Withdrawal on transcript?

Graduate School
1

<p>Hey what's up everyone? I posted this in the "College life" forum as well, but I think it relates to grad schools as well.</p>

<p>I am enrolled in a spring term class right now at my university (top 25 school if you read the rest of this and this is relevant), and the final exam is this upcoming week. It is the "main" upper level economics course, and is notoriously difficult. I do plan on majoring in Economics, and my main goal is to go into finance, specifically investment banking. My dilemma is that this class really has gotten the best of me in this Spring term (for one reason or another), and I wanted to take the W and take it again in the fall. Problem is the fall term I have heard is even worse, but as of right now, I'm not sure I will be able to pass during the Spring. I got a C/C+ on the midterm which is about half of my grade, and the other half will be the final, which I am struggling incredibly with. I have tried (though during the Spring, I admit I probably didn't give it my all, and since it's only a 6 week course, didn't help matters)</p>

<p>So would it be better to try and get out of this class with a low C at the risk of not passing, or take the W and hope to earn a better grade in the fall? Basically I'm just not sure how bad a W would look considering the other alternative(s), I don't really plan on going to grad school but there is a slight chance I may go for an MBA at some point. How will the W look to grad schools or more importantly, potential employers after undergrad?</p>

<p>I'm torn with what to do right now (well I'm studying my ass off for starters, but sadly it isn't helping much...). Other possible relevant info, my lowest grade in college thus far is a B-, no W's on my transcript yet, I have a 3.43 GPA, and will be entering my junior year.</p>

<p>Any advice is more than welcome! Thank you.</p>

2

<p>Employers won't see a W unless they ask to see your university transcript. I don't know how common that is in the US but in the rest of the world it's pretty rare for a potential employer to ask for a course-by-course breakdown of your grades. Normally you would show proof that you have earned your degree, possibly with whatever GPA.</p>

<p>How is it recalculated if you retake the course after receiving a C? Do they just take the higher grade for the calculation of the GPA or do they continue to hold the C against you?</p>

<p>Why can't you say the name of the school or at least the name of the class? Is it advanced econometrics? Monetary economics? Every decent econ program requires these so it's not like it will give away your identity anyway (not that your identity would even matter to anyone on this board).</p>

3

<p>Also, in the remote possibility you do apply to grad school, one W on an applicant's transcript is meaningless (and these days, extraordinarily common).</p>