You Might Want to Drop the Class If These 5 Things Are True
One of the perks of attending college is the huge selection of courses offered within each degree program. Though you’ll have a set of course requirements you’ll have to follow when you declare a major, some of the courses may not be as interesting as others, and some might be significantly harder. You’ll also have the chance to take electives to explore other interests. At one point or another, you’ll probably run into a class that just isn’t working out. Whether it’s the professor, the timing with other things going on in your life, or the class is just nothing like you expected, sometimes dropping a class is for the best. Here are five ways to tell when to drop a class:
You’re Failing
If you see early on that you’re not doing as well as you hoped in your class, and it doesn’t look like things will get better, it’s time to drop the class before it’s too late. If you drop it before the drop period is over (the dates should be in the class syllabus or on your school’s website), you’ll save yourself from receiving a failing grade on your transcript.
If it’s past the drop deadline and you really need to get out of the class, talk to your professor. They may be able to automatically withdraw you from the course, or you can do it online. This will appear on your transcript as an AW or a “W,” which isn’t great, but at least it won’t affect your GPA like an F would.
As a last resort, you may be able to change the class from a graded course, to a pass/fail. This puts you in a position of just needing to pass the class to get credit, so you can worry a little less.
You Find Yourself Skipping a Lot
Skipping class is never a good thing, but let’s be honest, it happens. Maybe you got sick, overslept, or just didn’t feel like going. Whatever the reason, missing too many classes can do a lot of damage to your grade, and in some classes, you can get you kicked out of the class. Some professors choose to discipline students who frequently skip class by taking a certain amount of points off their total grade at the end of the semester.
No joke, this has happened to me. You may think because there are forty other students in class and the professor doesn’t take attendance that you can miss class and have it go unnoticed. Don’t make that assumption. Professors will know if you’ve skipped class more than a few times.
You Don’t Need the Class
There may come a time where you take a class because it sounds like fun, even it has nothing to do with your major or future career goals. If you have the time and money, taking extra courses can be a good thing if you think you will benefit from them. However, college isn’t a time to play around and take classes you honestly don’t need…ever. Save yourself time, money, and stress by getting rid of the class you don’t need.
You Don’t Like the Professor
Everyone has different teaching styles, and some just won’t cut it for you. If you happen to get stuck with a professor you don’t like, this is okay; you can drop the class and see if there is another professor teaching the same class. If there aren’t any other professors teaching the class, you might have to wait until the next semester to take it – but if you’re struggling with the professor, it might be worth it to wait.
You Don’t Feel Comfortable
Sometimes classes can make you feel uncomfortable. And I mean, extremely uncomfortable. Almost to the point where you consider skipping every day because you dread the thought of going. Maybe you’re shy and have to speak in front of the class, maybe your classmates aren’t nice to you, or maybe you feel isolated. If you feel uncomfortable in a class, it is okay to drop it and either find a different class or wait a semester or two and try again. Sometimes being uncomfortable is unavoidable, but if it’s negatively impacting your performance, dropping a class might be the answer.