The Office of the Registrar at UConn advises students to be mindful of their classes and deadlines to add, drop or switch courses (Kush Kumar/The Daily Campus)
The Office of the Registrar at the University of Connecticut advises students to be mindful of their classes and deadlines to add, drop or switch courses, Assistant Registrar Jennifer Gattilia and University Advising Director Katrina Higgins said.
During the first week of the semester, students are permitted to add, drop or switch classes without penalty. After Feb. 4, students wishing to add or drop courses must receive additional signatures and will have a “W” on their transcript for courses discarded, according to the university’s calendar.
Higgins said students are encouraged to give each course a chance before making any final decision on whether to keep the class or drop it.
“Students should attend at least two classes before making a decision about whether to drop it or not, because there might not be enough content covered in the first class for a student to have a really good sense of what to expect,” Higgins said. “The caveat here is that if you are taking a course that only meets once a week, you’ll know by the end of the first class whether or not you should stay in it.”
Higgins said it is important for students to ask themselves important questions regarding why they are in each of their classes and if they can handle the workload as a whole.
“Will dropping one course mean you will be more successful in your others? Do you need to take this course now? If you do, and there is no other opportunity to take it, then commit to being as successful as possible,” Higgins said. “If this means going to the Academic Achievement Center, Q center, the W center, tutoring and/or office hours, then go. These services are there so that you can be successful.”
Gattilia said although “shopping” for classes is permitted in the first few days of classes, students should avoid making any schedule changes too close to the deadline.
“The later you add a class, the more course material you will have missed and it could be difficult to catch up,” Gattilia said. “Registering for a course does not immediately trigger course materials to be available in HuskyCT. This is an overnight process and you will not have access until the next day.”
Gattilia also advised students to be smart when picking and choosing classes online, given how fast the Student Administration portal can fill up.
“Always use the swap feature,” Gattilia said. “This way, you do not risk losing a seat in a class you are already registered for when trying to register for a new class.”
Higgins said although one “W” on a transcript is not compromising, numerous drops after the deadline can prove costly for students and their transcripts.
“Too many dropped course might mean that you will be cited for SAP [Satisfactory Academic Progress]. SAP is a federal regulation that requires that Financial Aid offices to track students’ progress,” Higgins said. “Students who receive financial aid must earn at least 75 percent of the credits that they have attempted in any given semester.”
Higgins offered additional advice for students to be aware of during syllabus week in terms of awareness for their course policies.
“Get clear on the academic integrity requirements for each course. If they are not covered in the syllabus, ask your instructor what to expect,” Higgins said. “Every instructor is different, so don’t assume you know what they are thinking when it comes to how they define academic integrity.”
Taylor Harton is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. She can be reached by email at taylor.harton@uconn.edu.
