how to petition to withdraw a course

by Dr. Guadalupe Glover DVM 4 min read

Begin your letter by addressing it to the staff person, appeals committee or office that handles requests for dropping classes after the deadline. That information is generally found in the student handbook or the college catalog under procedures for petitioning to drop courses after the deadline.

Full Answer

What is the procedure for withdrawing from a university?

The student should contact their Dean of Students or Registrar’s Office to learn the correct procedure for withdrawing. 1. Personal Personal reasons include family emergencies such as a death in the family or a family member who is critically ill.

Should I send a withdrawal letter to the University?

It is best to send a withdrawal letter to the university rather than to simply stop attending. This could cause professors to give a failing mark, which would not look good on a resume. In rare cases, a partial hardship withdrawal is possible, but the student must be able to prove that the hardship only affects some of their courses.

How do I write a formal reason for dropping courses?

Gather documentation and evidence to demonstrate the authenticity of your reasons for needing to drop courses. For example, a doctor's note indicating that you were hospitalized for two weeks with pneumonia would show why you fell behind in your studies. If job conflicts caused you to frequently miss class, attach a note from your employer.

What do you need to include in a college withdrawal letter?

Documentation will need to be enclosed with the college withdrawal letter that proves the financial hardship such as unemployment forms or a letter from the former employer stating that the student no longer works for their business. There needs to be valid reasons for job loss, and the contact information of the employer should be included.

How do I write a petition to drop a class?

Ask to be allowed to drop after the normal drop date. Explain the circumstances forcing you to make this request. Include a statement that it's your goal to return to school as soon as possible. This can demonstrate that you're serious about your education and that this will, hopefully, be only a temporary set back.

What is a good reason to withdraw from a course?

5 Reasons You Can Drop a Course: The course isn't required for your degree, isn't relevant to your degree, or isn't an acceptable elective. You're too far behind in the syllabus and you can't fathom catching up. You bombed your first midterm and can't reasonably recover your grade. (Abort mission.

How can I withdraw my course?

Go in person to the registrar's office to get a class withdrawal sheet. Some institutions also accept withdrawals through email. Look on your school's website for an email address for the registrar's office or the academic advisor's office. When in doubt, contact an academic advisor.

What is Withdraw Petition?

A withdrawal petition drops a course from your schedule, but you are still financially responsible for the course. (You may petition to withdraw with a “W” or to suppress the “W” from your transcript, depending on your circumstances.)

Is it better to withdraw or fail?

Failing & Then Re-Taking a Class Croskey notes that dropping a class is better than withdrawing, but withdrawing is better than failing. “A failing grade will lower the student's GPA, which may prevent a student from participating in a particular major that has a GPA requirement,” Croskey says.

What is a serious and compelling reason to drop a class?

Serious and Compelling Reasons An extended absence due to a death in the immediate family. This applies to absences exceeding a week due to family affairs that must be attended to by the student. A necessary change in employment status which interferes with the student's ability to attend class.

Is it OK to withdraw from a class?

Dropping a class is much better for your GPA than failing a class or getting a C or D in it is because a dropped class does not affect your grade point average. Dropping a class may also raise your GPA because it can allow you to spend more time on other classes and raise your grades in them.

How do you tell your professor you are withdrawing?

Tell them that you need to focus your efforts on fewer things especially your thesis as you find it challenging. Be polite and don't forget professors have heard it all before, they will understand or should do. Show activity on this post. Just tell him you are too busy.

Does withdrawing from a class affect your financial aid?

Withdrawing from a class could affect your financial aid if it means you are no longer making “satisfactory academic progress.” Each college defines satisfactory academic progress differently, but wherever you go to school, you must maintain it to keep receiving financial aid.

What is an EW petition?

This petition is used to withdraw from a class if there were events beyond your control affecting your ability to complete the class.

Can you remove AW from your transcript?

In such cases, you may be able to talk to the instructor and be allowed to make up the work you missed to change the grade. Graduate schools are likely to be concerned about excessive "W"s on a transcript, but most schools will not delete "W" grades.

Are withdrawals late?

A late withdrawal is essentially what it sounds like. It allows you to withdraw from a course (AKA: drop it) after the drop deadline has passed, but before the last day of courses. In other words, it is a last minute escape plan. In some ways, a late withdrawal is the same as dropping a course.

How do you tell your professor you are withdrawing?

Make an appointment or stop in during office hours to let your professor and/or TA know that you're dropping the class. If you've already talked to your academic adviser, the conversation should go pretty smoothly—and quickly.

What does it mean to withdraw from a course?

Dropping a Course Withdrawing from a Course. "Dropping" a course means you dropped it before the end of the drop/add period. A student "withdraws" from a course after the end of the drop/add period. Credit hours for dropped courses are not included in your hours of enrollment for financial aid.

Should I withdraw from a class?

Dropping a class is much better for your GPA than failing a class or getting a C or D in it is because a dropped class does not affect your grade point average. Dropping a class may also raise your GPA because it can allow you to spend more time on other classes and raise your grades in them.

How do you explain withdrawal on transcript?

Sadly, in academia, there's also the word “Withdraw.” Withdrawing means you drop a class after the allowed add/drop period ends. You won't receive a grade for the class, but a “W” will show up on your transcript, indicating that you were not doing well in the course and essentially quit the class.

How long can you withdraw from college?

In most cases, the limit is within one academic year of the time they want to withdraw. Here is a sample college withdrawal letter. All the forms and other documents that are enclosed should be copies and not original documents.

Can you write a withdrawal letter to a college?

When they have the documentation, including any forms required by the college, they can write a college withdrawal letter. It is best to send a withdrawal letter to the university rather than to simply stop attending. This could cause professors to give a failing mark, which would not look good on a resume.

image