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Auditing/withdrawing from a class?

Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 8:48 pm
by poiuy
Hi,

So I bit off a lot more than I could chew this semester and I was thinking of auditing maybe even just withdrawing from a physics class (SM). Right now besides SM, I'm taking EM, QM, and a couple of math classes. I thought I could handle 5 math/physics classes - let's just say this semester is a lot crazier than I expected it to be. If I do audit/withdraw, I would definitely take SM for credit next semester when my schedule isn't nearly as strained. The way I see it, one less class would be less stress, meaning I could do better in my other classes.

My question is how will this affect applications for next year? Other than this, my grades are fine (~3.9 in major), I've done plenty of research with (hopefully) a couple publications, and I should be able to get good recs. I'll assume I can get an 800+ on my GRE (if not, that's another story). I think I can get in somewhere, but is this a deal breaker for the very top schools? Does it make a difference if I audit vs. withdraw?

Thanks for any input.

Re: Auditing/withdrawing from a class?

Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:43 pm
by nonick
what is SM?
i am pretty sure that having an W on your transcript will not be a deal breaker for you. However, it's still a minus, but so is getting B/B- in the classes this semester. My advice is talk to the professors in your department and see what they will tell you. They surely know your situation better than any of us.

Re: Auditing/withdrawing from a class?

Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:48 pm
by babazula
nonick wrote:what is SM?
Standard Model??

Re: Auditing/withdrawing from a class?

Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:50 pm
by valentino
stat mech.

Re: Auditing/withdrawing from a class?

Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:52 pm
by twistor
SadoMasochism.

I would keep this class and drop math.

Re: Auditing/withdrawing from a class?

Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:30 pm
by coreycwgriffin
How can you choose to audit a class mid-semester? I know at my school it doesn't work that way. If you're currently enrolled, you have to either withdraw or fail.

Re: Auditing/withdrawing from a class?

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:50 am
by poiuy
They allow us to do that at my school.

Re: Auditing/withdrawing from a class?

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 3:14 am
by coreycwgriffin
poiuy wrote:They allow us to do that at my school.
Does it at least show up on your transcript? I mean, what my school considers "auditing a class" is just not being registered for the class and showing up to sit in, usually with the permission of the instructor. You're not graded for anything and you're not obligated to do any of the work or show up.

If you can take a class for half a semester and then just say, "Nah, I audit" and any record of you ever having taken the part of the course for credit is wiped clean...that's just stupid.

The only other option my school has is an "X-grade", which basically says you didn't finish all the work you were supposed to, but you and your professor came to an agreement that you can finish it in the next semester. You register for the course for two semesters, but only get the credit for one course. The only time I've ever seen this used is for senior research. I finished mine in one semester, so it wasn't necessary for me, but I know other people have had longer projects that required something like this.

Re: Auditing/withdrawing from a class?

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:41 am
by poiuy
coreycwgriffin wrote:
poiuy wrote:They allow us to do that at my school.
Does it at least show up on your transcript? I mean, what my school considers "auditing a class" is just not being registered for the class and showing up to sit in, usually with the permission of the instructor. You're not graded for anything and you're not obligated to do any of the work or show up
At my school it's still listed on your transcript. You're required to attend the class but you decide with the professor how much work (HW/papers/exams) you do. You just don't get an A-F grade for it.

Re: Auditing/withdrawing from a class?

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:05 am
by coreycwgriffin
poiuy wrote:
coreycwgriffin wrote:
poiuy wrote:They allow us to do that at my school.
Does it at least show up on your transcript? I mean, what my school considers "auditing a class" is just not being registered for the class and showing up to sit in, usually with the permission of the instructor. You're not graded for anything and you're not obligated to do any of the work or show up
At my school it's still listed on your transcript. You're required to attend the class but you decide with the professor how much work (HW/papers/exams) you do. You just don't get an A-F grade for it.
Ok, that makes a little more sense. Sorry for the confusion.