The Daily O’Collegian

One hotel and restaurant administration senior knew better than to stay in a class that wasn’t a good fit.

Jessica Reid said she bailed early on her statistics class Monday because the environment did not suit her preferences.

“I had a class across campus, and I barely made it on time,” Reid said. “I ended up sitting at the very back of a very large classroom that was full of people. I couldn’t hear anything, and I was surrounded by people who liked to talk the entire time.

“Before the class was over, I thought there has to be something else and left.”

With Oklahoma State’s drop and add policy, that was no problem. Reid could log in to the Student Information System Web site and make changes to her schedule.

But the grace period is coming to an end.

Students have until midnight Monday to drop or add courses with a full refund.

Dropping a course before the deadline is the same as never being enrolled in the course, said Bryan Ritter, administrative support specialist in the Office of the Registrar.

After midnight, the SIS closes, and schedules are, for the most part, finalized.

Students still can withdraw from courses and receive a 50 percent refund by going to the registrar’s office before Aug. 31.

After that date, students who withdraw from classes will not receive a refund.

The last day to withdraw from a course without a refund is Nov. 9.

Ritter said withdrawals permanently go on students’ transcripts but don’t affect GPA.

“It shows future universities and employers that they were in the course and dropped out of it,” he said.

After Nov. 9, students only have the option of withdrawing from all of their classes.

A withdrawal supplement form, found in the registrar’s office, must be completed by Nov. 30.

Ritter said that in this case, the professor has the option of giving an F for the course.

Susan Weir, the arts and sciences director of student academic services, said a student should decide to drop a class sooner rather than later.

“Not only are you making a decision for yourself, but you’re allowing that seat to open up for another student,” Weir said.

“The longer you put it off, the more likely you are to miss the deadline.”

Students who are unsure should ask their professor or adviser as soon as they have concerns about success in the course.

Math and science courses are the most frequently dropped, Weir said.

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“Often students enroll in a math course they believe to be the best fit for their level of skill and preparation, but sometimes it’s not,” Weir said. “It’s difficult to tell if you don’t take a placement test of any kind.”

The level of difficulty is not the only factor contributing to a student’s decision to drop a course. Deciding to drop a class also should depend on whether it is essential, said Laura Eskridge, a botany senior.

“If you feel like the grading policies are not going to be fair and you have another option, you should get out,” Eskridge said.

To ensure a class has been successfully dropped or added, the SIS is not always the way to go.

Ritter said classes can be dropped online only if they are 16-week courses. Short courses, bursar holds and other restrictions require a visit to the Office of the Registrar.

“Short courses have individual drop and add dates,” Ritter said. “They have to come in person to drop those.”

Rita Gearhart Peaster, associate registrar, suggested dropping or adding classes before 5 p.m.

“We recommend they try to drop it before 5 p.m. If it’s after office hours and it turns out to be a short course you thought you could drop online, you are stuck,” Peaster said.

Although missing Monday’s deadline will cost students money, adding classes still can be done through the Office of the Registrar.

Beginning Tuesday, restrictive enrollment is still possible. Students can pick up a blue drop and add card in the registrar’s or adviser’s office. However, they must get a signature from their adviser and professor before they can enroll in the class, Ritter said.

Although changing classes is an option, students can check out classes and professors before attending a lecture. Web sites, such as Pick a Prof and Myspace, offer online professor grading. Students can log on and praise or defame their professors for others to read.

For more information, visit the Office of the Registrar in 322 Student Union.