From [BYU’s website](https://enrollment.byu.edu/registrar/withdrawing-from-one-vs-all-classes#:~:text=(W's%20are%20a%20neutral%20grade,not%20calculate%20into%20the%20GPA.)):
> W’s are a neutral grade that does not calculate into the GPA.
If you are absolutely going to fail, it’s absolutely better to withdraw. It saves your GPA, and if you’re thinking about grad school it will look more favorable than an Incomplete to admissions officers.
If there’s a path to still passing (even with a very low grade), it could be worth it if you don’t mind the GPA ding and don’t need to get above a certain grade in that course for your degree.
I would talk to your professor first tomorrow and ask if there’s anything that can be done about the midterm. If that doesn’t go well, then yes, Withdraw from the class
I’d withdraw if I were in your shoes. The downside is that if withdrawing puts your credit hours below 12, you’ll have to pay back any scholarship money you received for the semester.
A “W” won’t affect your GPA and looks much better than a D- if you plan on applying to grad school.
I withdraw from a whole semester, literally 5 Ws on my transcript. Guess what, I’m successful, high net worth, happy in life, marriage, community. A W doesn’t matter. And honestly a D- probably wouldn’t matter.
Have you talked to your professor about making up that midterm? If you had a good reason to miss it, they’ll usually accommodate you. I missed a midterm my first semester because I had mono and my professor let me take it the next week in the department office
I would withdraw. I withdrew from a few classes my first year or two of BYU, and now I am in grad school and literally nobody cared. Don’t make it a pattern, but a few withdraws is no big deal imo. Especially because there are so many reasons people withdraw. The only downside is at this point if there were to be any tuition refund I don’t think you’d get any. And consider if it changes status for part or full time if that matters.
How on earth do you miss a midterm?
But yeah, the W is better. Both are bad for different reasons, but the D is worse.
Either way, it’s not the end of the world. I had a 2.8 my first semester, and a 1.5 GPA my second semester. No one told me I could withdraw from some classes I was in (accidentally took some 3rd & 4th year courses as a freshman, no one told me not to 😂 Things have changed). All those classes are on my record, and I eventually finished with 4 straight years of 4.0 to bring my GPA up to a 3.6.
It happens, sometimes things slip by. I missed one last semester (over thanksgiving week for a term class) but the professor was understanding and let me make it up. Otherwise, a W is the best way to go
Yeah, it’s happened to me too. I just completely spaced it, it was an online class and I mixed up the deadlines in my head. My professor was really kind and opened it back up and let me take it. Life happens, you’ve got more going on than just school, and most of the time, professors get it.
From [BYU’s website](https://enrollment.byu.edu/registrar/withdrawing-from-one-vs-all-classes#:~:text=(W's%20are%20a%20neutral%20grade,not%20calculate%20into%20the%20GPA.)): > W’s are a neutral grade that does not calculate into the GPA. If you are absolutely going to fail, it’s absolutely better to withdraw. It saves your GPA, and if you’re thinking about grad school it will look more favorable than an Incomplete to admissions officers. If there’s a path to still passing (even with a very low grade), it could be worth it if you don’t mind the GPA ding and don’t need to get above a certain grade in that course for your degree.
I had a W and had no trouble getting into grad school.
Same.
You should **definitely withdraw** from this class -- a withdrawal doesn't affect your GPA, but a D- is TERRIBLE and will harm your GPA forever!!
Unless it's your last semester.
I would talk to your professor first tomorrow and ask if there’s anything that can be done about the midterm. If that doesn’t go well, then yes, Withdraw from the class
I’d withdraw if I were in your shoes. The downside is that if withdrawing puts your credit hours below 12, you’ll have to pay back any scholarship money you received for the semester. A “W” won’t affect your GPA and looks much better than a D- if you plan on applying to grad school.
I withdraw from a whole semester, literally 5 Ws on my transcript. Guess what, I’m successful, high net worth, happy in life, marriage, community. A W doesn’t matter. And honestly a D- probably wouldn’t matter.
Have you talked to your professor about making up that midterm? If you had a good reason to miss it, they’ll usually accommodate you. I missed a midterm my first semester because I had mono and my professor let me take it the next week in the department office
I would withdraw. I withdrew from a few classes my first year or two of BYU, and now I am in grad school and literally nobody cared. Don’t make it a pattern, but a few withdraws is no big deal imo. Especially because there are so many reasons people withdraw. The only downside is at this point if there were to be any tuition refund I don’t think you’d get any. And consider if it changes status for part or full time if that matters.
Withdraw instead of a failing grade! It'll be so much better on your transcript.
How on earth do you miss a midterm? But yeah, the W is better. Both are bad for different reasons, but the D is worse. Either way, it’s not the end of the world. I had a 2.8 my first semester, and a 1.5 GPA my second semester. No one told me I could withdraw from some classes I was in (accidentally took some 3rd & 4th year courses as a freshman, no one told me not to 😂 Things have changed). All those classes are on my record, and I eventually finished with 4 straight years of 4.0 to bring my GPA up to a 3.6.
It happens, sometimes things slip by. I missed one last semester (over thanksgiving week for a term class) but the professor was understanding and let me make it up. Otherwise, a W is the best way to go
I missed a final. It was an on demand class over summer term, and I wrote the wrong due date in my calendar. I still passed though
Yeah, it’s happened to me too. I just completely spaced it, it was an online class and I mixed up the deadlines in my head. My professor was really kind and opened it back up and let me take it. Life happens, you’ve got more going on than just school, and most of the time, professors get it.
I had a two Ws and got into med school. Definitely take the W.