Withdrawals
Dropping Courses: The start of each term has a “Drop/Add” period. Drop/Add is the only time during which students may “drop” a course completely without either academic or financial penalties. After this period, students will need to officially “withdraw” from their courses, with academic and/or financial penalties, as stated below.
Course Withdrawal: A course withdrawal is the result of students’ decisions to remove themselves from one or more, but not all, courses after the Drop/Add period ends. If the students withdraw prior to the withdrawal deadline, they receive a grade of W (withdraw) on their transcript. If the students withdraw after the deadline, they will receive a grade of WF (withdraw-fail) on their transcript. The withdrawal deadline is at the midpoint of the term, as detailed on the Academic Calendar.
Note: A grade of W has no effect on a student’s GPA, but a grade of WF will factor into the student’s grade point average (GPA) as a grade of F. Withdrawing from college courses can negatively impact the Standards of Academic Progress for Financial Aid. Students should discuss withdrawal with Academic Support and Financial Aid before withdrawing from a course. Click here for the online course withdrawal form.
Withdrawal from a Co-Requisite Learning Support Course: Students who wish to withdraw from a co-requisite Learning Support course must also withdraw from the collegiate-level course for which the Learning Support course is a co-requisite.
Full Withdrawal: Students who voluntarily withdraw from the College must first consult with Academic Support to begin the process and complete a “Student Full Withdrawal Form.” Students who withdraw from the College prior to midterm will receive a grade of W (withdraw) in all courses in which they are enrolled. Students who withdraw from the College after midterm will receive a grade of WF (withdraw-fail) in all courses in which they are enrolled.
W-After-Midterm for the Current Semester: Students who experience a medical, psychological, or other personal hardship that prevented them from completing their course requirements may petition for a W-After-Midterm, through the Director of Academic Support. The assignment of a grade of W after midterm will be awarded if the student was passing the course(s) at the last date of attendance. The W-After-Midterm form cannot be used to withdraw selectively from some courses while remaining enrolled in other courses without extraordinary justification (e.g., breaking a bone that prevents participation in a PE activity course would merit a W-After-Midterm from this single course). Click here for the W-After-Midterm petition.
W-After-Midterm for Prior Semesters: A W-After-Midterm for prior terms will be granted only if (1) students can provide adequate documentation that the medical, psychological, or other personal hardship prevented them from completing their course requirements AND (2) students or family members could not contact the College before the term ended AND (3) students were passing the course(s) at the last date of attendance. Click here for the W-After-Midterm petition.
Source: ABAC Catalog
Medical Withdrawal
A medical withdrawal allows a student to take time away from ABAC to treat a mental or physical health condition that impairs their ability to successfully and safely function as part of the ABAC community. Please note that a medical withdrawal does not appear differently on the transcript (e.g., grades of "W").
Before the withdrawal deadline (mid-term), medical withdrawals are the same as any other official withdrawal from the College. Students will receive a "W" in all classes. However, students are encouraged to complete the medical withdrawal process. After the withdrawal deadline, students seeking a medical withdrawal must submit the appropriate supporting documentation as described below.
Request a Medical Withdrawal
Students are encouraged to contact Academic Support before requesting a Medical Withdrawal. The steps are as follows:
Submit the Complete Withdrawal Form to Academic Support (asc@abac.edu or Carlton 314)
Students living on-campus will need to have the Housing Office sign the form
Students who receive financial aid (Pell, HOPE, Student Loans) requires the Financial Aid department to sign the form
Communicate with the Director of Academic Support to explain the condition and its impact on the ability to perform academically
Documentation from an impartial, licensed healthcare provider consisting of a letter on letterhead and include the provider's full name, credentials, and signature. Discharge papers from a medical facility are also acceptable. Documentation should consist of the following:
Onset of illness, injury, or condition
Nature of student's condition and its impact on the student
Dates the student was or will be under professional care/receiving treatment
Students are given a grade of "W" in each course if they had passing grades in the class at the time of withdrawal. If students were not passing at the time of withdrawal, the grade of "WF" is assigned. In all cases, students should make every effort to keep instructors informed of any situation which affects class attendance. A medical withdrawal is for the student's illness or medical issue only, and a medical withdrawal is from all classes for that semester. The deadline for submitting complete appropriate medical documentation is by the close of the College on the last day of classes for the semester.
Source: ABAC Catalog
Medical Withdrawals for Prior Semesters
Medical withdrawals for prior semesters will be considered if a student can provide adequate documentation that the medical condition for which they withdrew was such that the student or family members could not contact the College before the semester ended. In addition to the steps outlined above, the student will need to provide a personal statement explaining the medical condition, its impact on their performance, and why the medical withdrawal could not be submitted by the last day of class.
Source: ABAC Catalog