Dropping with a 'W' better than failing
Friday last day to drop without a 'W'
Bailey McBride
Issue date: 9/3/08 Section: News
This Friday is the last day for students to drop a class without a "W" on their transcript. The last date for students to drop with a "W" is Oct. 31st. However, what exactly does having a "W" on your transcript mean?
"W" is the abbreviation for withdrawal on transcripts.
Students opt to receive a "W" on their transcript for a number of reasons, said Suzanne McCray, acting dean of the UA Honors College.
"They could have taken on a class load that was too heavy, gotten an internship or gotten a part time job that does not allow them to take as many hours as they originally intended," McCray said. "It is always better to receive a W than to have a grade of 'D' or 'F' on your transcript."
A withheld grade on transcripts often saves students who otherwise would fail classes. Often, this is not as a result of lack of preparation or work, but because of a serious illness or death in the family.
Though many students do not wish to discuss the reasons they opted to take a grade of "W", reasons range from the death of a parent to serious medical issues that resulted in an extended hospital stay which prevent the student from returning to class in a timely manner.
"I think you should get more leeway about getting a W." said sophomore A.J. Manship. "Even if you go to class for two weeks and then drop, you still get a W on your transcript."
Sophomore Brittany Ferrence was forced to miss multiple weeks of class during her freshman year due to a serious condition with her lungs, which even caused one lung to collapse. Even though Ferrence said she would have preferred to stay in all of her classes, some of her professors were not able to let her make up the work.
"I opted to take a 'W' instead of failing those classes," Ferrence said.
But for just as many students with serious problems, there are students who just can't handle their class loads. McCray urges these students to take a "W" rather than trying to pull their grades up at the end of the semester.
"W" is the abbreviation for withdrawal on transcripts.
Students opt to receive a "W" on their transcript for a number of reasons, said Suzanne McCray, acting dean of the UA Honors College.
"They could have taken on a class load that was too heavy, gotten an internship or gotten a part time job that does not allow them to take as many hours as they originally intended," McCray said. "It is always better to receive a W than to have a grade of 'D' or 'F' on your transcript."
A withheld grade on transcripts often saves students who otherwise would fail classes. Often, this is not as a result of lack of preparation or work, but because of a serious illness or death in the family.
Though many students do not wish to discuss the reasons they opted to take a grade of "W", reasons range from the death of a parent to serious medical issues that resulted in an extended hospital stay which prevent the student from returning to class in a timely manner.
"I think you should get more leeway about getting a W." said sophomore A.J. Manship. "Even if you go to class for two weeks and then drop, you still get a W on your transcript."
Sophomore Brittany Ferrence was forced to miss multiple weeks of class during her freshman year due to a serious condition with her lungs, which even caused one lung to collapse. Even though Ferrence said she would have preferred to stay in all of her classes, some of her professors were not able to let her make up the work.
"I opted to take a 'W' instead of failing those classes," Ferrence said.
But for just as many students with serious problems, there are students who just can't handle their class loads. McCray urges these students to take a "W" rather than trying to pull their grades up at the end of the semester.
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