how bad is a "W" for comm. college transfer

<p>How bad does ONE "W" look on a transcript when you transfer from a community college?(the W would be from a summer course). I'm not sure if I can get an A in the course(3 unit art course for GE) im taking over the summer because I missed quiz.(im taking 8 units total in the summer) I'm wondering how bad a W looks because if I get a B in the class, my cumulative GPA would be lower than if I had dropped the class in the first palce.</p>

<p>Right not I am a sophomore at a community college planning to transfer in fall 2010. This fall I will be applying to NYU, UC berkeley, UCLA, UCSD. Because I am in a california community college, I already have a TAG for UCSD, which is my backup school. My current GPA from my first 2 semesters is a 3.24(i screwed up 1st smstr with a 2.5 in the fall then a 4.0 in the spring). But if I continue to get a 4.0 in the summer and fall, my transcript that the colleges will be looking at(everything up to spring 2010) will be a 3.56 at the highest.
My major is Econ and I already know my GPA isn't very competitive for UCLA,UCB,NYU. But I already have UCSD as my backup school because of TAG.</p>

<p>My question is whether or not W will look bad to those schools because im taking 3 courses over the summer(2 are GE and 1 is elective). Out of the three courses, 1 of the courses is starting to look like I may get a B in it.</p>

<p>I've already calculated my highest GPA in 3 diff scenarios up to the end of fall 2009(which is what colleges will see on my transcript)</p>

<p>If:
A) I don't drop the course and get an 4.0 in the summer 09 and fall 09, my GPA at the max would be a 3.561</p>

<p>B) I don't drop the course and get a B in the course but a 4.0 in every other class in summer and fall 09, my GPA will be a 3.508</p>

<p>C) I drop the course and get a W on my transcript but continue earning a 4.0 in all my other classes(sum+fall 09), my GPA would be 3.537</p>

<p>How big of a difference is a 3.56 vs 3.537 VS 3.508 for transfering as a Econ major to NYU/UCB/UCLA?</p>

<p>Again, I know my chances look pretty slim of getting into these great schools but I'm thinking every little decimal point in the GPA helps because of my current GPA.</p>

<p>And what would look better on my transcript(obviously choice A would, but that might not happen), choice B or C?</p>

<p>thanks</p>

<p>are you talking about a W-Passing, or Failing the second one will make a difference.</p>

<p>It might behoove you to apply for now as either a different, or an “Undeclared-social sciences” major, then switch to econ if you are admitted (which you can definitely do). Econ is by far the most popular major for both prospective transfers and students generally, so your chances of getting in decrease precipitously due to this factor. If you look at their prospectus: </p>

<p>[Profile</a> of Admitted Transfer Students by Major, Fall 2007 - UCLA Undergraduate Admissions](<a href=“http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/Prospect/Adm_tr/Tr_Prof07_mjr.htm]Profile”>http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/Prospect/Adm_tr/Tr_Prof07_mjr.htm) </p>

<p>for transfer students, this becomes abundantly clear.</p>

<p>I am in a similar situation, with almost exactly the same numbers, but my W is a “WF”. It only has to matter by your discretion. If you are a strong writer, and can make a sound case for your admissibility, then it won’t matter at all. </p>

<p>My numbers:
GPA (as advertised on official transcript): 3.56
GPA (if the WF is factored in as an “F”): 3.41
EC’s: a good deal–College dems, VP of students for Barack Obama, statewide volunteer, intern, and organizer, Dem. convention delegate, intern for sec. of state, student fellow of the Amer. philosophical association, presented philosophy papers at academic conferences, math, music, and English tutor, worked full time while pulling 22 credit hours in a single semester, member of a national collegiate scholars organization, departmental award for music in HS, starting a student club, regular volunteer at local soup kitchen. Member of university band.
ACT: 29
HS GPA: 2.1 (I know, I know :[ ).
College type: big intercity state school (tier 4)… and I hate it.
Major: Hon. mathematics/hon. philosophy double major, econ and computer sci minors.
Other: I plan on being the first to graduate college in my family. I am also Arabic and Native American (half/eighth, respectively). It shouldn’t matter, but it often does. </p>

