Withdrawal from a class or from the college is primarily the responsibility of the student. Withdrawals may be done online via My.VCCCD's Registration Planner under "Current Schedule" or in person at the Admissions & Records Office with photo ID. It is the student’s responsibility to understand how a withdrawal will affect their academic records, academic standing, ability to repeat the course, eligibility for financial aid, athletic participation veterans’ educational benefits and other programs, services or benefits. Instructors have a responsibility to drop students under certain circumstances as identified below.
Deadline dates for withdrawing from a class may be found on the student’s Schedule/Bill in My.VCCCD. Students who do not officially withdraw by the stated deadlines will receive an evaluative grade (A-F, P or NP). Withdrawal after the final deadline may be permitted if it is determined that extenuating circumstances prevented a student from completing and withdrawing from a course. Extenuating circumstances are verified cases of accident, illness or other circumstances beyond the student’s control. Supporting documentation may be required. See the Excused Withdrawal Request.
A grade of “W” is not calculated in the grade point average (GPA). Courses that receive “W” grades are counted as an enrollment attempt and will affect a student’s ability to repeat the class. Students will be blocked from repeating any course in which they have already received three W, D, F or NP grades in any combination. “W” grades are also counted in the determination of a student’s academic standing, and excessive “W”s will be cause for placing students on progress probation. Students are encouraged to consult a counselor regarding the full impact of “W” grades.
Instructor-initiated drops: Instructors are required to drop by the census date any student who has never attended class or who has quit attending class. They may drop students who do not attend the first class meeting. The census date for each class is determined by the length of the class and may vary. Instructors may but are not required to, drop students after the census date for excessive absences. Absence is generally considered excessive if a student misses 1/9 or more of the total number of classes (2 weeks of a full –semester class); however, the nature of the class may require a stricter absence policy. Consult the class syllabus or instructor for more information.
Withdrawing from semester-length classes: Students may withdraw from full semester-length classes through the end of the 14th week. A grade of “W” will be posted to the academic record for withdrawals that occur between the add/drop period and the end of the 14th week. Students still enrolled after the end of the 14th week will receive a grade other than “W” on their academic record.
Withdrawing from short-term classes: Students may withdraw from short-term classes through 75% of the total number of class meetings. A grade of “W” will be posted to the academic record for withdrawals that occur between the add/drop period and the 75% deadline. Students still enrolled after 75% of class meetings will receive a grade other than “W” on their academic record.