Drop-Withdrawal
Dropping or withdrawing from classes can affect both your award amount and your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). We highly recommend that you read our SAP Policy before continuing with this article.
Anytime a student drops or withdraws from classes, it oftentimes can result in a balance due, and negatively impact the student’s aid and future eligibility. The effects can vary depending on the timeframe of the drop/withdrawal, the remainder of the enrollment schedule, and the students' initial aid eligibility. Please always check with the Financial Aid Office before making changes to your enrollment (whether the change is to your classes or major) to see how you may be affected.
Financial Aid is awarded based on a student’s eligibility as well as the number of credit hours for which the student is enrolled. Students are encouraged to pass and complete all classes without dropping, withdrawing, or failing to maintain their eligibility; however, there may be unforeseen events that occur in a student’s life that may result in the student having to drop or withdraw from classes. If this occurs, the student must understand how their aid and eligibility are affected. It is also important that the student follows the proper steps for dropping or withdrawing from classes.
Loan Issue with Dropping/Withdrawing
It is important to note that students who have loan funds must maintain enrollment in at least 6 credit hours (within his/her program of study and classes coded non-repeat) *throughout* the term for loan purposes.
Dropping below 6 credit hours, or fully withdrawing from the term, will result in ineligibility for loan funds and a balance due. This is especially damaging for students whose charges are initially covered solely by loan funds because although they become ineligible for loan funds, their charges for the classes remain if they are dropping/withdrawing after the drop/add period for the term (the first three days of the term). In addition, dropping classes that are A or B-term that results in enrollment less than 6 credit hours after the drop/add period for the A or B-term with plans to add a C-term class(es) to increase enrollment hours back up to 6, unfortunately, will not allow a student to regain eligibility for loan funds. Please see our Recalculation Policy.
Terms Defined
The terms “Dropping” and “Withdrawing” are often used interchangeably; therefore, further explanation must be given before we can explain how Dropping or Withdrawing from classes affects your financial aid. The words themselves mean the same thing. Anytime a student decides they no longer wish to attend a class, and completes the proper step through his MyGNTC account or with the Registrar's Office, he/she is dropping/withdrawing from that class and it will be reflected on his/her transcript. *The key difference is the type of form filled out by the student when he/she decides they no longer wish to attend a class or classes.*
- The Drop Add Form (accessed through the student's MyGNTC account) is filled out by the student when he/she is signed up for classes and although a change(s) is being made to his/her schedule, he/she will still be enrolled in at least one class once the change(s) is implemented.
- The Withdrawal Form (also accessed through the MyGNTC account) is completed when the student determines he/she can no longer attend any of the classes for the term in which he/she is enrolled.
Dropping Classes
Students who are dropping a class(es), but will be remaining in at least one class will have to drop through their MyGNTC account or complete the “Drop/Add Form” (also provided through your MyGNTC account). When a student drops a class(es) their aid may have to be adjusted for that term and the student's SAP can be affected.
Classes Dropped Before the Beginning or Within the First 3 Days of the Semester
Class dropped before the beginning of the semester or within the first three (3) days of the semester will not be counted as attempted hours. Therefore, the student’s SAP will not be negatively affected. However, any aid that was awarded for the term before the changes being made must be adjusted accordingly. Students are encouraged to check with the Financial Aid Office before dropping classes to determine what adjustments would need to be made and whether any funds would need to be paid out-of-pocket.
Classes Dropped Following the First 3 Days of the Semester
Classes dropped following the first three (3) days of the semester will be counted as attempted hours and have a negative effect on the student’s SAP. Federal funds (such as Pell) may have to be adjusted depending upon the timeframe in which the student drops classes.
Withdrawing From Classes
As defined at the beginning of this article, students who determine they cannot continue in any of the classes for which they are registered will fill out the Official Withdrawal Form available through their MyGNTC account. and submit it to the Registrar’s Office. When a student withdraws from all of their classes, their aid may have to be adjusted for that term and the SAP can be affected.
Classes Withdrawn From Before the Beginning or Within the First 3 Days of the Semester
If all classes are dropped before the beginning of the term or within the first three (3) days of classes, the student’s SAP will not be negatively affected, but any aid awarded to his/her account must be removed. If the student has used any Pell funds in the GNTC Bookstore before withdrawing, he/she will need to pay those funds back to the Business Office.
Classes Withdrawn From Following the First 3 Days of the Semester
Classes dropped following the first three (3) days of the semester will be counted as attempted hours and have a negative effect on the student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Federal funds (such as Pell) may have to be adjusted depending on the timeframe in which the student drops classes. Because charges incurred for tuition and fees remain the same following the first three (3) days of the semester, students may be required to pay for charges initially covered by federal funds.