Hello all, I’m currently a 5th year undergraduate majoring in biochemistry and neuroscience. I got accepted to a pharmacology graduate school program and have already accepted the offer. However, I am currently worried about possibly getting a C or worse in an anatomy lab I am taking (already got an A in the lecture course).
I already finished all my major requirements during my 4th year and simply took this lab for fun. The problem is that I am also working on an honor’s thesis that is due by the end of the month and getting a business minor. The stress and time commitment for these two things has caused me to fail the second exam even though I got an 89% on the first test.
I really would like to withdraw from the lab in order to focus my attention more on the two tasks mentioned above without having to worry about failing.
So my questions are:
Should I stick with this lab and risk either not completing my honors thesis or failing the lab?
Will the graduate school take back their acceptance once my final transcript is sent out? (I already have a W in a public speaking class from last semester due to anxiety over the course) Would they rather see a C and no honors thesis or honors thesis and W?
I would like to ask the school up front but I am afraid that since the deadline for acceptance offers has not passed that they might just find it easier to take back my acceptance now and give it to another candidate.
Ask in the grad student forum. Or why aren’t you asking your advisor? I’m not sure why you are bothering with the requirements for a minor.
Thanks for the response. I didn’t know there was a graduate school forum, sorry about that. Just wanted some quick answers and am new to this site. If a mod could delete this thread or inform me how to do so, it would be greatly appreciated.
I doubt a W in a course that’s irrelevant to your studies will make them care. I got into a great Ph.D. program with a class I took a W in twice. Also, when you send your final transcript, it’s probably going to the university for administrative purposes, not to the admissions committee for review.
Just withdraw. As @mathandcs said, the final transcript is simply to ensure that you got your B.S. degree.
The bigger question is why aren’t you asking your advisor.
Moved the thread.
They won’t rescind your offer for just asking what the consequences of dropping the lab would be. Absolutely ask them, and if they say that they want you to finish the class, so be it. You should NOT just drop it without asking and hope that they don’t care when you send your final transcript. That is a terrible idea.
Hello all, I’m currently a 5th year undergraduate majoring in biochemistry and neuroscience. I got accepted to a pharmacology graduate school program and have already accepted the offer. However, I am currently worried about possibly getting a C or worse in an anatomy lab I am taking (already got an A in the lecture course).
I already finished all my major requirements during my 4th year and simply took this lab for fun. The problem is that I am also working on an honor’s thesis that is due by the end of the month and getting a business minor. The stress and time commitment for these two things has caused me to fail the second exam even though I got an 89% on the first test.
I really would like to withdraw from the lab in order to focus my attention more on the two tasks mentioned above without having to worry about failing.
So my questions are:
Should I stick with this lab and risk either not completing my honors thesis or failing the lab?
Will the graduate school take back their acceptance once my final transcript is sent out? (I already have a W in a public speaking class from last semester due to anxiety over the course) Would they rather see a C and no honors thesis or honors thesis and W?
I would like to ask the school up front but I am afraid that since the deadline for acceptance offers has not passed that they might just find it easier to take back my acceptance now and give it to another candidate
I honestly wouldn’t ask them. It seems like a waste of time. I actually would just drop it without asking them - your graduate admissions doesn’t hinge on one class, and they’re very very unlikely to withdraw your acceptance on the basis of one class they probably didn’t even know you were taking when you applied to grad school anyway. If it was an important major class that would be one thing…but it’s not.
Not finishing your honors thesis is a much more serious issue. So if you need to withdraw from this class to finish your thesis, do so.