Dropping Classes in College: Is it Better to Drop a Class or Fail it in College?

Being in college is undoubtedly one of the most interesting chapters in a student’s education life. A college student juggles between doing well socially, developing interests such as talents, and excelling academically.

Finding a balance between the available freedom and responsibilities is often a burden for many. Therefore, such students find themselves between a rock and a hard place in their academics.

Choosing between failing and dropping classes in college is a common decision that many students are forced to make. So, if you find yourself unable to keep up with a class, should you drop it? Similarly, should you take the exam, fail it, and expect a retake? Read this article comprehensively to answer the questions and find out more.

Is it Better to Drop a Class or Fail it in College?

Dropping a class in college is better in college than failing it. Remember, your GPA is unaffected by dropping a course. However, it is severely lowered by failing one. Dropping a course will also give you more time to study for your other classes, which will help you get better scores overall. Additionally, dropped courses do not get reflected on grade transcripts.

As earlier mentioned, dropping a class preserves your grade point average (GPA) since you cannot be awarded a letter grade for a dropped class. Note that you can always retake a dropped class some other time. Therefore, you get a chance to study and understand the course better to pass the retake. Furthermore, dropping a class allows you an opportunity to replace the class with another.

Also see: Should you take summer classes in college? 

It is worth noting that the mental health of any student is pretty vital. Dropping a challenging class reduces your stress levels significantly. Therefore, you have ample time to concentrate on other vital activities such as studying for the other classes.

Nevertheless, note that dropping a class is quite a process. The process involves filling out a particular form that your class instructor and registrar’s office have to sign for it to be successful. Therefore, attend to the issue early enough before time elapses.

Can You Drop Any Class in College?

You are free to drop any particular class in college as long as there is a valid reason for the drop. In addition, dropping a class will not be a big deal as long as you follow your institution’s stipulated procedure.

Several valid reasons could force you into dropping a particular class in college. These reasons include;

• You have too many credit hours in your semester and are unable to handle the workload comfortably.
• You risk failing the class if you do not drop it.
• Dropping the class will not affect your overall academic progress.
• The class is not relevant to your degree.
• A serious personal issue that could jeopardize your performance arises. For example, illness or the death of a close family member.

Note That different colleges have varying rules and regulations concerning class dropping. For example, some courses require special permission from professors to drop out. In addition, certain deadlines must be met for the successful dropping of classes; some colleges require their students to start the process not later than two weeks of a new semester.

Similarly, some colleges have a maximum threshold, so students can only drop a specific number of classes throughout their college career.

What Happens When You Drop Out of a Class in College?

There are multiple consequences that follow up after dropping a class in college. For example, there is an impact on your transcript, tuition and course fee charges, degree plan, and financial aid if you are under a college scholarship.

After dropping a class, you are no longer required to attend it and will no longer get credit for it. Instead of a letter grade, a “W” (for “Withdrawn”) will typically appear next to the course name on your transcript. However, your GPA is unaffected by this “W.” However, if you drop it and later decide to retake it, your transcript will typically reflect that you previously took the course and did so again (sometimes with an “R” next to the letter grade received).

You might not make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in specific circumstances if you drop or withdraw from a class. This indicates that you aren’t enrolling in enough classes that apply to your degree. Not making an SAP means you will take longer to complete your degree.

Furthermore, you must complete SAP to qualify for some financial aid programs, such as federal student loans. Such programs can withdraw your financial aid if you’ve dropped a course. You can end up needing private student loans to pay the expenses as a result of this.

Is it Worth it to Drop a Class in College?

Multiple situations make dropping a class in college worth it. Nevertheless, remember that dropping a class significantly impacts your grade point average than failing it or receiving a C or D.

As explained in the section, ‘can you drop any class in college?’, many situations necessitate one to drop a class in college. Nevertheless, there are several considerations to put in mind before you decide to drop a class.

First, consider the grade you are getting in that particular course. It is normally preferable to leave a class if you think you will fail it or receive a low grade regardless of your efforts. Before dropping the class, you might want to ask the teacher about your chances of improving your mark if you just received a low grade on one test or project.

Furthermore, it would be wise to exhaust your options of improving your grades before dropping the class. Getting on with the class might be tiring, but you will be happy with yourself after completing the semester for perseverance.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you could agree that dropping classes in college prove to be a wise decision sometimes. This is because it’s a better option than failing the course. However, it would be wise to first consider and exhaust your options before making the decision.