In a time of great economic duress, many have turned to higher education as a way out of poverty. But that has become increasingly less feasible. Dwindling Bright Future dollars, increases in tuition and budget cuts from the state are forcing students to foot the bill for their own education. Sometimes it seems like students discover policies and regulations by trial and error, rather than the school providing the student body with the information from the get-go.
To add another tally to the trials of your college years, the university introduces the new withdrawal policy.
The policy allows undergraduates only five withdrawals for the duration of their college career at USF St. Petersburg, kind of like the 12 free counseling sessions students are allowed for the entire duration of their education. If you are under 60 credit hours, you can withdraw after the first week only three times and receive a “W.”
But if you are over 60 credit hours into your degree, you only get two withdrawals. After that, it is game over. Some students may already be affected by this and not even know it yet. Hopefully you didn’t just withdraw from two or three classes all at once.
Not all students withdraw from classes because they are too hard, or don’t like the professor. Sometimes, three weeks into the semester, life suddenly happens.
College students live in a bubble that is immune to health, family or other personal problems. They always are able to predict their availability at the start of the semester and always know when they are taking on too much before the add/drop period ends. Right?
Wrong.
Students should be sure to weigh the gravity of whatever their withdrawal situation is and choose those five “Ws” wisely since they only have five. Juniors or senior probably only have two now.
Despite the fact students are paying for their college degrees, and all involved classes, after the first week the university has a less lenient attitude towards those dollars and guards them closely.
Exceptions to appeal for additional withdrawals are only granted under “extenuating circumstances” by the Academic Regulations Committee. Certainly the Academic Regulations Committee will be extremely understanding of your plight.
If not, oh well.
