Withdrawing from a College Course while in High School

Applying to College
1

Hello! I am a rising junior in high school and I have an honest question that needs to be answered. It has been itching me all day.

I have decided to take college courses at my local community college. I took Financial Accounting (ACCT 301). This class has no prerequisites, however it recommends that I should’ve took a business class first, in this case, I did not.

This class is easy to follow and the homework is relatively easy, however family issues had sprouted and hinders my time to attend class.

I am considering to withdraw from the class, leaving a ‘W’ on my college transcript.

I assume I already began my college career just by enrolling as a student at my local community college, so my college career has officially begun.

My question is will this withdrawal from this class look bad for potential universities when I begin applying in senior year?

I am considered an Advanced Education student at the local community college and I think that counts as an official student.

I wish to apply to for the following universities in senior year: UPenn Wharton, Stanford, UCLA, UC Davis, UCB, Harvard (maybe), UCI, SDSU

Thanks for reading this!

2

For the UC’s and Cal States, the W on your transcript will have no effect.

3

What about UPenn/Stanford? And in your opinion, putting yourself in my shoes, should I power through with this class and try my best? I don’t plan to major in accounting, rather I want to go to Med School.

4

Also, thanks for the quick response.

5

I cannot tell you about how the W will be received by Stanford or UPenn but as a High school student, I do not think it will have an adverse effect on your application. It is really up to you if you can pull through with a decent grade. Why take accounting if it really is not something you want to pursue in college?

6

I’m a teenager and aren’t all of us very indecisive? At the time of turning in my application, I was stuck between pursuing a medical career or a business career. Classes that specialized in medical fields required college prerequisites, which I didn’t have, so I decided to settle with Financial Accounting. Also, don’t universities only look at HS transcripts when I apply? I don’t think they’d judge me on my wee little college transcript that only has one class on it.

7

When you apply for any college, all transcripts (High School and College if you enrolled) will be required.

This is from the UC Website::
Admitted freshman applicants

You must arrange to have an official, final high school transcript (showing your date of graduation) and any college/university official transcripts sent to the campus where you plan to enroll.

There is also a National Clearing house that would have a record if you enrolled in a community college.

http://www.studentclearinghouse.org

The W should have no impact, but you still need to send any College transcripts.

8

I think that it is okay to withdraw. But, in your college application essays I would make a point to explain why you withdrew. You are doing something that most HS students do not. I don’t think that it will hurt you much, if at all.