A new semester at school means a lot of things: new trends, new crushes and new classes. Unless the scheduling gods love you—and we’re jealous, if that’s the case—nobody’s course load is perfect. Usually, there’s that one class you just can’t stand. The monotone professor? The painfully dull readings? The grueling exams? We know–it’s all too familiar. With these unbearable courses, sometimes dropping a class is your only option. But where you should draw the line between a class you need to drop and a class worth charging through with a (forced) smile? Though everyone’s situation is different, HC’s advice will help you decide whether or not you should say au revoir to that class.
Situation 1: The textbooks were out of stock, so you’re already behind
Situation 2: The class is a higher-level course than you need and it’s way too hard
If you drop this type of class now, you might not have to face its evil academic consequences. “I accidentally took a class that was way above my level and it wasn’t remotely related to what I was interested in,” Andy Bensch from San Francisco State University says. “I withdrew from the class a few weeks later and it didn’t affect my GPA at all.”
Even if your advanced class sounds like a blast, consider taking a lower-level class instead. That way, you can enjoy the advanced class another semester once you’re finally prepared for it and won’t be so worried about keeping up.
Situation 3: The syllabus is so full of assignments that it almost looks like a textbook
In this situation, it’s important to trust your instincts and know when enough is enough. “Gauging academic rigor when registering for a class can be difficult, but syllabus day generally provides a clear idea of what to expect,” Sabovik says, referring to the first day of class when the professor goes over the assignments for the semester. “It’s okay, and important, to acknowledge when you’re in over your head.” If this class is mandatory and wasn’t too hard to get into, try scheduling it with less demanding classes next semester instead.
Situation 4: You failed the first test
However, if it seems like all hope is lost, it may be time to say adios to that class. Instead of damaging your GPA, take a lower-level class; usually, the workload is lighter and easier. If this horrid class is a requirement, try taking the course over the summer. “I had a really crazy workload and bombed one of my Cellular Biology tests because I had a couple other exams that day,” Lauren from Boston University says. “I decided to retake the class over the summer and I really liked it! Taking the class alone gave me a chance to get more out of the material and do better.” Though you may be wary about trading in your SPF 30 for textbooks, you can still have a fun summer if you’re only taking one class!
Situation 5: The professor is driving you crazy
However, some situations deem dropping a class necessary. If you can’t understand your professor or if he or she goes on random rants instead of teaching you the material, you may want to think about dropping. “I literally dropped my stats class because I couldn’t understand the professor’s thick accent,” Andy says. “She was harder to understand than Boris from James Bond.” If this class is mandatory, make sure you can take the same course with a different professor.
Situation 6: Your friends aren’t in the class
Situation 7: Your class is nothing like you expected
So you decided to drop a class…now what? If the dropping debate isn’t confusing already, you do have some more options! And what student doesn’t have a love-hate relationship with options? Instead of dropping a class and calling it a day, talk to your professor and see what’s best for your situation.
Pass/Fail: Whether you’re overloading this semester or are dealing with personal issues, scoring that stellar GPA can be Mission Impossible. If you explain your situation to an academic advisor or professor, they may offer a pass/fail option. Translation? Instead of receiving a letter grade, you will either pass the course or fail it. Although you’ll still have to work for your grade, you can relax knowing that your C+ won’t jeopardize your grad school application.
Changing a class: While “Philosophy of Sports” is less-than-thrilling, maybe “Philosophy of Race and Ethnicity” will be more up your alley. If you’re not interested in the course’s specific subject, ask your professor if they have any other recommendations that still fill the requirement you need. You may end up still liking philosophy after all!
Auditing a class: Even though you’re an economics major, you’re secretly a movie buff. But between your part-time job and all your extracurriculars, you just don’t have the time to write a detailed film analysis. When you audit a class, you’re taking a class for pure enjoyment, not for credit. Huh? Auditing a class means that you don’t have to write papers or take exams. I know what you’re thinking—why can’t we audit all our classes? If you’re interested in auditing a class, talk to your academic adviser for more details, like if the class will show up on your transcript or not. Once you’ve decided to audit the class, stop by the course’s respective academic department to solidify your decision. Since you won’t receive any college credit, make sure you’re actually passionate about the subject, because you’re still required to attend each class.
Before you officially drop a class, it’s important to get a crash course in your school’s academic policies. Most schools have a deadline for dropping classes and anything after the school’s designated date is a “withdrawal fail,” which doesn’t look cute on your transcript. If you do decide to drop a class, you also need to make sure that you’re taking at least the minimum amount of classes to be a full-time student. Still confused? Talk to your academic adviser. In the meantime, you have some decisions to make!