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Withdrawal from Courses

Withdrawal from a course after the Add/Drop Period ends can be voluntary or administrative.

Voluntary Withdrawals

Voluntary withdrawals from a course may be submitted in-person using the "Add/Drop/Withdrawal" form at the Registrar’s Office in W-235 of the Wilbur Arts Center or by request to the instructor online:

  • The instructor's signature and the last date of attendance are required for the "Add/Drop/Withdrawal" form.
  • Alternatively, students may request the instructor record their voluntary withdrawal grade and last date of attendance online instead of submitting a paper form.
  • The deadline for voluntary withdrawals with grades ("W" or "WA") that do not compute into the GPA is prior to the mid-semester appraisal date or mid-point of the course.
  • The deadline for voluntary withdrawals for classes that run the full semester is the business day before Finals/Last Class Meeting Week. Courses with irregular start/end dates use the mid-point of the course for deadlines. (Refer to Academic Calendar for dates.)
  • "W" and "WA" are equivalent grades and do not affect the student's GPA. In-person withdrawals will generate a "W." Online submission of a withdrawal grade by the instructor will generate a "WA."
  • "WF" grades are the equivalent of an "F" and compute in the student's GPA. The instructor may assign "WF" when the student's work is failing in the second half of the course or at the mid-point of the course (for courses with irregular start/end dates).
  • "F" grades are for students who attend the Final/Last Class Meeting and have completed failing work.
  • Refer to Academic Calendar for deadlines for full semester courses.

Administrative Withdrawals

Administrative withdrawals are for students who stop attending a course for two consecutive weeks at any point in the semester.

  • "WA" is assigned prior to the mid-semester appraisal date or at the mid-point of the course (for courses with irregular start/end dates). After that, the instructor may assign a "WA" or "WF."
  • Students who contacted the instructor with extenuating circumstances and have an approved plan to make up work may remain in a class at the discretion of the instructor. If it is near the end of the course, a grade of "Incomplete" is assigned, pending an approved plan to complete the work. (The last date of attendance for an incomplete grade may affect financial aid and deferments.)
  • The instructor's calculation for assigning a "WA" or "WF" grade is determined by criteria such as past attendance, participation, assignments, tests and course outline expectations.

Withdrawal Consequences

Students choosing to voluntarily withdraw from courses or stop attending should consider the consequences:

  • Withdrawing from courses may change the student's full-time or half-time standing and may require the return of Title IV financial aid funds and could affect the grace or deferment period for repayment of loans, such as Federal Stafford Loans, Federal Perkins Loans and Federal PLUS Loans. Loan grace periods use the last date of attendance. Future eligibility for aid programs such as TAP are affected by not progressing toward the degree as planned. (For financial aid policies and refunds, see catalog section on "Financial Aid" and "Expenses.")
  • Withdrawing from a course may also affect the student's progression towards a degree. Students who voluntarily withdraw or stop attending a course should discuss the consequences with an advisor. Academic Support Services can also be contacted for students in need of college services such as tutoring, counseling or other services.

Complete Withdrawal from All Courses

Students withdrawing from all courses should also submit the "Separation from College" form and "Financial Aid Withdrawal Consequences" form. Students may opt to take one to two academic semesters off or notify the college that they are not returning.