<p>Schools to which I am applying:
U of Michigan
UNC
Bucknell U
UCLA
Emory (reach)
WUSTL (reach)
U of Notre Dame (reach)
Vanderbilt (reach…sort of)
Carleton (reach)
Cornell (reach)
UVA (reach)
UC Berkeley (reach)
Michigan State (safety)
U Maryland (safety)
UCSD (safety)</p>

<p>By the way, if anyone wants to chance me… :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :)</p>

<p>lol… this is why I hate affirmative action </p>

<p>“I am also Arabic and Native American (half/eighth, respectively).” </p>

<p>And I’m sure that 1/8th of you attends Ghost Dances every spirit cycle</p>

<p>@ Phenom…</p>

<p>I am a Philosophy major and i see you are a member of the American Philosophical Association.</p>

<p>I would like to join this so I could list it on my applications as an EC, but other than the 35 dollar fee, is there anything you have to do in order to be a member or maintain your membership, because it kind of feels like im paying for an EC lol</p>

<p>Treebounders: really inequitable and unfair ad hominem attack here; I SAID that I didn’t think that it was right, just there in the post. As a pre-law student, I have stood against AA at every turn, presenting papers and writing an honors thesis against it. I probably won’t even include it in my app. </p>

<p>But seeing as how not half, but all of me has been discriminated against, personally threatened, etc. for my cultural heritage (Arabic; I’m an atheist, but the Islamophobes don’t quite care about that), it is really low of you to accuse me of using AA in that manner. </p>

<p>Also, ALL of me speaks Arabic and Hebrew, you jerk; I am likely more in-tune with my ethnic heritage than you can ever hope to be. Don’t pretend to critique an issue about which you know nothing. </p>

<p>Eshug: normally, I would totally agree with you. It is like paying for an EC. However, I am also a member of (I didn’t list this one for some reason…) a graduate society for philosophy PhD students at my institution (I’m the only undergrad, but I was invited to read a paper and then invited back as a member). I also read a paper at a top university in the midwest regarding William James, Edmund Husserl, and the philosophical origins of psychology. In other words, you can pay to be a member, but in order to justify it, you really should have some scholarly input, which is what PhDs and profs have to do for membership. It is also good to attend their conferences. It’s a good experience; I met Ted Sider and some other famed philosophers. Good stuff.</p>

<p>Good luck; philosophy majors OTW unite! Are you pre-law, or pre-PhD? (or neither…)?</p>

<p>I think i will pay for it, so I can list it even if doesnt mean ive actively participated, but it will look good that i am involved in an association related to my major.</p>

<p>I am at a community college in Los Angeles, so i am planning on transferring to UCLA in the Fall 2010 (hopefully), and right now my goal is to be accepted to UCLA Law and study law there.</p>

<p>What are your plans for graduate school?</p>

<p>Phenomenologist: you’re ECs look pretty good to me.</p>

<p>Honestly, I feel like just settling for my backup school which I am guaranteed into(UCSD) because the only EC I have currently is swim team for school(placed in conference finals and consuls). If the EC from high school even counts, which i doubt because its from 2+ years ago.</p>

<p>anyways thanks everyone, I guess I could settle with a B in that course if it does happen. after all I’ll still have a backup school which really isn’t that bad</p>

<p>Do you guys think I am pushing it(trying to get into nyu/ucla/ucb)? Because I really don’t have any current ECs, but i plan on doing some EC’s in the fall, but that would only be for a few months until application time…</p>

<p>Definitely; you should go for it! I’m looking into UCLA myself, though logistically speaking, being located in Michigan makes UM my best option.</p>

<p>I have two professional/life goals on which I am rather dogged and unwilling to compromise: getting a PhD and going to law school. </p>

<p>Right now, JD/PhD programs look appealing. I think, however, that I might just go straight to the best law program into which I’m admitted (my top choice is Columbia), even if I don’t get into the PhD program there. Afterward, if I don’t complete a dual degree program, I’ll practice law for a few years to pay off my loans, then do a dual degree program (I am so intent on them because you receive two degrees for a single tuition[!]).</p>

<p>I would like to ultimately get a PhD in either philosophy, mathematics, or economics (respectively, by current interest), along side either an MPP (if I can get into Harv’s Kennedy School), or an MBA (JD/MBA grads do very well in the professional arena).</p>

