Each week, we are sharing a financial wellness tip to help you make the connection between financial management decisions, your overall wellness, and student success. Money touches every aspect of our lives, and a lack of financial literacy can cause unnecessary stress and negatively impact our mental and physical health.
The Impact of Withdrawing From A Course With A Grade Of A “W”
The deadline to withdraw from a course with a grade of “W” this semester is Friday, Apr. 7. Although withdrawing from a course with a grade of a “W” does not negatively impact your GPA, it can affect your SAP (Satisfactory Academic Process) status.
But did you know it can also have an impact on your bank account? If you have to re-take a class because you need it for your degree, then you are essentially paying for a class twice! There is no tuition refund when you withdraw from a course with a grade of “W”. If you have taken out a student loan, you'll be paying interest on any courses you re-take, plus the courses withdrawn from. If you receive federal financial aid, withdrawing from too many courses may make you ineligible for federal aid (grants, loans, work study).
If you are struggling academically and are considering withdrawing from a course, be sure to check in with your academic advisor and financial aid counselor before taking any action.
Your academic advisor can...
- Suggest academic support resources to utilize before withdrawing from any courses in SIS
- Review your degree requirements and talk through your options (such as repeating a course in a future semester, taking a summer class, or transferring credit from another college if you complete the course elsewhere)
- Discuss the impact of course withdrawals on course sequencing (if it’s a pre-requisite for other required courses) and the impact on your graduation timeline
Your financial aid counselor can...
- Review any impact on your eligibility for current or future financial aid
If you're considering withdrawing from a course with a grade of a “W”, be sure to consult the resources you have available to you – your instructors, your academic advisor, and your financial aid counselor before withdrawing from any course.
Check out the Financial Literacy website, and/or follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for more tips throughout the year!