Differentiating between Adding / Dropping and Withdrawing from Classes
"Important Notification and New Withdrawal Process Changes"
If dropping from a course during the drop/add period, please log into your MyLawson account and drop the course.
If withdrawing from a course, please log into your MyLawson account and click on the new withdrawal form.
(Note: Students receiving financial aid and/or scholarships are encouraged to speak with an academic advisor and the financial aid office prior to withdrawing)
Adding and Dropping a Class (Defined):
Dropping and adding (moving classes on your schedule around) can only occur during the first week of classes. Such changes are viewed a simple scheduling adjustments/change. Permission is not needed to add one class and drop another during this period (as long as you are completing this change during the first week of classes. The college views this as schedule change only. However, after the first week of classes, schedules are frozen. Meaning, if you need to drop a class, you will have to withdraw. Withdrawing can have financial penalties, so review the "ins and outs" with your advisor before doing so, so you can make the most informed decision possible.
Withdrawing from a Course (Defined):
Withdrawing from a class has more implications. If a student has been actively enrolled in a class beyond a full week, in order to be removed from that class and taken off the official roll, the student would have to withdraw from the class. Withdrawing from a class is serious and can have financial implications associated with the withdrawing. In fact, refunds are limited based on the timing of your withdraw. The longer you stay in the class, the smaller your refund and eventually no refund will be granted at all.
Adding/Dropping: To add or drop a class from your schedule, login MyLawson and add/drop under the Registration portal. Click here to view a video on how to add or drop a class.
If you are blocked in the system from adding/dropping a course (which occurs ONLY during the first week of class), you are either trying to add/drop a class Past the Deadline or you have already PAID for the class. If paid, contact the Records Office at records@lawsonstate.edu for administrative permission to add a class after the Add/Drop period has lapsed.
Withdrawing: CHECK ACADEMIC CALENDAR FOR LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW FROM A CLASS. Before withdrawing online, read the information below (about penalties) and speak with your instructor and a financial aid advisor. Never withdraw without understanding the consequences. If a student receives a federal grant and withdraws before 60% of the term has passed, he or she will likely owe a portion of the grant back to the grant program. Please note that a student who withdraws from a course(es) has up to 48 hours to reverse the withdrawal by emailing ewithdrawal@lawsonstate.edu to add the course(es) back. Check the following before withdrawing: (1) the Refund Policy to see if you have are eligible for a refund, if you paid cash or charged your tuition; (2) the Academic Calendar to find out the last date you can withdraw from a class; (3) the Financial Aid Office to see if there are any financial aid implications, if you are withdrawing before completing more than 60% of the course.
Click Here View Academic Calendar
Step-by-Step Tutorials: Understanding the Add/Drop and Withdrawal Process
You can add/drop and withdraw from any course you have registered for, but you need to do so with advice from your advisor and your instructor first.
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Click on "Video Tutorials"
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dropping and adding classes. |
Click on Video Tutorials
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tutorial on withdrawing. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between adding and dropping a course and withdrawing from a course? Answer: Length of time you have been enrolled. Let's explain. You can only add and drop a course (which is essentially a course selection change) the very first week of school, not beyond. The college gives students about 5 days after the start of classes to allow for unexpected changes. This is called and Add/Drop because you are dropping one class of your schedule and typically adding a replacement. Or, you could drop a class altogether.
Add Drop:
Are there penalties for adding and dropping?
No. There are no penalties associated with adding and dropping a class. Because you are only allowed to add and drop classes during the first week of classes, this is considered a change of schedule only.
Are there any downsides to adding and dropping the first week of school?
Yes. There are downsides to adding and dropping classes the first week of class. The longer you wait to decide on a permanent schedule, the more likely you are to miss the first week of classes. Missing class, particularly if you are a Pell student, does not allow you to establish attendance in time for the first distribution of Pell refunds (typically). In addition, late arriving students have no basis for make-up work since registration has been open for months before the start of classes. Hence, it is important to register early and confirm your schedule prior to the start of classes.
Can I add and drop a class online via Student Suite?
Yes and No. The answer is YES if you are still in pre-registration mode; meaning, you have NOT paid your tuition via Student Suite yet--Completed Registration. With that in mind, the answer is NO if you have already paid your tuition. If your tuition has been paid, you will have to manually complete the Add and Drop process (by coming to campus). You will have to fill out the Add/Drop form, sign it and submit it (for processing) to the Records Office on either campus. Again, this MUST be done before the Add/Drop period ends. The Academic Calendar outlines all Add/Drop dates. Withdrawing:
What should I know about the Withdrawal Process?
Withdrawing from a course should be done online and occurs when a student has been enrolled in a course for more than a week and would like to remove the course off of his/her schedule altogether. Such major decisions should NEVER be reached by the student alone. The student should ALWAYS do the following first before completing an eWithdrawal online. Talk with the instructor one-on-one ALWAYS, particularly if you are withdrawing early from a course. Often times after a student speaks with his/her instructor, the decision to withdraw changes. If the student has received financial aid, he/she NEEDS to see a Financial Aid Advisor to find out if there are any financial aid penalties for the decision (i.e, paying money back). Never skip this step. See the Academic Calendar for withdrawal penalty dates. If a student has paid for the course, a refund is determined based on how long a student has been enrolled. Each semester this information is always housed on the websites Registration page.
Will I receive a refund if I paid for a class and partially withdraw from school for the semester/term?
Refunds are only given if one withdraws completely from all classes. However, students who do not completely withdraw from the college but drop a class during the regular drop/add period will be refunded the difference in tuition paid and the tuition rate applicable to the reduced number of hours, including fees appropriate to the classes dropped. (See current Academic Calendar for drop/add dates.)
Will I receive a refund if I paid for multiple classes and completely withdraw from school for the semester/term?
A student who officially or unofficially withdraws from all classes before the first day of class will be refunded the total tuition and other institutional charges. A student who officially or unofficially withdraws completely on or after the first day of class, but prior to the end of the week of class, will be refunded according to College's Refund Policies as currently published with the Business Affairs Office.