Our Best Answer: What is the difference between dropping a course and withdrawal from a course?

Drop vs. Withdraw

Dropping a course will remove it from the course schedule. If a student drops before the first day of classes, then they will incur no charges, and the course won't appear on their academic record. However, they also will not receive financial aid for that class (if applicable).

If a student drops on or after the first day of classes, then they will incur charges in accordance with the refund schedule, and they will receive a "WD" grade for the dropped course. "WD" grades do not appear on the transcript, nor are they counted in the GPA. However, courses assigned a "WD" are treated as attempted credits, which may affect students' Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid eligibility.

Withdrawal refers to the removal of a course after the last day to drop. Official withdrawals are assigned a "W" grade. The "W" remains on a student?s academic record and will appear on the transcript. While "W" grades do not count in the GPA, the credits for that course will count as attempted credits and may affect students' satisfactory academic progress for financial aid eligibility.

Withdrawals also refer to administrative drops that the Office of the Registrar may assign under certain circumstances:

• WA (Administrative Withdrawal): Assigned if a student does not submit immunization records as required.
• WN (Withdrawal, Not Attended): Assigned if a student does not attend a registered course by the attendance verification date.
• WU (Unofficial Withdrawal): Assigned if a student stops attending a course at any point before the end of a semester and does not officially withdraw.

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