Reminder: last day to add/drop classes 9/14

Students beware! If there’s a class that you are itching to get into, or one you’d rather run away from, Tuesday, Sept. 14, is an important date: it marks the last day you will be allowed to add classes for the fall semester. The date is also the last day students can drop a class without receiving any tuition penalty.

Although no new classes can be added after Sept. 14, you can still drop a class up until the final deadline, Oct. 1. However, drops which occur between Sept. 14 and Sept. 21 will incur a 33% tuition penalty and any dropped classes after Sept. 21 will result in a 66% tuition penalty.

If there is still some indecision and you are unsure whether or not to drop a class, another option is available. The selective withdrawal period, for undergraduates only, lasts from Oct. 4 through Oct. 29.

“Selective withdrawal for a course is an option when, presumably, an academic problem has not been sorted out before the end of the drop period,” says University Registrar, Susan Jones. “In situations where you find out you are failing a course, after this drop period, a selective withdrawal can be processed through the Registrar’s Office.”

To be eligible for a selective withdrawal, the student must be an undergraduate enrolled in a degree program. A maximum of three selective withdrawals can be processed during any student’s undergraduate tenure at Mason. The withdrawal is accepted for any class, regardless of the number of credit hours.

“The selective withdrawal policy is part of a university wide effort to balance high standards in our policies, while also showing recognition of what students go through,” Jones added. “The university is always trying to find that balance so that when you get that final transcript it will be worth a lot.”

Jones also wanted to notify students of changes that were recently passed through the Faculty Senate, taking effect in the fall of 2011. “Beginning in the fall [2011], the add/drop period will be one week shorter than this semester.” According to Jones, the changes came at the behest of faculty who would like to solidify their final rosters earlier, making it easier to enact the semester curriculum on time.