Withdrawal | UCLA Registrar’s Office (2024)

FAQs

Does withdrawal look bad on transcript? ›

You won't receive a grade for the class, but a “W” will show up on your transcript, indicating that you were not doing well in the course and essentially quit the class. This “W” does not factor into your GPA, but it can be readily seen by anyone reviewing your transcript in the future.

While a “W” on a transcript is better than a failing grade, it might negatively impact future opportunities for graduate school.

Withdrawing from one or two classes generally won't have too much of an impact on your GPA. However, if you withdraw from too many classes, or if they're all high-level courses, you could be in trouble.

Talking to your professor in person (either after class or at office hours) is usually best, but you can also send an email if you need to. Ask your professor if you have a chance of passing/getting a C or above in their class, and if so, what you would have to accomplish in order to make that happen.

Student Withdrawal Defined

External factors such as critical life moments, bereavement, poor health, maternity, financial constraints, and domestic responsibilities can also prompt withdrawal.

To put it simply, it will depend on how many Ws you have. For the most part, one or two withdrawals will not impact your admission decisions. However, more than one or two-course withdrawals are symbolic of a deeper issue.

In most situations, withdrawing from a course should not affect your aid package. But if you fail to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress, or SAP, your aid may be affected. Withdrawing from a course can also change your enrollment status, which could reduce your aid.

As a general rule of thumb, having one “W” should not be too big of a deal. However, if you continue to get them, medical schools will see this as a red flag in your potential to do well at medical school. Myth 2: You should always take a bad grade over a “W.”

There is no cap on the number of withdrawals (W's) you can have (I have, on rare occasions, worked with students who had more W's than completed courses; but that is not an open invitation for you to withdraw from classes whenever you want).

If a student unofficially withdraws, university tuition and fee charges will still apply: the student will be charged fully at most institutions. Therefore, any refund owed to a federal financial aid program is the student's responsibility to repay.

What is a compelling reason to withdraw from a class? ›

Grade anticipated in class is not sufficiently high, or student is doing failing work. Failure to attend class, complete assignments, or take a test. Dissatisfaction with course material, instructional method, or instructor. Class is harder than expected.

It depends. If you have great grades in the most challenging classes, carry a full class load (or combined with work and other activities have a very full schedule), it may not harm your chances. Early semester withdrawals are better because it will look less like you were primarily worried about a poor grade.

While it might raise a small question in the minds of admissions officers, a single withdrawal is not a major red flag when applying to college. They understand that students sometimes face unexpected personal circ*mstances that force them to drop a course.

When a student drops a class, it disappears from their schedule. After the “drop/add” period, a student may still have the option to withdraw. Withdrawal usually means the course remains on the transcript with a “W” as a grade. It does not affect the student's GPA (grade point average).