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I don't think one W will make a difference for freshman admission.  For your homeschool regular transcript, I would just not include it, as if the class did not ever even exist. For the college transcript,for freshman admission, when it is sent to prospective colleges, if they are curious why it was dropped, they might ask for an explanation.

However, since you're considering a second W, I would consider carefully before dropping.  He will then have two W's on his transcript.  That may look worse than a C.  

(((One situation where it is extremely important to get a good GPA, would be if he were planning to continue to CC full time and then go to the bigger university as a TRANSFER student.  In that case, two W's is maybe better than a low GPA.  Most transfer applications, in any university are reviewed less holistically than a freshman.  So a bad GPA is worse than two W.s)))

But even for a freshman, I would ask why you're considering dropping?  Are you thinking he should drop because it will be hard and inconvenient?  Or because he is in danger of failing?  Dropping too many classes with a W can make him look flaky.  Because, it is flaky.  Usually you have three weeks of classes to drop with no W, which is usually 6 classes.  By that time he should be able to assess the situation and make an informed choice.  If he can't do that in that 3 week period it might be that he is not at the maturity level where he can logically assess the situation each time.  It's hard, and every student needs to always think about it.

To that end, I would say- you can't go around traveling with a DE student.  Your student is taking COLLEGE coursework and it is the most serious time of study of his life.  If you want the flexibility of traveling you are better off not doing DE courses.  If you do DE courses, then I'm sorry but you'll need to leave DS home or not travel.  College courses are for serious adult learners and if you and your student can't make the commitment for him to act as a serious adult learner, then it is ok, to wait till he's at the point where he and you are ready for that commitment.  

(If there was a death in the family please feel free to ignore the above...since I don't know all the facts I am not judging you or trying to make you feel bad, but just trying to get across taking DE courses is very serious.)

 

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(This is why I also caution my IRL friends against signing 15 year olds and under up for DE courses- they really need to realize the seriousness that if they can't drive the kid, then the kid will miss classes and do very poorly or have to drop...it is much better IMO not to DE until the kid is either driving or taking public transportation.  THat gives you the flexibility to travel, go out of town, or whatever life brings, and your kid will not have his permanent college record affected by things that life throws you.)

TO that end, can you start teaching your ds to take public transportation so that you can travel as needed?

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57 minutes ago, Calming Tea said:

 Usually you have three weeks of classes to drop with no W, which is usually 6 classes.  By that time he should be able to assess the situation and make an informed choice.  If he can't do that in that 3 week period it might be that he is not at the maturity level where he can logically assess the situation each time. 

That has not been the scenario for my kids. They typically have syllabus day before the end of add/ drop.

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21 minutes ago, 8FillTheHeart said:

That has not been the scenario for my kids. They typically have syllabus day before the end of add/ drop.

 

There is usually a period between the end of add/drop and when you get a W on the transcript.  My dd has dropped a number of classes post add/drop (because, yeah, it's syllabus day and maybe one intro class - that is not always enough time).  Dropping after 2-3 classes we'd only get half our money back, but no W.  She only has one W, which was for a summer online class with no meetings or any homework due till halfway through the course. She did not plan her time wisely on that one...

For her, that shouldn't be a problem because she'll transfer to the state u. with the guaranteed transfer agreement.

Edited by Matryoshka
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1 minute ago, Matryoshka said:

 

There is usually a period between the end of add/drop and when you get a W on the transcript.  My dd has droped a number of classes post add/drop (because, yeah, it's syllabus day and maybe one intro class - thst is not always enough time).  Dropping after 2-3 classes we'd only get half our money back, but no W.  

Not the case here. Two weeks from classes starting to Add/Drop, and then W.

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6 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

 

There is usually a period between the end of add/drop and when you get a W on the transcript.  My dd has droped a number of classes post add/drop (because, yeah, it's syllabus day and maybe one intro class - thst is not always enough time).  Dropping after 2-3 classes we'd only get half our money back, but no W.  She only has one W, which was for a summer online class with no meetings or any homework due till halfway through the course. She did not plan her time wisely on that one...

For her, that shouldn't be a problem because she'll transfer to the state u. with the guaranteed transfer agreement.

