<p>Does anyone know whether droping a half semester course (out of a full or 5 credit course load) affects overall gpa? I recently withdrew from one of my pre-med courses, which means that I only have a 2.0 credit semester instead of a 2.5 credit semester. Will this affect how my gpa is tabulated for this semester? And consequently, will my gpa for my freshman year be lower due to my withdrawl? </p>
<p>Also, I was wondering if anyone knows how a 'W' will look to the Ivy-Med schools? I'm planning on taking a higher level course of the same pre-med subject as my dropped course; would this negate my 'W' in the eyes of Ivy-Med schools, or is a 'W' an indelible detriment? I would sincerely appreciate any genuine feedback on this matter. thanx.</p>
<p>Thank you for your reply! Regarding what you said about my specifying only ivy-med schools, I figured that if ivy-med schools would not be bothered by W's, then the other med-schools (both equal in caliber as well as lower in ranking), would most likely be unconcerned as well. But you mentioned a 'top 10 med schools' in your post ... what schools make this list and is Stanford one of these schools? And speaking of Stanford, I was in no way demeaning any of the other med schools (ie. you also mentioned UCSF) by merely focusing my question on the ivy leauges; just curious with respect to how far my med school application 'net' could potentially stretch come application time, given that 1/2 of all med candidates are outrightly rejected from every school.)</p>
<p>My next question is a general post again for anyone who happens to stumble across this post. ....Does anyone out there know someone (or is someone, and in that case, congrats!) who was given an interview to any ivymed schools OR top med schools, and wouldn't mind spreading some 'the close to impossible, is possible' energy by posting some of their EC's, and science/non-science GPA? thanx all round.</p>
<p>Considering that there are only 3 or so Ivies consistently ranked as top 10 med schools, I think that leaves 7 non-Ivies. Stanford, Johns Hopkins, UCSF, and University of Washington come to mind as top 10s. Heck, Dartmouth and Brown's med programs aren't even top 15.</p>
<p>Worry less about what Ivies think, and worry more about what med schools think. In the graduate school game, departments and specific programs mean more than school names.</p>
<p>I have a friend at Stanford who said that the best thing he did was independent research... and get a 41 on the MCAT.</p>