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Should I withdraw from this class I’m really struggling in?

Five Things to Know

Withdrawing from a class is different from dropping a class.
The deadline to drop a class is the end of the first week of classes; withdrawal can happen much later. See other differences between withdrawing and dropping below.
Withdrawing from a class may have consequences related to financial aid and “time to graduation.”
A form must be completed and submitted by you (the student!) to the Registrar’s Office in order to successfully withdraw from a course.
You should DEFINITELY talk to your advisor or with someone at the Frost House or Academic and Career Advising Center BEFORE withdrawing from a course.

People Who Can Help

Student Financial Services,

Speare 118

Frost House Student Services,

Frost House

PSU Counseling Center,

White house, across from Centre Lodge and near Hyde Hall

Academic & Career Advising Center,

Speare 108

A Deeper Dive

Like dropping a class, withdrawing from a class means that you won’t continue to attend or do any more work, and you won’t get a grade or credits. Withdrawing does not affect your GPA, but a “W” will appear on your transcript and the credits will still exist as part of your course credit load for that semester and are still billed credit hours.
Make sure you are aware of possible negative consequences of withdrawing from a course. The course instructor, your advisor, and in many cases, the Student Financial Services office, will help you clarify both the potential positive and negative consequences of withdrawing from a class, some of which might include:
- not maintaining “Satisfactory Academic Progress,” which can negatively affect financial aid
- it might take longer than you planned (longer than 4 years) to complete your degree
- falling behind in fulfilling major, minor, or general education requirements
- improved mental and/or physical health
- time to get a better handle on a more manageable workload
- reduced stress about grades / no worry about failing the course
If you withdraw from a course early enough, you can consider adding a second-half of the semester course, to “make up” for some or all of the withdrawn credits, but be aware that the credits for any class you withdraw from still exist as a part of your billable credits — you can’t exceed 18 credits (this includes the course you withdrew from) without paying an overload fee. Your advisor can help you figure out if this is a good option for you.

Course Withdrawal Catalog Policy (click on “Course Adds, Drops, Repeating Courses, and Course Withdrawals”)
Course Withdrawal form

This resource was last updated on July 26, 2023

THE PLYMOUTH BRAIN

Should I withdraw from this class I’m really struggling in?

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