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What a W grade means
A W means you withdrew from a course after the drop deadline. It stays on your transcript but carries no grade points, so at most schools it doesn’t count in your GPA: LSU, UNC Wilmington and the University of Michigan all say so in their policies.
No GPA effect doesn’t mean no effect at all. A W still counts as credits you attempted, which matters for financial aid, and some schools give a failing withdrawal (WF) that counts like an F.
W vs WF: ordinary and punitive withdrawals
An ordinary W is neutral. A punitive withdrawal, usually marked WF for withdrawing while failing, is counted like an F at schools that use it.
| School or service | W | WF |
|---|---|---|
| UNC Wilmington | No GPA impact; attempted hours kept | A failing grade that counts in the GPA |
| Middle Georgia State University | No GPA impact | Computed the same as an F |
| LSU | Doesn’t affect the GPA | n/a |
| CASPA (PA school applications) | No grade points | Counted as an F (0) |
Check what your school records after its withdrawal deadline. Some only allow a W before a certain week and switch to WF or a letter grade after it.
How a W changes your GPA: an example
Say you have a 2.80 GPA over 30 credits and you’re failing a 3-credit course. Taking the F gives (2.80 × 30 + 0 × 3) ÷ 33 = 84 ÷ 33 = 2.55. Withdrawing with a W leaves the GPA at 2.80, because no points or credits are added.
A WF at a school that counts it as an F gives the same 2.55 as failing. And an F you later retake may be replaced, depending on your school’s repeat rule, while a W simply never entered the GPA. The GPA Drop Calculator shows a whole term with a W in it.
Heads-up “Excluded from GPA” and “0 points” aren’t the same. A W is left out entirely; an F or WF adds credits with zero points.
Ws and financial aid: completion rate
Federal aid rules require schools to check your pace: the credits you’ve completed divided by the credits you’ve attempted. Each school’s policy must say how withdrawals affect that pace, and a W normally counts as attempted but not completed. UNC Wilmington, for example, keeps a W’s attempted hours.
So if you’ve attempted 30 credits and withdrawn from 6 of them, your pace is 24 ÷ 30 = 80%. Your school sets the minimum pace it requires, so check its satisfactory academic progress policy before a second or third W.
Withdrawing from all of your courses is different again: it counts as a withdrawal for federal aid, and your school works out how much aid you earned. After the 60% point of the term, the FSA Handbook says you’ve earned all of it.
How application services treat a W
Professional school applications recalculate your GPA from your transcripts. AMCAS gives a W no value or weight in its GPA. CASPA counts a WF as an F. LSAC leaves out a W or WF only if your school considers it nonpunitive.
A single W rarely needs explaining. A pattern of them can raise questions, so if you’ve withdrawn often for a reason, be ready to say why.
Before you withdraw: what to check
First, the deadline and what grade you’d get after it: a W, a WF or your current letter. Second, your aid: how a W affects your pace, and whether dropping below full-time changes your package. Third, your plan: whether the course is a prerequisite you’ll need to retake, and when it’s offered again.
If you’re between a W and a low pass, compare both in the GPA Drop Calculator, then talk to your adviser and financial aid office before the deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Does a W affect your GPA?
At most schools, no: a W carries no grade points and isn’t counted in the GPA. A WF, where schools use it, counts like an F.
Does a W count as attempted credits for financial aid?
Usually yes. Federal rules measure pace as completed credits divided by attempted credits, and schools such as UNC Wilmington keep a W’s attempted hours.
Is a W better than an F?
For your GPA, usually yes, because an F counts zero points and its credits. An F may be replaced if you retake the course, depending on your school’s rule.
Do medical and law schools see a W?
They see it on your transcript. AMCAS gives a W no weight in its GPA, and LSAC excludes it only if your school treats it as nonpunitive.
Sources
- W grade policyLouisiana State University Registrar
- WithdrawalUNC Wilmington Registrar
- After the withdrawal deadlineMiddle Georgia State University catalog, 2024–25
- Understand your gradesUniversity of Michigan LSA
- 34 CFR 668.34: satisfactory academic progressCode of Federal Regulations (Cornell LII)
- Withdrawals and the return of Title IV fundsFederal Student Aid Handbook 2025–26, Volume 5
- Grades included in AMCAS GPAsAAMC
- CASPA grade value chartsCASPA Applicant Help Center
- Transcript summarizationLSAC