As students at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette register for classes next spring, many may want to consider the times, courses and workload of their schedules. Once the semester has started, students are commonly faced with the decision to drop classes that they are registered for. 

Even if students prepare ahead of time there can still be unpredictable problems that might affect their schedules and the classes they are taking. 

When students find there is a problem, or they may be uncertain about how to handle an unexpected change, meeting with an advisor to discuss the issue can be very helpful. 

“Advising is a crucial component of keeping our students on track to graduation. Advisors assist students in course selection each semester and help them navigate through their college years,” reads the UL Lafayette website. 

Meeting with an advisor can dramatically help with choosing courses to schedule. According to the UL Lafayette website, “An advisor should be one of the best resources for information and support during your time at the University.” 

Students can also consult their professors as well as the Academic Success Center in Lee Hall’s room 115. 

Consulting DegreeWorks is also another available tool to assist in scheduling classes. Students are advised, through the resource, not to take classes that are unnecessary or do not count toward their degree. 

“It helps students and advisors effectively navigate curriculum requirements, as well as monitor progress towards degree completion by providing: all course requirements for a degree in a particular catalog, satisfied requirements in an easy-to-read, understandable degree checklist, outstanding requirements needed to complete a particular program, degree, major, minor, and/ or concentration, and a comprehensive review of all transfer, previous, current, and in-progress coursework,” the UL Lafayette website reads. 

According to the University website, “You can withdraw from or ‘drop’ a course with a grade of ‘W’ through the deadline established by the University.” 

A ‘W’ grade appears on a student’s transcript, whereas the class will not appear at all if it is dropped before the deadline. 

Drop dates are at the beginning of the semester. For the Spring 2022 semester, the last day to drop or add a class without receiving a W is Jan. 19. This is exactly one week after the semester starts. 

The second drop date to be aware of is Mar. 31. This is the last day to drop a class and still receive a grade of ‘W.’ 

Withdrawing from a class after the drop date requires a withdrawal/ resignation request and proof of extenuating circumstances. If students fail to follow through with the process, they can receive the grade of ‘F’ for the semester, according to the university. 

Financial aid can be affected if the minimum number of hours required is not completed. 

According to the university website, “You are financially responsible from the course(s) in which you choose to withdraw from. There is no tuition and fee appeal process for fees associated with a course dropped with grade of ‘W.’