Withdrawn course as WC

Lauren.perrone

Hi, I'm considering dropping a class which would go on my transcript as a WC. This is considered non punitive by my university but I don't know that LSAC has this listed as an option. If they were to get this incorrect and lower my GPA, would I have any recourse? Also would a withdrawn course impact my chances at getting merit aid? Thanks.

Justinofhousestark

It's surprising how challenging it can be to find clear answers online regarding how W's on transcripts are treated by the LSAC, huh? Like many, I have multiple W's on my transcript, all labeled as "non-punitive" by my university. Enough to absolutely tank my gpa.

From my research (scouring LSAC blog posts, 7sage blog posts, reddit, etc.) if your university deems a W as non-punitive, LSAC generally doesn't factor it as an F in your GPA calculation. The catch is, you need to clearly communicate this to LSAC. Not all institutions explicitly state which W's are non-punitive, making this process tricky. I came across a case where an applicant had numerous "non-punitive" W's, initially counted as F's by LSAC. It wasn't until they appealed, presenting a letter from their dean clarifying the nature of the W's, that their GPA was adjusted.

As a fellow law school aspirant, this is the collective wisdom I've gleaned from the web. Hope this helps!