Dropping a Class? Maybe?

Dropping, When Is it Time?

Dropping a class is nothing to be afraid of, but make sure you know the best time to do so. Every student will come across a class that is too difficult or too much for them. For my own daughter, Accounting was not right for her at the time she signed up. She decided to take a difficult business course along with several other classes that were challenging and had heavy workloads. She tried her hardest; she went to office hours, spoke to the professor about tips, and participated in group study sessions. After her first exam grade came back, she knew it was time to drop the class and try again at a different time. When dropping a class there are important dates and information you must keep in mind in order to make an informed decision on how to move forward.

Dropping a Class

At the University of Maryland, there is a Schedule Adjustment period that lasts the first ten business days of class in the semester. This means that students have the ability to change their course schedule freely for the first two weeks of class. Utilize this time to see if you are interested in a course or if you do not think you will have enough time to commit to a class. These two weeks are also important in that students’ positions on the waitlist are likely to change considering students will be dropping and adding classes every day.

Withdrawing From a Class

Following the Schedule Adjustment period, students will have the ability to adjust their schedule, but their drop will be marked on the student’s transcript. A mark of a “W” will be shown to indicate that they have withdrawn out of the course. Students are limited to dropping a maximum of four credits during the Drop Period This drop period will last from the end of the schedule adjustment period until the end of the tenth week of classes. The corresponding deadlines are shown on UMD’s Office of the Registrar.

One major tip for freshmen is to take advantage of Freshman Forgiveness if they need to. This policy allows freshman students to drop a course and retake it at a later point and have a higher grade be the grade that is included in their GPA. Students who have yet to complete their first 24 credits qualify for Freshman Forgiveness as well as transfer students who are in their first semester at the University of Maryland.

There are financial repercussions as well when your student drops a class. There are refunds for when students withdraw from courses, but as time goes on, the refund decreases in increments of 20% and does go down to a 0% refund. To receive a full refund, students must drop a course before classes even begin. Students can receive an 80% refund if they withdraw from a course by the end of the Schedule Adjustment Period. All deadlines can be found on the Office of the Registrar’s Page. Your student will still be fee liable for dropped courses, and it is their responsibility to know the requirements for any scholarships they have. Please check with Financial Aid if you have concerns. An academic advisor may be able to assist with some financial issues, but Financial Aid is generally between you and Student Financial Affairs.

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