That had not been the case for our kids. Here is USCs policy. A student taking a T/H class would have syllabus day, Thursday's class and have to decide by the next Tues.

https://www.sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/registrar/academic_calendars/2018-19_calendar.php

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I have one graduating with three degrees this year, with two W's.  One the middle college failed to review her classes and notify us that they did not want kids taking a philosophy class because the professor failed all the middle college kids.  One was her own fault and failure to make sure she reviewed the professor before signing up.  She retook the class the next semester with a different professor and got a solid B, so there may be a policy where the one overrides the other, I'd have to check.  Overall she has a high GPA and had to fill out detailed paperwork on why she was dropping a class signed by numerous people, so there is a record of why that can be forwarded to answer any questions a college may have.  I'm not concerned.

I have another child taking a W in 10th grade.  The prerequisites didn't state the level of math required for the class, outside of the lab which we didn't sign up for.  It isn't reasonable and we have discussed it with both the middle college and the main campus.  They plan to update the prerequisites.  We will be very careful in scheduling for this child to eliminate the need for an additional W in the future.  

Add/drop ends at the end of the first week, so after the first or second class, depending on how often they meet.  After that time all students take a W.

Edited by melmichigan
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Texas has a maximum of 6 W’s allowed throughout the entire college career so I would be concerned for that reason, but when I just looked it up, I read that dual credit courses are not counted.

I would check on any similar regulations in your state before making a decision.

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1 hour ago, 8FillTheHeart said:

That had not been the case for our kids. Here is USCs policy. A student taking a T/H class would have syllabus day, Thursday's class and have to decide by the next Tues.

https://www.sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/registrar/academic_calendars/2018-19_calendar.php


Wow, that's just nuts.  Syllabus day and one intro class are not enough time to figure anything out.  I'm already miffed that's how short the normal add/drop is - if you also got a W for dropping a class after the third class, that dd's transcript would be a mess.  

At the university I attended, where I currently have a dd attending, the regular add/drop is two weeks, not one, and you don't get a W for withdrawing until about halfway into the semester.  I remember dd called me in a panic wondering if she should drop a class that she got a 'bad' grade on one assignment on - it was the last day to drop before the dreaded W... because I know this dd is a perfectionist and thinks anything below an A is failure, and also because she told me she'd done better on that assignment than most of the other kids in the class and the prof already said he would be giving a curve (he just didn't do it till the very end of the semester) - I told her my advice to stick it out, and she ended up with an A.   But yeah, that was almost midterm time.

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I agree, asking students to make a decision the day after they receive their syllabus is really rough!

OP, the decision really comes down to whether your student is applying as a freshman or transfer, eventually.  If it's likely he will apply as a freshman, you can really go either way. If he plans to go to CC full time and transfer I really think a W is better than a low GPA just because GPA is the one (and often only) think that colleges look at in transfer students.

 

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So far we have been fortunate and neither kid has needed to withdraw but we have had a couple of gulp moments.  Do you have access to   something like Canvas for that class..... go in and play with different worst case scenario’s and then some more realistic with effort on a couple of higher weighted assignments.  Hubby does the math long hand also  and we have always decided to move forward.  We knew things could work but if it was a huge reach we would have taken the W without much thought.   I think the gpa is more important the W as long as you stay within that school’s limits.  I also think your ds is really young and gets a bit of grace especially since he is not transferring the transcript in for credit.  

 With a young student it is really critical for them (and you) to understand the percentages the different assignments have in their overall grade and not panic automatically.  You also need to know when he has assignments due because he won’t tell you if you are offering something better......I would offer up fun things without thinking because I am still a homeschool mom at heart who thinks she can reschedule everything.  Took a long time for me to get out of that mode!  

 

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On 3/3/2019 at 5:34 PM, Matryoshka said:


Wow, that's just nuts.  Syllabus day and one intro class are not enough time to figure anything out.  I'm already miffed that's how short the normal add/drop is - if you also got a W for dropping a class after the third class, that dd's transcript would be a mess.  

At the university I attended, where I currently have a dd attending, the regular add/drop is two weeks, not one, and you don't get a W for withdrawing until about halfway into the semester.  I remember dd called me in a panic wondering if she should drop a class that she got a 'bad' grade on one assignment on - it was the last day to drop before the dreaded W... because I know this dd is a perfectionist and thinks anything below an A is failure, and also because she told me she'd done better on that assignment than most of the other kids in the class and the prof already said he would be giving a curve (he just didn't do it till the very end of the semester) - I told her my advice to stick it out, and she ended up with an A.   But yeah, that was almost midterm time.

We have five calendar days from the semester start date to add/drop.  After that they take a W.  

Edited by melmichigan
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