The academic year is winding down – before you know it, it will be finals week and time for semester grades! – and this is a critical time to decide if you want to drop a class or stick it out to the end. If you’re on the fence about what to do, you must consider some critical points.

• Deadlines: Check your school’s academic calendar to find out the different deadlines for withdrawing from classes. These dates will tell you the last day to withdraw and still receive a portion of tuition back, the last day to withdraw without academic penalty and the last day to withdraw passing.
• Financial Aid: Before you drop a class, consider how many credit hours you are taking. You must be a full-time student to receive financial aid and if at any time during the semester you drop below the required amount of hours, you may have to pay that money back.
• Grades: If you miss the right deadline to drop a class, you will receive an automatic F. If the reason you are dropping is because of your current grade, consider if there is anything you can do to bring it up. Failing a class can bring your GPA way down and if there is a way to avoid this, take it!

There are many reasons college students decide to drop classes and while some reasons are out of their hands, there are usually ways to fix the problems they may be having. Do not take the easy route without first considering the issue, weighing the consequences and seeing if there is a way to remedy the situation. Also, stay on track during the semester – keeping up with your assignments and responsibilities will prevent you from having to make this difficult decision later on.

Chelsea Slaughter is currently a junior at Jacksonville State University majoring in communications (public relations concentration) and minoring in art. She serves as a resident assistant on campus, is the treasurer in the Public Relations Organization and is an active member in W.I.S.E., NAACP and Omicron Delta Kappa Honors Leadership Society. She aims to work in the entertainment industry post-graduation and is well on her way thanks to an internship with a digital marketer to several music artists. Chelsea strives to achieve all of her goals and motivate others along the way.

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