This time Nerdify decided to speak up on a kinda tuff theme: a decision to drop a class.

When a college student feels like dropping a class, the moment comes with an endless stream of questions, apprehension, uncertainty, and stress. It does not matter whether you have registered for a class that was not exactly what you have expected or you cannot cope with a part-time job and doing well in each class, – you still want to know when (and if!) a decision to drop the class has to be made. The choice is never an easy one because it may feel like you have given up your future and failed. No, it is not the case and it does not mean that you are not smart enough! On the contrary, it is an important decision that a student can make due to a variety of reasons. The question is in how will it affect the graduation schedule, financial aid, and your life in general.

Dropping a Class or Withdrawing?  

Before we dive into the depth of decisions and the reasons, let us learn the difference between dropping the class and withdrawing, which is not always the same! The difference is that the majority of colleges and universities have a clear policy, which allows for two week period to add or drop the class at the start of each semester. It is a period that allows you to schedule your classes and carry out the changes without a penalty. If you choose to drop the class during this particular period, the class will not appear on your official transcript list. In other words, there will be no sign of your enrollment anywhere. However, there is one thing to keep in mind that relates to financial aid program! If the class is dropped, there is a return of funds policy that may come in power in most cases. Now when the two weeks period is over, your action is defined as withdrawal, which is an entirely different matter! To cut the long story short – your official transcript list will have a “W” mark next to the class you have withdrawn from.  

Some Things to Be Aware Of:

If you choose to withdraw from the class or drop it, as most students still refer to the practice, you should be aware of the following:

• It is possible that you will be charged for tuition fees in certain conditions, so make sure to review the terms and conditions before you make a final decision.
• Keep an eye for specific dates and the deadlines that you have to follow! Make sure that your schedule with the other classes is not affected by the change.
• Your overall progress may be affected in case you do not have a sufficient amount of study hours.
• While you will have a “W” on your graduation transcript if you withdraw from the class, a “W” grade in any class dropped will NOT affect your GPA!
• In order to receive a financial aid from your college or university, you have to complete at least 70% of your classes taken successfully. It means that F or W is defined as unsuccessful, unlike D or anything better!
• You need at least twelve credit hours to be considered a full-time student. Do not ever drop below 12 credit hours, so you do not find yourself in a situation without insurance and financial aid!
• Check with your college or university about special class dropping policy in terms of your progress through the semester and other rules that may be applicable!

Before You Drop The Class:

Before you decide to drop the class and implement changes to your life and professional career, always talk to your college advisor first! One of the crucial reasons to do so is that they may be aware of specific implications and future challenges that you may not even know about! As you talk to the advisor, make sure that you ask these questions to help both of you to decide what to do and see whether it is right or wrong:

• Will dropping of this particular class affect my graduation date and an overall academic schedule?
• Are we dealing with a prerequisite course that a student can only take once a year?
• Is this particular class necessary for graduation this year? In other words, if you already two semesters close to graduation date, your decision may affect the day.
• Will dropping of this class affect my financial aid support and the scholarship?
• Will I have fewer credits in total? If so, how will it affect my financial state and is there a funds return policy?
• Will dropping a class influence my full-time student status? It is always better to ask because it affects your applicability for financial student aid and a scholarship among other things your college or a university may offer!

Now it is only you who can decide whether you should drop a class or not, therefore, ask yourself these three simple questions:

• Why do I want to drop the class and what is the true reason for that?
• Can I settle down the issue without dropping?
• What kind of help and what changes do I need to continue with the class?

While it is hardly possible to list all the reasons that may be suitable or not suitable for dropping the class, it is most likely because the class seems to be “too difficult” or you “have to work and just cannot manage it all”. No matter what your particular case is, let us deal with the aforementioned situations and see what can be done.

You are trapped in a situation when you have to work way too much to keep yourself going or to earn a little extra. The first case is a reason to ask for additional financial aid if you are determined to do your best academically, but financial struggles get in the way. Now the second case is not really worth ruining your studies because it is much wiser to avoid dropping the class and focus on your long-term goals instead of treating yourself with additional earnings. Ask yourself about what matters more to you, but remember that it is your life and that studying well always rewards you in the future!

Now the second case is when the class seems to be too difficult or not what you have expected it to be. If it is the first case and things seem unclear to you, remember that dropping a class is not the best solution since you can ask your university tutor or a college professor for help. A bit of a guidance and a list of your concerns addressed may help you to receive that missing link to feel better about the class and see all the benefits. Challenge yourself and try to learn more about the class while you can! Still, if the class is really not what you thought it would be, talk to your academic advisor to weigh in all the pros and cons, read of the possible consequences, and do what you feel is best!