<p>In other words, I wish to spend a life in academia, while making a comfortable living–get a space in NYC or Boston, become a partner at a firm or an executive at a company, and act as an adjunct/associate professor at a university, instilling students such as myself with a love of learning, in whatever field I choose. </p>

<p>That is…I’m ambitious, but that’s where I’m at right now.</p>

<p>Hahahaha look phenom my post was playful and a little acerbic, no need to write an dissertation. Don’t take it personally, because from your post I take it that you and I share many of the same views. It’s just the irony of the whole situation.</p>

<p>And hijacking someone else’s thread is a little underhanded, right? Anyway, best of luck - you seem to have a lot of ambition and the willingness to work at it.</p>

<p>Alright, alright. Sorry. </p>

<p>Thanks for the advice. I guess I just got carried away haha.</p>

<p>Hey Steeze, as I said previously, you really shouldn’t worry too much. I think you have wonderful chances.</p>

<p>P.S.: Steeze, you should check out a few other big public (and private) U’s; the more the merrier when applying for transfer.
e.g.: Michigan, Texas, Vandy, UNC, UVA, etc. </p>

<p>…Really, I wouldn’t apply directly as an Econ major; allude to being “intensely interested” in econ, and apply as an undeclared soc sci major. I have had numerous friends for whom this has been a downfall.</p>

<p>These conditions satisfied, I think that your chances are quite good. I would say that UCLA is almost a lock, NYU is very likely, and UCB is only a little bit of a reach.</p>

<p>Phenomenologist:
Are you serious about my highest possible gpa(3.56) by the end of finish fall 09 is a lock for econ major at ucla? Or did you mean a lock as in applying as a undeclared social science major?(you gave me a bit of excitement there by saying that.hah.)
I’m somewhat confused because I though you had to choose a major before you transfer, because you are a transfer student…</p>

<p>What sucks more is the class I was planning to drop is an online course…and it looks like I will probably be achieving a B in that class. which will lower my highest possible GPA of 3.56 to 3.508. But if I drop the class my highest could be a 3.537. what choice would u make? take the B or drop it?</p>

<p>I thought when you drop a class, all it shows on your transcript is a W for withdrawl. But somebody here says it shows up as either a WF or a WP(withdraw-failing/passing)? Can somebody enlighten me on this? A friend of mine dropped the same class I am in and he said he got a W on his transcript so far.</p>

<p>edit: Phenomenologist- I’m not sure about checking out the other private U’s simply because I want to stay in the state of California. However NYU has made an exception, I visited that school and it was awesome. I wouldn’t mind Columbia too, but does my gpa even let me think about the slightest chance of getting into Columbia? Not at all. Standford as well since that counts as another big U. Other than that, I’m not interested enough in any other out of state schools to visit them so I can change my mind…hopefully I made sense there.</p>

<p>(I don’t mind the thread jacking, it gives my thread more replies! lol)</p>

<p>You can, as shown on the prospectus above, say that you are an undeclared social sci major, or you can just go ahead and commit to economics. It’s your call; the former might look wishy-washy, as it were, whereas the latter might make you look a little under-qualified. Again, it’s your call.</p>

<p>But yes, if you really put every ounce of effort into your app essays, UCLA is likely, NYU somewhat likely, and UCB very possible. Never sell yourself short; you will only be pre-empting disappointment with despondency–you will never know how well you will do until you actually try. </p>

<p>If your GPA is 3.5+, then you are FINE. Believe me. You can get into any school (e.g. Columbia and lesser institutions :slight_smile: ) with that GPA. It’s sort of like a de facto cut-off. </p>

<p>I am applying to UM, Emory, Vandy, and WUSTL with a 3.45, and I am rather confident in my abilities to get in. The reason for this has nothing to do with my GPA ipso facto, but with what the various elements in my apps say about me. These factors are belied to a certain degree by my straight numbers. However, I am not unique; this is true for just about everyone–you have to sell yourself!</p>

<p>So bump up the confidence, and just go for it. You can’t sell yourself if you aren’t absolutely positive that you are more than qualified for admission. Good luck!</p>