By Raven Posteal/ reporter
The last day to drop classes for 16-week classes is Nov. 21.
“It is very important that students know the deadlines to drop classes because there are too many times where a student figures out that they are in the wrong class or they have not done well in a class of theirs for quite some time but wait too late to try to drop the class,” SE registrar Juan Torres said.
Students are encouraged to meet with their advisors before they register for a class to make sure the class will actually count toward their degree.
“Financial aid has changed in the past few years,” Torres said. “Financial aid will now only cover the classes that are going toward a student’s degree.”
Torres said TCC noticed that a lot of students were taking whatever classes seemed fun to them. Few students were taking classes that actually counted toward their degrees and could be transferred over to a four-year college.
In 2007, another rule was added by state-funded schools across the country to also help students stay on the right path to finish their degrees in a timely manner. The “drop six” rule set a limit to how many courses students can drop throughout their academic careers, said Blake Chambers, senior office assistant in the SE registrar’s office.
“At the time, too many students were dropping classes as they please, so this rule was set into place to make students think twice about dropping classes and to take their academic career more seriously,” Chambers said. “Of course, there are exceptions to this rule like illness, death in the family and even military duty.”
Students are encouraged to go through their advisor or to talk with their teachers before making major decisions like adding or dropping a class.
“I’ve talked to my advisor many times before I decided to drop a class,” said SE student Maria Lopez. “That is how I found out about the learning labs at TCC. There, I was able to get help in a math course I was struggling in instead of feeling forced to drop the course.”
Learning labs can help students who feel overwhelmed by a course, Torres said.
“TCC offers math, reading and writing labs during all hours of the day so that students may come whenever they need help in a course,” he said.
Torres also offered his list of do’s and don’ts of adding and dropping classes. He wanted to make sure students know how to go about adding or dropping a class.
“My list is very simple,” Torres said. “I tell students to register early if they can, visit with an advisor before making any big decisions and to verify financial aid. The students should not wait until the last minute or assume their classes are taken care of. Students should always make sure to take the right classes that count toward your degree and that you are getting the correct amount of financial aid.”
The registrar’s office is open on all campuses Monday through Friday during normal business hours of 8 a.m.–7 p.m. during fall and spring semesters.
