Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Before You Drop a Course, Consider This!


We are in the midst of midterms and Spring Break is a few days away.  Your student may be feeling the pressure of coursework, extracurricular activities, work duties, along with general life obligations.  Friday, March 23 is the deadline for students to drop individual courses.  If they begin to think about dropping courses for the semester, keep reading for a few things to consider before they make the final decision.

How do you feel about your academic progress up to this point?
Encourage your student to be open, honest and realistic about this.  If they require additional assistance through tutoring or Supplemental Instruction, encourage them to seek help now.

Have you met with your professor/instructor about your progress?
This is a key factor in the discussion.  Students should consult with their professors to determine if a withdrawal is the best decision.  They will be able to have discussions with your student about their progress in a particular course.

Have you talked with your academic adviser about how dropping a course will affect your degree progress?
Your student’s academic adviser will be able to discuss options with your son/daughter and be able to show them how dropping a course could potentially play a role in their progression toward graduation.

If you drop this course, will you be able to take the course over the winter or summer school term?
Your student should be aware of course offerings for each term as every course is not offered during each term.  Summer course offerings are available online.

How will dropping this course affect your financial aid package?
Some scholarships and tuition waivers require students to achieve a certain number of credit hours within an academic year for renewal.  Students might have to take additional credits in the summer term to make up for dropped courses.  Additionally, students need to be enrolled in 12 credit hours to be considered full-time.  Consult the Office of Financial Aid to inquire.

The best thing you can do as a parent, coach and mentor to your student is to have and express faith in your student.  Remind them of past success and encourage them to buckle down, get motivated and get to work!  There are resources in place to assist, but they must take advantage of them as well.

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