Drop or Withdraw from Courses | Westmoreland County Community College, Youngwood, Pennsylvania

Drop or Withdraw from Courses

Drop courses - up through the 20% point of a course

A drop is the process of un-enrolling in one or more course(s) after students have completed registration.  Drops can occur from the point of registration up to the 20% point in the course.   No record of the course will appear on the transcript.  Students can drop the course in their portal at MyWestmoreland.  

Withdraw from courses- begins after the drop period

A student who wishes to initiate the course withdrawal process should talk with their instructor and/or their advisor or counselor. The withdrawal period begins at the end of the drop period that is typically after the third week of class, or at the 20% point in their course. From the 20-75%, a student may withdraw from a course by completing an official withdrawal form.   An official W (withdrawal) grade will be noted on the transcript. After 75% of the course, students may only withdraw with the exception of an excused withdrawal.

SPRING 2024 DROP & WITHDRAWAL DATES

Medical Withdrawal

For an excused withdrawal, such as a medical withdrawal, a student may request a withdrawal at any point in the semester with supporting documentation.   A student should complete the Medical Withdrawal Form .  Once submitted, the director of Student Success, director of Admissions and registrar or dean must review the documentation and provide a recommendation to the appropriate vice president.

Students who wish to withdraw from all classes due to medical reasons should complete the Request for Medical Withdrawal form. Requests are reviewed by a committee and all decisions are final; there is no appeals process. 

 All approved requests for medical withdrawals will result in withdrawal and assignment of MW grades for all courses enrolled at the time of the request. Students who do not desire a Medical Withdrawal or desire to withdraw only from selected classes should use the Student Withdrawal Request form. 

Requests must be submitted no later than the dates published on the request form. Medical withdrawals must be submitted by “the last day of class per student’s schedule” for the semester in which the medical situation occurred. The last day of class may not be the same for all courses on a student’s schedule. If the end date has passed, a student will not be eligible to petition for a Medical Withdrawal for those courses that have ended prior to receipt of completed Medical Withdrawal documents. Requests for a retroactive medical withdrawal, after the conclusion of a semester, will not be considered. 

Appropriate supporting documentation with a recommendation of a full medical withdrawal from a physician or therapist is required. Guidelines for documentation can be found at the bottom of the Medical Request Form.

Students are still financially responsible for all enrollment costs whether withdrawal is approved or denied. 

Students who are withdrawn from all courses may be reported to the National Student Clearinghouse as “withdrawn,” which can result in students who receive financial aid to be entered into loan repayment status. 

Medical withdrawal requests will only be approved once in a 12 month period. 

Points of Consideration

  • The student is responsible for initiating and completing the withdrawal process.
  • If a student does not want to remain in a class, they must follow the official withdrawal process.
  • Failure to officially withdraw will result in a financial obligation to the college, regardless of the student's class attendance. The student is responsible for their financial obligations despite:
    • Not receiving financial aid
    • Not attending class
    • Not fulfilling payment plan obligations
    • Receiving a notice that they will be dropped from classes due to nonpayment
    • On vacation, out of the country or otherwise away from the college's physical site
    • Not receiving a bill in the mail
    • Method by which the student registered for classes
    • Not paying their bill
  • It is highly recommended and encouraged that the student communicates with their instructors prior to withdrawing from a course.
  • For institutional purposes, the day the student initiates the withdrawal will be the date that is entered as withdrawing.

A partial or total withdrawal by a student receiving a Pell, SEOG, Work Study or student/parent Direct Loans may affect the student's Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standing. Please review the Financial Aid SAP policy for information.

Additionally, the student may be subject to a Return to Title IV calculation. Students who receive failing or incomplete grades may also be subject to this calculation. In some cases, calculation results in a charge back of Title IV (federal) financial aid for which the student is responsible. When the Return to Title IV calculation results in a charge back of Title IV financial aid, the student will receive a letter to their home address indicating the amount charged back, the current account balance and the student's option for repayment. The Financial Aid Office can answer questions about Return to Title IV calculations.

Student Withdrawal Process

If a student stops attending class, they are still enrolled in the class. Non-attendance and non-payment do not withdraw a student from a course.

Before You Withdraw

  • We recommend that you contact your instructor, advisor or an academic counselor before withdrawing from a course. They may be able to suggest alternatives to withdrawing that could aid in your success.
  • If you are receiving financial aid, please review the financial aid withdrawal policy and the financial aid warning/suspension policy or speak with a financial aid coordinator to learn how this may affect your financial aid eligibility.
  • If you drop a course and then register for the same course that starts on a later date, your student account will be charged for both courses if you do not drop by the tuition refund deadline.
  • Please review the Refund Policy to determine the official starting date of your course(s).

Steps to Withdrawal

  1. After talking with your instructor about the withdrawal from the course, please complete the Withdrawal Form.

You will receive a grade of 'W' on your academic record. Withdrawing will not affect your GPA, but a 'W' will remain on your permanent record.

Your withdrawal request date and your last date of attendance will be recorded as the day you receive the withdrawal form from the Admissions/Registrar's Office.

What Happens If I Don't Follow The Official Withdrawal Process?

  • You will not be considered as officially withdrawn from the course.
  • You forfeit your right to a refund and will receive a final grade in each course in which you are enrolled.