‘Think Twice’ Before Dropping Classes

With the final drop day for spring classes coming up March 26, it may be decision time for some students.

For whatever reason students decide to drop a class or withdraw for the semester, Cynthia Porter, senior associate registrar, urges students to think twice before clicking “drop course.”

The number of students who drop classes on the final drop day varies for each term. According to Porter, roughly 250-300 students each semester drop classes or completely withdraw for the semester near the final drop date.

Using PAWS makes it easy for students to take advantage of the final drop day without having to fill out forms and collect signatures of professors and advisers.

Since students are able to do so without visiting the Registrar, the estimated figure is simply that – the University generally keeps no statistics on how many students drop.

Porter advises students to plan ahead if they are considering dropping a course. She said students should check with the professor teaching the course, their academic adviser, and Financial Aid to verify that dropping the class is the best option.

If a student thinks he or she is in danger of failing a course and drops without talking to the teacher, the student may have been doing better in the class than he or she believed. Also, dropping courses may affect eligibility for financial aid.

After checking each avenue, if you still believe that dropping is the right choice for you, make sure you do so before 4:50 p.m. on March 26.

View JagTracks at southalabama.edu/schedule/spring2010.pdf for more information about final drop day.