Is withdrawing from all my classes mid semester going to be a dealbreaker?

[bigvoluptuousdaddy]

Hi! I’m currently a sophomore at a top 15 private university with a 3.8 gpa. This semester, my mother become very sick (kidney cancer) and I need to move back home to take care of here for a few weeks as she recovers from surgery. Because of this, I will have to drop all my classes this semester since I don’t think I can maintain my gpa this semester.

Will this hurt me in med school admissions if these are my only withdrawals and I maintain a good gpa? Thank you!

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[crazymedguy123]

I don't think it would hurt, as it would be something that you would be able to explain to the schools (especially as you would be your mother's caretaker). Is there a special type of withdrawal you can apply for at your school (like medical withdrawal?). May just look better on your transcript if that exists or is possible.

Just keep up your GPA whenever you get back!

 

[bigvoluptuousdaddy]

I don't think it would hurt, as it would be something that you would be able to explain to the schools (especially as you would be your mother's caretaker). Is there a special type of withdrawal you can apply for at your school (like medical withdrawal?). May just look better on your transcript if that exists or is possible.

Just keep up your GPA whenever you get back!

I just got a personal leave of absence for this semester.

 

[crazymedguy123]

I just got a personal leave of absence for this semester.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Yes, then I think you should definitely be fine

 

[Catalystik]

Will this hurt me in med school admissions if these are my only withdrawals and I maintain a good gpa?

No.

 

[Goro]

This is exactly why you take withdrawals. Someone who withdraws from a term due to family illness gets less questions from me than the applicant who selectively withdraws from a single class due to worry about grades

Very sorry to hear about mom, OP. To follow up on my learned colleague's comments, your withdrawing now shows maturity. People who try to bulldoze their way through end up hurting their GPA., and we want students who make good choices.

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

No, this is what withdrawals are for.
Anecdotally, my wife was involved in an accident in undergrad that required weeks of recovery. She withdrew that semester and is now a surgical resident