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How will one W affect my application for a statistics Ph.D.?


diamondiana

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Hi everyone. I'm in my last year of a math and stats double major, applying for Fall 2019 Ph.D. programs in statistics. I'm currently taking Physics 1 (I don't need it at all to graduate, but I thought it would be interesting). The course is eating up a lot of my time, which could be better spent studying for the math subject test GRE and working on my research projects. Even while neglecting my research and GRE studying, I haven't had enough time to study for physics. I know it will require MUCH more effort than what I'm currently investing to get an A in the class. Without physics, I have a 4.0 major GPA, 3.98 general GPA (all my grades are As, except one B my first semester in an irrelevant gen ed). I've never withdrawn from a course before. 

How much will one W affect my graduate admissions, when the rest of my application is very strong? I'm applying to many top 10 schools, so I'm wondering if schools like U.C. Berkeley, Harvard, and Stanford will frown upon a W in Physics 1. (Will the schools even see the W until after admissions decisions are made? Would a school revoke admission over something so minor?) 

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On 9/19/2018 at 4:02 PM, bayessays said:

Nobody will care. I've withdrawn from and failed statistics classes and it didn't cause any issues. Withdrawing from a physics class? Nobody will even question it. 

I think people seriously overestimate how bad W's look. I have several and I've never been asked about it. 

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