 97%. PLEASE HELP!!
If you are hopelessly behind, you should take a medical leave. You will get part of your tuition back but at least you will stop the clock. Talk to the dean of students and explain the situation. You got two weeks behind because of the medication. Hesitation will cost you money. Leaving with Ws because of a medical condition is something you can recover from. Failing your classes is not. You may be able to take some of the classes over the summer to catch up.
Thank you. I was just worried that it may lower my chances significantly if I got that many W’s. I feel that I come back next semester and retake the classes and finish with high grades, I will be okay. What do you think?
I agree. Make sure you get documentation that it’s a medical leave if you can.
When you apply to medical schools, there will be a place on the secondaries to explain any special circumstances–like a medical withdrawal and a bunch of Ws.
You might be able to get Incompletes instead of Ws. That would involve meeting with each instructor and asking about the chances for that That would avoid W’s and avoid financial loss and it would buy you time to catch up over the summer.
Seek a medical withdrawal. AT some schools, you will not have a “bunch of W’s” for a medical withdrawal.
True mom2collegekids, but you lose the credits. With Incompletes, you have time to make up the courses, retain the credits.
Consult the financial aid office and your academic adviser about withdrawing (or late-dropping) and seeking a financial deal. If you live in a dorm, talk to Housing about breaking the contract and moving out asap. Get documentation from your DDS that you could not attend and do schoolwork.