Student Success Central

Step 4: Starting the Term

During Add/Drop Period, you can add courses to your schedule or drop courses without them being recorded on your transcript. Refer to the Student Success Central Academic Calendar for specific Add/Drop dates.  Here's a timeline for dropping courses:

Dropping Courses
Timeline/Deadline Type of Drop How To Drop
From the 1st day of registration through the 10th day of the semester You can drop classes without getting Ws on your transcript. Drop in your BroncoDirect Student Center.
From the 10th day of the semester (second week) through the 20th day of the semester (fourth week) You can drop classes with a grade of W. Undergraduate students are limited to 28 quarter units of recorded course withdrawals or 18 semester units of recorded course withdrawals, i.e., where students receive "W" grades in the classes dropped.  Drop in your BroncoDirect Student Center. 
From the 20th day of the semester (fifth week) through the 12th week of the semester

If you need to drop classes after the 20th day of the semester because of illness or other problems of a serious nature beyond your control, you may request that those course withdrawals not contribute to the 28 quarter-unit or 18 semester-unit limit of recorded course withdrawals.

Upon review of documentation, substantiating the reason for class withdrawal is of serious nature beyond your control, your College Dean may approve that such course withdrawals not contribute to the limit. 
  1. Fill out Request for Class Withdrawal petition and attach supporting documentation.

    You should continue to attend classes and submit coursework until you receive a decision. 
After the 12th week of the semester through the last day of finals week 

You can drop all of your courses only for serious and compelling reasons clearly beyond your control. 

You should request to drop your entire schedule. Failure in a class or changes to your schedule are not acceptable reasons for withdrawing.

You may request that such course withdrawals not contribute to the limit of recorded course withdrawals. 
  1. Fill out Request for Class Withdrawal petition and attach supporting documentation.
You should continue to attend classes and submit coursework until you receive a decision. 

 

Types of Withdrawals

W (Withdrawal)—this grade indicated that you were permitted to drop that course after the Add/Drop period. It carries no meaning as far as your performance in the class. Receiving a W does not count as an “attempt” at taking a course and is not considered a course repetition.

WX—this grade indicates that you withdrew from a course with a serious and compelling reason and that the withdrawal won’t contribute to the 28 quarter-unit or 18 semester-unit limit on withdrawals. This grade is converted to a W on your official transcript.

WU (Withdrawal Unauthorized)—the grade of a WU is given if you discontinue attendance and participation in a course without officially dropping the course and is equivalent to the grade of an F. It is your responsibility to drop courses that you do not plan to attend.

Retroactive Withdrawal—If you receive all WU or F grades in all of your coursework for a term you may petition to the Retroactive Withdrawal Committee to get those grades changes to Ws if you can show documentation of the serious and compelling reasons that those grades were received. You can apply for this up to one year from the last day of the term in question.

You are only entitled to a full tuition and fees refund if you cancel your registration or drop all of your courses before the first day of classes. After the first day of class you are entitled to a pro-rated refund determined by the date of your withdrawal. You may be entitled to a lower tuition fee if you dropped enough units to become a part-time student. To calculate these refunds, visit the Student Accounting & Cashiering Services website and select the term that you need a refund for.

Many instructors drop students who do not attend their class on the first day of instruction to allow for waitlisted students to add the course. Do not rely on professors to drop you from classes you no longer wish to take. If you don't attend a class you are enrolled in, you'll still receive a grade of WU/F. If a religious holiday conflicts with the first day of class, Cal Poly Pomona will accommodate you as outlined in the Dean of Students’ Reasonable Accommodations document.

Make sure you continue to update your academic plan with your advisor to make sure you remain on track for graduation.

Attending office hours will allow you to get a better understanding of the course material and assignments as well as build a relationship with your faculty. Check your syllabi for office hours, or contact the academic department. 

You have many places on campus that you can reach out to when you need help: 

The Student Success Central Website— On this website, you can find information on different academic programs, advising & academic resources, how-to videos, and more. Use the navigation at the top. 

The Bronco Advising Center— This is the place you can go to have help  without traveling to several different offices. The enrollment counselors can solve registration problems, check on your petitions, teach you how to use your online academic tools, and anything else you might need help with.

PolyTransfer— Transfer students can get peer mentoring, join a study hall with other transfer students and receive 1-on-1 student coaching and support.

The Learning Resource Center— Located on the second floor of the University Library, the LRC offers free tutoring for many different classes both online and in-person, workshops for math, science, and business classes, and test preparation resources.

The International Center— International students can come here to find resources and forms that affect their immigration standing, visa benefits, health insurance, and taxes. The center also offers as East-West Professional Training program, practical trainings, and an International Student Club for you to meet your peers.

The Disability Resource Center— The DRC provides accommodations and support services to students with disabilities, such as testing, alternate format, notetaking, interpreting/captioning, and mobility assistance, to ensure that you have an equal opportunity to succeed.

Educational Opportunity Program— EOP offers academic advising, peer advising, tutorial services, grants, and a study lounge to low income, first generation students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Step 3: Registering for Classes

Registration Home

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