Setting a good direction

Nontraditional Premed Discussion
1

I had scored a D in Orgo Chem II. My work/family commitments confilicted with this time slot, and I submitted a withdrawl form too late. This was my last procrastination, smirk…the department would not change my grade to W. The reason was based on a comment I made in the first week of class, " I cannot drop this class, I want to get through it and take the MCAT in…" Ok…I did it to myself…I repeated Orgo II at differnt school in a different state and rececied an A. I continued with Orgo III and received another A…Any suggestions for a professional and positive manner to discuss my situation on an interview, and should I address this on a secondary? I really do not want to get caught up in the the whole, “Well, that chem dept and school just wouldn’t work with me”, lame argument during an interview. Actually, I dealt with more life stuff during my retake of orgo…(I really want to be a doc) Thanks for any advice…
shenry

2

Quote:

I had scored a D in Orgo Chem II. My work/family commitments confilicted with this time slot, and I submitted a withdrawl form too late.

Just say that much. I had a conflict, missed the drop date, my bad, went on to repeat and make an A. The only way to avoid looking like you’re whining about the department not working with you is not to really mention it.
Good luck!
Denise

3

Agreed. The way to look like you’re not whining about how something is at least partially someone else’s fault is to avoid stating or even implying that it is partially someone else’s fault. Take your responsibility for the situation, take your lumps, show that you moved on and did better. Simply stated, one sentence, next question. It’s unlikely anyone will dwell on it.
Mary

4

Thanks! It’s been gnawing at me for a while. Denise and Mary you have just droped my anxiety count from a 10 to a 6!
shenry

5

chances are they won’t even ask, they do not peruse your applications in that fine a detail. And if id did come up, humor always works. The key thing is that you don’t get worked up over it and make it look like it was more important than it is to the interviewer.