Several Valid Reasons to Drop The Class:

• You need to drop the class in order to maintain your scholarship.
• You do not have sufficient time to complete the class due to personal circumstances.
• Dropping the class will not damage your overall academic progress.
• You have a sufficient amount of credit hours and you can safely switch the class and make changes, while there is a “two weeks” period.
• You are dealing with a military duty.
• Adding a different class will be more beneficial to you!

Do not forget that when you struggle with a particular class, there are still special rescue courses that usually start in the middle of a semester! However, if you have to deal with an illness or major changes in your life, the best thing you can do is withdraw from all classes entirely. Likewise, with the military duty, you can apply for special programs that meet your situation and allow you to receive all the necessary credits.

Even if you decide to drop the class and have already talked to your college or university advisor, always sign up for the rescue class and give it one more chance! Trust Nerdify, talking things out always helps to see the situation clearer and do what’s best for you!

If you believe that the brightest college students find it easy or those party guys and girls never have a difficult time, then you are quite far from the truth. In reality, most college students feel stressed, which is why you can see anger, tears, and even ignorance of deadlines and those strict professors. Our Nerdify reviews team made up the list of ways you can deal with college stress and make your life easier as you go through the heaps of written assignments and a different environment where you must live a life that you have never experienced before.

1. Remember that you are not alone. The most important is taking things easy because college is not the end of the world. It is only a school where you must find information on your own and pay for your expenses. After all, didn’t you wish for some independence? Think over this small fact and smile because you are in control and no one can force you to do otherwise. All this stress comes from responsibility. You are not alone stuck in this challenging college environment, so take a quick look at the other learners and see how they cope. Talk to them, share your concerns, and you will definitely find a solution together.

2. Make friends with the geeky types. This is exactly what some of us did at the Nerdify reviews! Seriously though, never ignore those quiet students who sit with the books. If you make friends and see the person behind all the endless studies, you will discover a great assistant who will be there for you and will motivate you to try harder. You can be an athlete or a musician who is popular, which means that you can pull the geeky student out and receive some help in exchange. It does work in practice!

3. Participate in social work and community initiatives. The best part about getting rid of anxiety and stress is doing something right or keeping yourself busy. You can join local community work online or become a supervisor for the foreign exchange students remotely. Nerdify reviews recommend getting involved in social work because it will make you a part of the local community and will genuinely improve your social skills. As you learn how to communicate, you will know how to deal with stress and fear exactly the same way as you saw the others do.

4. Consult your course advisors and discuss your issues. If you feel that the levels of stress are bordering those depressive states and affect your studies, consider turning to your course advisor by sending a message. It is only natural to consult with the specialist, so you may receive additional learning environments or tasks that are easier. For example, some topics may be too challenging for you due to family trauma or former work experience. Do not be afraid to talk about it as it is free and confidential for you as for the college student. This is why online counselors are present there.

5. Organize online parties and treat yourself to something good. Just when you thought that our team at the Nerdify reviews cannot suggest anything out of the ordinary, we thought about hosting college parties online or treating yourself to a new dress (for the girls) or a nice guitar (for the guys). Good emotions and a stress decrease come from things that make you happy, which is why remember to treat yourself to an online party or order something special by checking the online discounts for college students.

6. Start learning a new language or something you could not do before. Even if you have never thought about studying abroad or traveling to the country of your dreams, you can fill your mind by starting with a new language. It can become a simple language learning application that looks like a nice game, so you will not feel like looking through a boring textbook. Alternatively, you can learn a musical instrument online during these social distancing times or join the photography class to make your Instagram stream look professional and unique.

7. Do some stretching and exercising, giving yourself short 15-minute-long breaks. Do not forget that stress also comes from physical exhaustion. Let yourself rest when you feel tired. Do not let college burnout happen! Do some stretching exercises in your room and give yourself breaks from your studies. Even if you rest your mind for about 15 minutes, it will change your outlook in a positive way.

The most important is to remember that even if you cannot change things around you, you can always change what is inside! Relax, think about something good, try out new things, and you will feel like smiling because life always goes on!

Howdy, pals! Even though you may think that your time management skills in college are good enough, Nerdify reminds you that there are still some helpful tips and tricks. 

They will help you upgrade your knowledge and see how you can make your college life much easier and fun.  One of the reasons why your time management skills upgrade can be essential is because you may want to add more to your schedule and get involved in all the fun activities, yet there seems to be never enough time to do it all! Let us see how you can act as an engineer of your own time and resources in a little bit unusual way!

1. Learn to study in blocks!                                                                                           

The trick here is to approach the different study scenarios where you try different time passages or the time-blocks for your college assignments and the times of leisure. This way you can see how much time you may need to get focused in a proper way! While 30-40 minutes time blocks are ideal for studying before you take some rest, you may still need to make them either shorter or longer to see what fits you best. Remember that you have to take the breaks and switch from subject to subject to have a clear mind before you continue with the same or a completely new task. You can take a walk and have a cuppa before you continue with the studies.

