Friday, Dec. 8 is the deadline for first-year undergraduates to withdraw from individual courses, elect the pass/no pass (P/NP) grading option for one course or withdraw entirely from the fall 2023 semester.
By this deadline, you must decide to complete each of your courses for a regular evaluative grade, use the Pass/No Pass option or withdraw from the course. Note that you may continue to process these requests in SIS (if you qualify - see below) until Friday, Dec. 8 at 11:59 p.m. ET, but staff will not be available in the Office of the University Registrar or Undergraduate Advising Support after 5 p.m. Eastern.
There are many factors and implications to consider before exercising any of these options, so it is important that you review these decisions with the appropriate individuals (e.g., course instructors, faculty advisor(s), your four-year advisor).
Before you withdraw from or elect P/NP for a course, it is important that you confirm your standing in the course with the instructor and also understand what is required in order to earn a satisfactory grade. You should also discuss with your four-year advisor the implications these decisions may have on future coursework and your academic standing. It is critical that you work with complete information when making enrollment decisions. Please also be sure to review the academic standing regulations and criteria for scholarship retention.
Pass/No Pass Grading Option: You may choose the Pass/No Pass grading option for one course each semester (not including summer session), provided that you remain enrolled in at least 3 credit hours for regular evaluative grades. If you use the P/NP option for a course that is currently counting for a major, minor or general education requirement, you are agreeing to repeat the course for a letter-grade or take another course to meet that requirement in a subsequent semester. You may exercise the P/NP option in SIS.
Course Withdrawals: Generally, you may withdraw from courses through SIS. However, withdrawals that will leave you actively enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours or involve withdrawing from a course that is a co-requisite for a course in which you are still enrolled require a PDF drop/add form. Completing the PDF process requires that you meet with a four-year advisor in Undergraduate Advising Support.
- To withdraw from a course in SIS, follow the same procedure that you use to drop a course during the drop/add period. Be sure to continue the process until you see a screen with a message that you successfully dropped the course and have been given a grade of “W.” Save a copy of the message as documentation of the transaction. Any course for which a grade of ‘W’ is assigned during your first two terms of enrollment (e.g., fall and spring semester of your first year at CWRU) will be removed from your official transcript.
Term Withdrawals: You are encouraged to speak with your four-year advisor if you are considering a term withdrawal to discuss these implications in more detail. Grades of WD will be assigned in all courses. If you completely withdraw from the fall 2023 semester, you will not be eligible to enroll for the spring and summer 2024 semesters. Appeal statements can be submitted to your four-year advisor in Undergraduate Advising Support.
Additionally, international students and varsity athletes who are currently competing must be actively enrolled in 12 credit hours to satisfy visa or athletic eligibility requirements. Questions can be directed to the Visa Office or the Department of Physical Education and Athletics for further clarification.
Refer to the General Bulletin for more information on the first-year withdrawal policy.