The Consequences of Withdrawing from a Course(s)
And what a “W” on your UAlberta transcript really means
Around the same time families start singing the line “It’s the most, wonderful time of the year” from that holiday classic, students sing “It’s the most stressful time of the year”.
It has felt like the blink of an eye but we are already closing in on the end of the semester. With the final withdrawal deadline of fall term 2021 (November 30) rapidly approaching, students are deciding whether it is worth the gamble to stay in or drop a course.
I sat down with Kim Olson, a Faculty of Arts Undergraduate Student Service (USS) Advisor, and asked some of the pressing questions students have asked about course withdrawals and their consequences.
What are some reasons students would need to withdraw from a course?
Most commonly — your GPA is in jeopardy. If a course (or courses) you are taking isn’t going as planned, it may be a strategic move to drop a course in order to avoid falling into poor academic standing. Most students considering withdrawing from a course aren’t necessarily in that position, but rather have a good GPA but aren’t doing as good as they had hoped and poor grade in one class could really bring down their GPA.
It would be a great idea for students to check out our other article on dropping a course when considering withdrawing from a course:
- Should you drop your class? (UAlberta Arts Insider blog post)
We all know that we shouldn’t get in the habit of collecting red flags. What are some red flags students should look out for?
Your grades are really low. This can look different for every student. If you are a high achieving student and you are doing relatively poorly in a course, it would be time to start asking yourself the hard questions of if you should withdraw or not.
If you are struggling with a course and haven’t dealt with it early enough and you are banking on the final to bring your grade up, statistically speaking, that doesn’t go well for many students. It’s a big risk and if students don’t do well, they could get themselves in more trouble.
If you aren’t doing well, and you are doing nothing about it. If you haven’t spoken with your instructor or TA, reached out to any of the academic supports, or haven’t spoken with an advisor, you are putting yourself in a risky situation.
You don’t know when the withdrawal deadlines are. Keeping those dates in mind is important to your tuition money, and more importantly, your academic plans and performance.
For our first year students, a red flag is treating university like high school. University is a big jump from high school so be sure to get acclimated to your new environment and what’s expected of you.
Feeling overwhelmed, having trouble sleeping, developing unhealthy habits and/or having too many responsibilities outside of your academics is a red flag because if you are healthy and managing all of your commitments well, you have a better chance of doing well in school.
Not keeping on top of your school work and not knowing about — or accessing — the academic supports available to you.
I am ready to withdraw. What does that do to my GPA?
When you withdraw from a course, there is no academic penalty. Beside the course name and number you’ll see the letter “W” instead of a letter grade/number grade. Everyone who withdraws from a course after the registration deadline (aka the add/drop deadline) at the start of term gets a “W”. Nobody except you will know if you dropped the course on September 30 or November 30!
Your GPA is then calculated based on the marks from your remaining other courses that term.
What are the long term consequences of course withdrawals?
Regardless of how many courses you drop, you are still required to take 120 credits* (most Arts degrees require 120* consult the UAlberta Calendar or with a USS advisor). If you choose to withdraw from a required course, and/or it is a pre-requisite for future courses, it can change what courses you are able to take in what semester, later in your degree.
Another long term consequence of course withdrawals is money lost. Tuition isn’t cheap and depending on when you withdraw you’ll either get a portion of your tuition back, or none of your tuition back, for that course. If you make a habit of withdrawing from classes, that can really start to add up.
Some graduate schools may ask for a reason why you dropped a course. It is important to check, even with our own graduate programs, to see what their policies are around course withdrawals. Each school assesses students differently.
What are some things to keep in mind when withdrawing? What are some misconceptions?
The last 60 credits on your transcript is the most critical part of your degree. For the most part, nobody really looks at your first 60 credits. It’s the last 60 credits that are usually assessed by graduate programs and/or employers. For the most accurate information about course withdrawal ramifications, consult your graduate school programs of interest.
After the final withdrawal deadline, there is no way out of the course other than receiving a grade. Failing a class and getting an F on your transcript is serious and makes it hard for your GPA to recover. A “W” is better than an “F”.
You will have to retake the course if it is a requirement. However, keep in mind that there is a limit on the number of times students can re-take a course after withdrawing or failing. For example, if you were to receive a W or an F in Stats 161, and you re-take it because it is a requirement, and you get a W or an F for the second time, you are unable to re-take that same course without permission from the Associate Dean of Student Programs. If you take the course without permission, that credit could be excluded.
Something else to keep in mind when it comes to retaking a course is, if you receive a passing grade (including a D) you cannot retake the course — for any reason.
You don’t need to consult your course instructor to withdraw. You also don’t need their permission or need to submit a reason why you are withdrawing. The Faculty of Arts considers all their students to be free and independent adults and these are your courses and your degree so you don’t need to justify dropping it. Students choosing their courses are responsible for the choices they make.
Graduate schools will evaluate course withdraws differently. There is no one rule that they all follow when it comes to assessing course withdrawals as part of your application to that program.
In all cases, students should feel free to talk to a Faculty of Arts USS Advisor. You are not on your own and we are happy to help explain your options so that you can make an informed decision.
Here are some resources for Arts students. They share great advice and tips for your academic success!
Book an Advising Appointment: The Arts USS office has added additional hours especially for international students currently in different time zones.
UAlberta Arts Insider: Check out other blog posts for other tips and information.
Faculty of Arts Youtube: Access a variety of tutorial videos as well as program highlight videos.
Academic Success Centre: Providing professional support to help students strengthen academic skills to achieve their university goals.
Accessibility Resources: Connecting students with documented disabilities to the resources and supports needed to achieve full potential.
Centre for Writers: Offering peer-led writing supports for all U of A programs, disciplines, faculties, and levels of study.
Decima Robinson Support Centre: The Centre is staffed by graduate students who are available to offer one-on-one help to students with their math and stats homework on a drop-in basis.
University of Alberta International: Offers supports and resources particularly for international students (from all faculties).
Additional UAlberta Student Resources through the Dean of Students
Author bio: Author bio: Nathaniel Haile is BA student pursuing a double major in Political Science and Economics and is currently on an AWE placement working for the Faculty of Arts as the Student Recruitment, Engagement & Communications Intern.
Responses edited for length and clarity.
