HUGE amount of W's on transcript - how bad is it?

Applying to College
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<p>I've been searching around these forums and found quite a bit of advice on one or two W's on a college transcript. Typically it's "Hey, no big deal, just don't do it again...a W is better than an F...ect ect" I think that's really sound advice. </p>

<p>However, what is you have a ton of W's on the transcript? And I mean a TON! That's my case and I'm wondering the implications this would have in applying to graduate school (I'm looking at MBA/MPA type programs) or on the transcript in general.</p>

<p>This is not a case of partying or screwing around. Starting the second semester of freshman year, my significant other passed away unexpectedly in a car accident, then my father passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack, then I was hospitalized from illness (put on official medical leave for one semester), then had to essentially run the family business in which my dad owned (but was no longer around for, obviously), then had emergency surgery my senior year. To say the least...college sucked. </p>

<p>My grades are the "fruit basket" - Lots of A's and B's with a C+ or D here and there. And of course the W's. Each semester that stuff was going down, I still tried to finish as much as I possibly could (until I just couldn't even finish one class and was on medical leave). Final GPA is 3.02 and Major GPA is 3.5. My last semester was a 3.6. </p>

<p>My LORs from professors are really good. Even one from my program head that knows this story and is super supportive of me. </p>

<p>Any thoughts or feedback, no matter the nature, would be super helpful. This isn't a "What are my chances" question ...this is more of me trying to get a picture of how BAD this weakness something like this is. It's a unique situation and I just can't gauge in an objective manner how much of a handicap this is? Insurmountable? Or hey...even an asset? Over coming and finishing despite extreme odds, or whatever...</p>

<p>Would love any thoughts!!! </p>

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<p>I think that’s a tough question to answer, because every admissions officer is going to look at it differently . . . these are people reading the applications, and each one will probably take away something different from your application. I think what helps you is that grad program admission officers may have more time to put into reviewing an application since they may not be deluged with thousands of applications. If you can explain your situation and show how you can successful in the future, some admissions officers may in fact be impressed with that. I think your safest bet is to apply to a large variety of schools, because this is an issue that may be viewed more negatively at some schools as opposed to others, and there is no way to know that until you apply. Another option would be to get some work experience for a few years and then apply to grad school. At that point, your experience, if successful, can show your ability in a more consistently positive light. Some grad programs strongly encourage or even require work experience as well.</p>

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<p>It is not an asset in any sense. Overcoming obstacles is not usually a consideration for graduate school. The W from medical leave should be completely overlooked. </p>

<p>I suggest you browse the graduate forums. This has come up before in the grad forum, but maybe not to this extent. There is also a separate MBA/business forum. But because it does seem a unique situation, your best advice will come from the profs and advisors that you know, likely.</p>

<p>You don’t want to enroll in a mba program that would take you with no work experience. Perhaps MPP is same. So the points above about work experience sound logical.</p>