Withdrawal vs. Drop: A student has a specific period of time at the beginning of a class when they may drop the class. The class then disappears from their transcript. After the end of the “add/drop period”, if the student does not want to complete the course, it is a withdrawal and the course stays on the transcript with a grade of W.
Students, with the approval of their advisors, may withdraw from a full-semester course with a grade of W up to the end of the 12th week of the semester. The deadline for withdrawing with a grade of W from a non-traditional or graduate course (not full semester course) is the point when 80% of the course is complete. See examples below:
| Course Length | Drop Deadline | Withdrawal Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| 15 weeks |
End of 1st week of classes |
End of 12th week |
| 12 weeks |
End of 1st week of classes |
End of 10th week |
| 10 weeks | Before the 1st class meeting of each course or within 48 hours after the end of the first class meeting (except for 1 day courses). |
End of 8th week |
| 8 weeks |
|
End of 6th week |
| 6 weeks |
End of 5th week |
|
| 4 weeks |
End of 3rd week |
|
| 3 weeks |
End of 2nd week |
The deadline for dropping a one-credit seminar is 5:00 p.m. the day before the course begins.
After the withdrawal date, a student can no longer withdraw from a class and will receive the grade earned. Students who withdraw from a course receive no credit hours and the hours attempted are not computed into the grade point average. Filing a course withdrawal form with the Registrar’s Office completes the process. Forms are located on MyCSM, Forms. Failure to follow stipulated procedures may result in a failing grade. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with a financial aid counselor before withdrawing from a class since it may affect their financial aid.