Dropping a course
Students may drop a course or courses* via the MyUW Student Center at any up until the end of the 9th week of courses (specific deadline dates are listed on the Registrar's website). NCAA student-athletes or international students on an F-1 or J-1 visa must consult their Fetzer Center or ISS advisor before dropping below 12 credits.
It is always a good idea to contact your academic advisor before making any drastic changes to your registration or if you are unsure about whether you should keep a class or drop it. Plan ahead! Contact your advisor before the 9th week of classes.
Courses dropped before the 7th day of classes (deadline dates) do not appear on your transcript. Courses dropped between the 7th day and the end of the 9th week will appear on your transcript with a DR in place of a grade. This does not affect your grade point average.
A few things to consider:
- It is better to drop a class than to fail it.
- Dropping a class does not mean you are a failure or a quitter.
- Dropping a course and having a DR on your transcript or even a couple of DRs is not a bad thing; it shows that you are a conscientious student and realized that (for whatever reason) the course was not going well and you addressed the problem and solved it as best you could
- Do not expect to do really well on the final exam or remaining homework and papers to bring up your grade in the course dramatically. If the course really hasn't gone well after 8 weeks it is very unlikely that it is going to get dramatically better nearer the end of the semester.
- If you are not sure how you are doing in the course, talk with the instructor or teaching assistant (TA). This is what office hours are for! The instructor or TA might be able to give you advice about whether remaining in the course is a good idea or what you need to do to earn a passing grade.
*If you want to drop all of the courses you are registered for in a particular term you need to withdraw.
It is the College's policy to allow you to drop the course only when verifiable circumstances beyond your control either prevented you from dropping the course before the deadline (e.g., you were hospitalized and the deadline passed while you were there) or prevented you from completing the class (e.g., you broke a leg and won't be able to finish your swimming class).
A circumstance that DOES NOT qualify is "I did not know when the deadline was." The relevant dates are printed in the Timetable and each L&S student receives an e-mail reminder at the beginning of the 9th week (during Fall and Spring). "I forgot" or "I did not know how I was doing in the class" are also not compelling reasons to be granted a late drop.
We encourage you to assess your performance in each of your classes before the 9-week drop deadline so you are able to make an informed decision about dropping one or more classes. "I just got my mid-term (or second examination/quiz) back after the drop deadline" is not an acceptable or viable reason. Further, a "recommendation" or authorization from the course professor or TA is also not a warrant to drop the class. We will take what you have to say (and what the instructor says) into consideration, but just because a professor or TA gives you permission to drop the course does not mean we will allow it.
What incident or circumstances occurred that negatively impacted your performance in a course?
When did the incident happen or the circumstances occur?
What could you have done to make sure this did not affect your academic performance?
Do you have documentation that verifies what happened and when it happened?
If you think you have circumstances beyond your control, schedule an appointment to meet with a dean by calling 262-5858.
Bring documentation supporting your claim to the appointment. Providing documentation is not a guarantee that your request to drop a class will be granted. A dean has the discretion to determine if the circumstances you claim were indeed beyond your control, merits approval and, in fact, prevented you from dropping the class in a timely manner. Each request is considered on a case-by-case basis.