5 Signs It’s Time to Drop a Class

I’m sure everyone has had a class (or two or three) that has made them go a little crazy. The professor doesn’t teach well, you can’t understand the material, you’re not doing well on the tests, and you’re getting more and more discouraged by the minute. In some cases, dropping a class may seem like an easy out, but if you’ve done all you can, it might be time to say bye to a course that’s dragging you – and your GPA – down.

You’ve sought out help from your professor multiple times

You’ve emailed your professor so many times that they don’t even bother to answer you back politely. Every time you ask a question, you end up more confused than you were before. You’ve asked them questions during their office hours, you’ve sent them texts, or maybe you’ve been so desperate for answers that you’ve called them! No matter how many times you try to get their help, your professor’s communication or teaching style just isn’t cutting it. Don’t waste any more of your time, and take the class with a professor that works for you next semester.

You’ve tried to learn the subject through a tutor

If you’re struggling with a class, maybe you should put more effort into studying the material, right? Tutoring can be offered online or face-to-face, and range from being free or low-cost to pricey (depending on how much help you need). If you try to help yourself by seeking out a tutor, and you’re still doing poorly in the class, maybe that subject is not for you. You could also take an intro class that helps you better understand the concepts before taking the more advanced course.

Your test grades keep going down, and it’s the middle of the semester

When it gets to be midterm season, and your grade has only continued to go down, it can be incredibly hard to raise it in just a couple of weeks. Even if you’re doing well in your other classes, a low grade in one course can do a lot of damage to your GPA. If you decide to drop the class after the drop period, you should get a course withdrawal on your transcript, which shouldn’t affect your GPA.

You’ve taken the class more than once, and with the same professor

In this case, the problem may be the teaching style, rather than your learning style. Not everyone learns the same— some of us can understand a concept the first time it’s taught, and some of us need to hear an explanation or see it worked through a couple of times. If your professor is the type to stick to one method of teaching— “it’s my way or the highway”— you may struggle if that’s not the best way for you to learn.

You simply can’t put enough time into the class right now

Life is constantly changing. It doesn’t care if you’re trying to balance a 15-credit work load with a part-time job and volunteering. While we may think we can do it all, sometimes we just can’t, and that’s okay! Family emergencies, a sudden illness, or money troubles can happen at any time, and they may get in the way of your classes. Rather than stress yourself out more than you need to, why not drop the course and take them at a time when your life is more stable? There’s no use in committing to something so time-consuming if you don’t actually have the time and effort to put into it at the moment.