Frequently Asked Questions

Who could I speak with to gain a better understanding of where I stand in the course? 
Before you drop a class, it is suggested that you reach out to the instructor to ask for help and also see if
there is anything else that you can do to help your grade, such as make up any missed assignments or do
extra credit work or ask them what they think your chances are at passing based on your current grades.
Your instructors are there as a resource for you as well, so never hesitate to reach out to them to ask for
help whether that means reviewing concepts from class or going over missed exam questions. Also,
check the Student Success Center’s peer tutoring and SI pages to see if your course is supported. If you
are seeking assistance with lab reports, papers, and speeches for your course, check out the Peer
Writing Lab Services. 
 
What are the implications of withdrawing from a course? 
 
If you decide to withdraw from the course, a grade of W will be recorded on your transcript.  A grade of
W will not be calculated in your GPA, but will be recorded on your permanent record.  Courses dropped
after the WF deadline (November 4th) will be recorded as a WF on your permanent record.  The grade
of WF will be treated as an F in the calculation of your GPA.  
 
Please keep in mind that your full-time status may be impacted depending on how many credit hours
you would have after withdrawing (refer to questions below for more information).  
 
Please research the class to ensure the course is not a required co-requisite for other classes you are
taking this semester. For example, if you drop CHEM 333 and are enrolled in BIOL 302, you would
automatically be dropped from BIOL 302 since CHEM 333 is a pre-requisite/co-requisite.  
 
The course I want to withdraw from has a corresponding lab. Can I stay in the lab if I withdraw from
the lecture? 
Check and see if the lab is a co-requisite course. If it is, you need to contact the lab instructor via email
to ask if you can stay in the lab when dropping the lecture. 
 
Would withdrawing from the course keep me at full-time student status or would I drop down to part-
time status? 
 Look at the amount of total credit hours you are currently in. Subtract the amount of
credit hours for the course(s) you plan to drop from the total credit hours. (ex: If you
enrolled in 17 credit hours and drop a 3 credit hour lecture and a 1 credit hour lab, you are
now at 13 credit hours.) 
 If your new number is 12 or higher, you would still be at full-time status. 
 If your new number is below 12, you would now be at part-time status, which may
impact any financial aid/and or scholarships. In this case, please review the question below
and contact both the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships and the Bursar’s Office. 
 
I receive financial aid and/or scholarships. Will withdrawing from the course impact my aid? 
Please consult with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships by emailing uscfaid@sc.edu or calling
803-777-8134 and discuss the following: 
 Tell them how many credit hours you are currently at and how many credit hours you
would be at if you dropped the course.  
 Ask if withdrawing from the course would impact your aid renewal requirements. 
  Ask how many credit hours you would need to take next semester to ensure you are
continuing to meet aid renewal requirements.  
 If you plan to complete summer coursework, please ask them if these credit hours count
toward renewal requirements or if there are aid options for summer. 
 Ask if there are any additional items to consider when withdrawing from courses as it
pertains to aid renewal. 
Utilize their response to assist with your decision as to whether or not you withdraw from the course. As
your academic advisor, I do not have access to your aid information, so it is your responsibility to ensure
you are meeting renewal requirements for any financial aid and/or scholarships you receive. 
 
How does this impact my schedule for next semester?  
If this course is required for your degree, please know you are expected to retake the course and this
may impact your degree progression. Please register for the course for the upcoming semester. If the
course you withdrew from serves as a pre-requisite or co-requisite to a course for next semester and
you do not have an alternate option, please research alternate options and email your assigned advisor. 
 
If you are in the process of changing majors to another major outside of the College of Arts and
Sciences, please contact your Exploratory Advisor or your new major advisor to ask about how
withdrawing from this course impacts your new degree progression and next semester’s schedule.  
 
I have made the decision to withdraw from a course. How do I withdraw from a course? 
 
If you decide to withdraw, you can follow the video or steps below to complete this change using Self-
Service Carolina: https://youtu.be/OCdUW-xznhs 
Steps: 
1. Log in to Self Service Carolina: 
2. Select Registration 
3. Select Register for Classes 
4. Select the appropriate term for class you want to drop 5. Select Drop/Withdrawal from the “Action”
drop down menu on the bottom right of the screen. Click Submit to complete request. 
 
Can my academic advisor withdraw me from the course? 
Your academic advisor cannot withdraw you from a course. It is your responsibility to follow the steps
above to withdraw.  

How is withdrawing from a course perceived by graduate and professional programs? 

Contact Pre-Professional Advising and/or research the program(s) you plan to apply to for more
information 

I tried to go in and withdraw from the course but got a notification that I have a hold, which impacts
my ability to withdraw from the course. How can I resolve this? 
To determine if you have a hold on your account, select Fall 2020 term and view your Student Profile
in Self Service Carolina and review your Registration Notices. Here is a list of common holds and how to
resolve them. Note: Your academic advisor cannot remove any of these holds, so it is your responsibility
to correspond with these campus departments.  
If you are unable to drop/add a class due to log in issues, please visit the Division of Information
Technology’s website or call 803-777-1800.