How to withdraw from a class
To withdraw from a class, submit the withdrawal in your student portal or on your registrar's form before the deadline, then check that a W shows on your record. A withdrawal after the early drop period puts a W on your transcript. A W usually does not change your GPA, but it can affect financial aid, full-time status and refunds.
In more detail
Drop and withdraw are not the same. A drop happens in the first days of the term, during the add/drop period, and the class usually disappears from your record with a full refund. A withdrawal happens later, up to a deadline that often falls somewhere between the middle and two thirds of the term. The class stays on your transcript with a W, and the refund is partial or none. Deadlines differ by school, so read your academic calendar.
Most schools do not count a W in your GPA, but a W is not free. Federal aid and many scholarships look at your enrollment status, which for undergraduates is usually full-time at 12 credits, and at how many of the credits you attempt you complete. Withdrawn credits count as attempted but not earned, which can hurt satisfactory academic progress (many schools expect you to finish about 67 percent of what you attempt). Withdrawing from every class can also mean returning federal aid. International students on F-1 visas usually need approval from their international office before dropping below full-time.
Stopping attendance is not withdrawing. If you just stop going, most schools give you an F, and that does count in your GPA. Some schools also cap the number of withdrawals; public colleges in Texas, for example, allow at most six dropped courses. If the deadline has passed, ask about a late withdrawal petition, an incomplete, or a medical or hardship withdrawal.
Drop, withdraw or stop attending
| Drop | Withdraw | Stop attending | |
|---|---|---|---|
| When | Early add/drop period | After add/drop, before the withdrawal deadline | Any time, without paperwork |
| On your transcript | Usually nothing | A W | Usually an F |
| GPA | No effect | Usually no effect | Lowers your GPA |
| Refund | Usually full | Partial or none | None |
| Financial aid | Enrollment status can change | Credits count as attempted, not earned | Counts as a fail |
Step by step
- 1
Check your school's academic calendar for the last day to drop, the last day to withdraw and the refund dates.
- 2
Talk to your advisor: ask what the withdrawal does to your degree plan, scholarship, financial aid, athletic or visa status and insurance.
- 3
Tell your instructor. A short email is enough, and the instructor may offer help, an incomplete or a way to finish.
- 4
Submit the withdrawal in the student portal under registration or schedule, or on the registrar's form if your school wants a signature.
- 5
Confirm the W appears on your schedule or unofficial transcript, and check your bill and aid award for changes.
- 6
Decide when you will retake the class and whether your school replaces the old grade with the new one.
How StudyPDF helps
If you are thinking about withdrawing because you are behind, try one reset first. Upload your lecture slides, notes and syllabus, and StudyPDF shows per concept where you stand, builds quizzes and a practice exam from your own material, and the Plan tab spreads what is left up to your exam date. If you withdraw anyway, the same material is ready when you retake the class.
See also
Do it on your own course
Upload your lectures and ask Bo. Cited answers, plus flashcards, exams, and more built from your material.
More questions
Does withdrawing from a class affect your GPA?
Usually not. A W is a transcript mark, not a grade, and most schools leave it out of your GPA. The credits still count as attempted for financial aid progress, and a run of Ws can raise questions with advisors or graduate programs.
Is it better to withdraw or fail a class?
For your GPA, withdrawing is usually better, because an F counts and a W does not. Check financial aid and deadlines first. If you are close to passing and can finish, talk to your instructor before you decide.