Common Academic Strategies
This page is designed for students and parents seeking practical strategies on how to best manage their academics while balancing self-care and support. Some strategies can have impacts on a student’s ability to graduate on time, participate in study abroad, receive financial aid, and remain in university housing. Where possible, we have indicated the potential impacts included. For individualized suggestions or strategies, please contact a student’s academic advisor or schedule an appointment with the Academic Advising Center.
Timeline of Available Academic Strategies:
Before Classes Begin
Academic Options:
Considerations:
- Leaves are helpful in situations where significant life circumstances would impact student’s performance throughout the semester. Consult with your advisor on things like: graduation planning, financial aid, study abroad, fraternity/sorority involvement.
During the Add Drop Period
Academic Options:
- Add/Drop Full Semester Courses
- Add/Drop Half-Semester Courses
- Medical Leave of Absence
- Hardship Leave of Absence
Considerations:
- Dropping below 12 credits can impact financial aid, study abroad, fraternity/sorority involvement, and housing. Consider adding a full or half-semester class to stay at 12 or above. Waivers are available for housing.
- Leaves are helpful in situations where significant life circumstances would impact student’s performance throughout the semester. Consult with your advisor on things like: graduation planning, financial aid, study abroad, fraternity/sorority involvement
After Add/Drop and Before the Withdrawal Deadline
Academic Options:
- Single Course Withdrawal
- Drop or Add a Second-Half Semester Class
- Medical Leave of Absence
- Hardship Leave of Absence
Considerations:
- Dropping below 12 credits can impact financial aid, study abroad, fraternity/sorority involvement, and housing. Waivers are available for housing.
- If dropping a class would put a student below 12 credits, consider adding a half-semester course.
- Leaves are helpful in situations where significant life circumstances would impact student’s performance throughout the semester. Consult with your advisor on things like: graduation planning, financial aid, study abroad, fraternity/sorority involvement.
After the Withdrawal Deadline and Before the Last Week of Class
Academic Options:
- Request a Late Course Withdrawal
- Medical Leave of Absence
- Hardship Leave of Absence
- Request an Incomplete
Considerations:
- Dropping below 12 credits can impact financial aid, study abroad, fraternity/sorority involvement, and housing. Waivers for housing are available.
- Late Course Withdrawals require Dean approval. Email the Dean or an Associate Dean for the College where the course is being taken to learn more about Late Course Withdrawal options.
- Incompletes require that student has missed no more than 30% of course material. Incompletes are discouraged for multiple courses or for long-term projects/assignments.
- Leaves are helpful in situations where significant life circumstances would impact student’s performance throughout the semester. Consult with your advisor on things like: graduation planning, financial aid, study abroad, fraternity/sorority involvement.
During Exams
Academic Options:
- Request an Incomplete for Health-Related Missed Exams
Considerations:
- See website for health-related missed exam policy
Once Grades are Published
Academic Options:
Considerations:
- Course repeats are recommended when one or two courses are impacted and the student has otherwise done well. Course repeats are also more useful for students who are in their first or second year as they have more room in their schedule to accommodate a repeat.
- Retro-Active Medical Withdrawal requests are due 30 days following the last day of class.
Common Academic Strategies:
Strategy Description
When It’s Useful
How to Get Started
Things to Consider…
Add/Drop Period – Student can adjust their course schedule via OnTrack without any impact on the transcript. Generally available the first week or two of classes.
Signed up for wrong class; sudden issues affecting single class at start of term; student will remain at 12 credits or above.
Consult with Advisor; visit OnTrack Registration.
Going below 12 could impact housing, financial aid, and study abroad.
Single Course Withdrawal – Withdrawal from a course after the Add/Drop period. Generally available during first half of the semester.
Doing very poorly in one class; sudden life-issues affecting single class; Student will remain at 12+ credits
Consult with Advisor; Visit OnTrack
Going below 12 could impact housing, financial aid, and study abroad.
Add Half-Semester Courses – Add a 2 credit half-semester course to raise credits. Available until second-half courses begin.
When dropping a class or doing a single course withdrawal will reduce credits below 12 credits.
Visit OnTrack – Course Type: Half-Semester; consult with advisor.
Courses are limited and may conflict with schedule; not all courses count toward grad requirements; don’t add courses if already overwhelmed.
Late Course Withdrawal – Special request to withdrawal from a course after the “W” deadline. Generally available until last week of course – NOT automatic, requires Dean approval.
Unexpected life-issues affect ability to persist in single course.
Consult with Advisor; send email request with rationale to course’s college Dean.
Going below 12 could impact financial aid, study abroad, and housing. If all courses are impacted, consider medical or hardship leave.
Incomplete – Request to extend a course into the next term; generally available toward the end of a term.
Unexpected life issues affect ability to finish a semester; student has missed less than 30% of course material; student has missed final exam for medical reason (with documentation); NOT recommended for multiple courses.
Get faculty permission; fill out online agreement form.
Avoid incompletes for long-term projects; students often struggle with multiple incompletes.
Medical Leave of Absence – Request to withdrawal from all courses for medical or mental health reasons. All classes get “WD.” Generally available until 5 days before last day of classes.
Documented medical or mental health issues affect ability to persist in multiple courses; withdrawing from multiple courses would put student below 12 credits; student is hospitalized or away from school for more than a full week.
Personal Leave of Absence – Request to withdrawal from all courses for personal reasons (no documentation required). Available until the last date of withdraw for a single course.
Personal reasons affecting performance in class; desire to take a break or gap year from school for any reason;
Retroactive Medical Withdrawal – Request to withdrawal from all courses for a prior semester for medical or mental health reasons. Generally available until 30 days following last day of classes.
Documented medical or mental health issues affecting ability to perform in most courses and student could not take advantage of Medical Leave option.