Can you get into medical school if you have a W?

Yes, you can get into medical school if you have a withdrawal, or ‘W.’ However, it definitely does not help your medical school application. There is no set policy on how a ‘W’ will hurt your chances, but most medical schools will say that having one ‘W’ is not going to matter all that much.

Also, you must remember that medical schools view each applicant holistically. If you have one ‘W’ in your first quarter of freshmen year, it probably will not matter all that much. However, if you make a habit of getting ‘W’s, medical schools might not think you are academically prepared for medical school. To learn more about Withdrawals, read Fact or Myth About the W.

Contrary to popular belief, a ‘W’ is not included in your medical school GPA in any way.