The difference in such approach is your being aware of how much time you are going to spend as you study. You do not have to fear that there are hours and hours of studies ahead before you can finally have some rest! Give yourself some credit and remember that you deserve something for a change. Such an approach will not only keep you organized but will help you to divide your homework assignments by the level of importance and complexity as you form your time blocks. Start with the easy tasks first, so you may get an idea of how much time you may need. This way you can also plan the times of leisure for the day ahead when you are the one in control of your plans with all the classes getting in the way!  

2. Do not underestimate college help resources!

Most students spend the majority of their free time by trying to understand how to start with a homework assignment and how to approach an unknown writing format. Of course, there are countless questions that you try to look up online, yet it does not seem clear or your college professor has a different idea about certain rules. You can definitely save some precious time by turning to the writing help center at college and talking to your professor if you are unsure of a something. It does not make you any less smart if you take some time to speak of your concerns instead of acting cool and trying to find solutions on your own.

There are additional study groups and the special support classes almost at every college that will help you to get a guidance and assistance with the most challenging classes. If there are debates, conferences, social work, and laboratory experiments, make sure that you join the fellow students and stay as active as you can. This way you help to make your name known to others as your social network of friends starts to grow. Smart students will start to notice you and share their knowledge. Professor will see that you are a dedicated student who walks an extra mile to study. It will not only improve your chances for a scholarship and financial aid but will also help you to receive timely help!

3. Join College Study Groups!

Sometimes all your free time may be ruined by a single college class that you are struggling with! Even though you may do well in the rest of your classes, failing to understand a subject or follow professor’s speech in your English class or in Quantum Physics is a great challenge! Still, there is a trick that helps you to address the problem professionally – the college study groups. What these study groups offer is a unique advantage to focus on a single subject in a special way where you receive tutoring to cover the curriculum in a faster way. As you join the study group, you can research and ask questions without embarrassment as it is exactly why you are there. In order to help you through the class, you are offered a topic to work at, so you can collaborate with a fellow student on a group task. They call it an enhanced learning because you learn to share and work together starting from the class lecture notes to exploring additional subjects to help you understand the class in a deeper way. In a certain sense, it is like a free tutoring opportunity where you can finally liven up your study sessions and save some time that you spend trying to understand a complex assignment!

4. A Daily Schedule Approach!

While it may sound boring to you, it does help to challenge and upgrade your current time-management skills in college! A daily schedule approach will not only motivate you as a student but help you to manage your time in a more efficient way. Here is how it works:

• Make a list of your daily tasks that you have to complete!
• Write the next list with two columns of more important and less important tasks.
• Mark the tasks that are urgent and should be done with one color.
• Mark the tasks that can wait with the other color.
• Place a checkmark next to each task as you get it complete.
• Try to write down an approximate time that you have spent on each task.
• Make an additional list of all the fun things that you may want to do, so you can add it to your primary schedule!

As you try to work with a daily schedule of your college tasks, share it with your roommate and the fellow students, so you can see how it can be adjusted and what helpful techniques you may learn! Keep the daily schedule always by your side, so you can keep organized and focused!

5. Work at your soft skills!

Your personal development and growth of time management skills depend on the presence of soft skills. What it means, in reality, is your ability to be independent, adhere to strong ethics, and work at your communication skills. You have to stay patient and unbiased as you choose your sources and the books as you study. Setting the goals and trying to be flexible, you have to work at your character and coordinate what you have to learn with your true passions. The way how you approach your college life with all the studies and fun is a reflection of how well you can do in a future career. This work and experience have already started, so one has to be strong and seek for inspiration inside!

Some Nerdy tips and time management observations!

• Always have a time buffer because the days at college somehow go faster than you expect!
• Take advantage of the days and times when you feel creative and inspired. When you feel like working and know that you can do more, make sure that you do your best!
• Focus on one task at a time because even though you may be able to multitask, your brain easily becomes exhausted!
• Limit and challenge yourself with the deadlines because it keeps you more productive. If you have less time to get the task done, you work extra hard.
• Even though you may have flexible college deadlines, make sure not to procrastinate!
• Brainstorm the ideas and alternative solutions as you get stuck with your homework!
• Try to schedule the important tasks and meetings early in the day because the most challenging time is when you try to get ready for the actual task!
• Get rid of the most disturbing tasks first, so you can feel better about the rest of the items on your list!
• Always take notes and do not think that you can remember everything out there! Write it down and use it as a personal reference to turn to! It really helps to save some time!
• Do not forget to have fun and spend some time for yourself!

A kind reminder from Nerdify: your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow. Take care and practice time management!