Effect of Withdrawal on Academic Standing

Credits graded "W" (Withdrawal) do not affect a student's GPA, but they are considered attempted credit hours. Effective Fall 2007, the total attempted hours and cumulative GPA are used to determine academic standing. If the cumulative GPA is below 2.00, this withdrawal may affect whether a student will be on warning, probation, suspension, or dismissal. Please see the Academic Standing section of the Registrar's website for further information.

Selective Withdrawal Period (Exact Deadlines Listed in Schedule of Classes)

This policy allows undergraduates enrolled in degree programs to withdraw from up to 3 total courses without their dean's permission during their entire undergraduate careers at George Mason.  The number of credits for the course is not a factor.  For example, an elective withdrawal from a 1-credit PHED 108 counts the same as from a 6-credit SPAN 209. Students should think very carefully about all available options (such as incompletes or non-academic withdrawals with appropriate documentation – please see below) before choosing a selective withdrawal.

Selective withdrawals are processed in the Registrar's Office (the form can be found online).

Some very strict policies and procedures apply to selective withdrawals:

1.  Selective withdrawals can only be processed within the official selective withdrawal period for courses being taken during the current semester. The specific deadlines are listed in the current Schedule of Classes each semester, and part-semester courses have shorter deadlines in proportion to their course length.  Retroactive permission for selective withdrawals from courses completed in previous semesters or from courses in progress after the selective withdrawal period has ended for those courses cannot be considered under any circumstances.
2.  Selective withdrawals, once requested by the student and processed by the Registrar's Office, are final and will not be removed at a later time.
3.   Once a student has taken a selective withdrawal, that adjustment cannot be converted later to a non-academic withdrawal.  Students may wish to consult with their academic dean’s office prior to choosing a selective withdrawal to see if a non-academic withdrawal is appropriate or allowable.
4.  Students are limited to a maximum of 3 selective withdrawals for their entire academic careers at George Mason.  They should keep in mind that some graduate and professional schools and future employers may have a negative opinion of withdrawals, so this option should be exercised judiciously.

Withdrawals are typically allowed only for full semesters at a time, and they are not permitted for academic reasons or enrollment errors on the part of students. Students are not permitted to withdraw from classes that they have chosen to repeat, regardless of whether or not they are earning a lower grade. For more information, please review “Changing Registration” in the Catalog.

A. Non-Academic Withdrawals - Exceptions are considered only under exceptional circumstances with verifiable, third-party documentation. Such documentation is required of all students submitting requests to ensure equity and fairness. No withdrawals can be approved to avoid an unsatisfactory grade. Once an academic term is completed, the course grade becomes part of the student’s permanent academic record. Exceptional circumstances include – but are not limited to – the following:

1. Medical Circumstances – Requests for withdrawals due to medical circumstances must be supported by relevant, dated medical documentation. The documentation must show a substantial medical change that arose unexpectedly after the drop period has ended. If a student is seeking a partial withdrawal, the student must show why the condition has affected that course (or courses) specifically. Otherwise, only a full withdrawal can be considered.

2. Employment - Requests for withdrawals due to work-related reasons must be documented by the employer on company letterhead. Only unanticipated and unavoidable changes in employment that occur after the drop date and which result in a direct scheduling conflict with a course (or courses) will be considered. An increased or more stressful workload is not considered a valid reason to request a withdrawal (see your University Catalog under “Academic Load”). NOTE: No course may be dropped for work reasons after 12 weeks or 4/5 of the term have passed.

Delays in reviewing withdrawal requests may result from the following:

• Supporting documentation (medical, work, instructors, etc.) has not been supplied or is insufficient to allow a full review
• Difficulties are experienced when trying to verify documentation
• Holds on student's account (financial, parking, library, health, etc.)

B. Petitioning for Non-Academic Withdrawal

To petition for withdrawal, please do the following as soon as possible:

1. Complete a Withdrawal Request Form explaining your specific request and reasons. Only written materials and verifiable, third-party documentation can be evaluated by the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office in reaching a decision.

2. Time is of the essence when submitting a request and documentation. Delays in submitting requests increase the academic component of the request and can have an adverse effect on the final decision. After 30 days, all undocumented requests are automatically denied.

3. Submit your completed request and supporting documentation to the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office in 316 Enterprise Hall. Our telephone number is 703-993-8725, press 5. Our FAX number is 703-993-8712.

4. Please continue attending all classes in which you are officially enrolled and complete the required coursework unless you receive written permission from our office for a withdrawal. If permission is granted, you will need to have a clear financial record for the withdrawal to be processed.

5. Any withdrawal will result in a “W” on your permanent record for each of the courses. These non-academic withdrawals do not count towards your selective withdrawals.