Withdrawal and Retroactive Withdrawal
There may be times when you are working with a student who is experiencing academic difficulty in the current semester or faced difficulty in a previous semester. Penn State utilizes withdrawal and retroactive withdrawal processes to assist students in these situations. This edition of the Advising Essentials provides details for both processes and a special consideration for the Spring 2021 semester.
Withdrawal
  • A withdrawal is done for the current semester. When a student withdraws, they are removed from their current courses; if they scheduled courses for the next semester, they are also removed from those future courses.
  • If a student earned an academic integrity violation in a class and they choose to withdraw from the semester, the course grade for the course in which the student earned the violation will remain on the student's transcript.
  • If a dynamic dated course has already concluded before the student decides to withdraw, the final grade for the dynamic dated course will remain on the student's transcript.

  • The deadline to withdraw is always the last day of class. For the Spring 2021 semester, it is April 30 at 5:00pm ET.

  • The withdrawal process:
  • In order to withdraw, students will complete this online form that will then be processed by the Behrend Registrar Office.
  • Because a student's status as a Penn Stater becomes inactive after they withdraw, they must re-enroll if they plan to return to the University. To re-enroll, students must complete this form, print it, and return it to the Behrend Registrar Office.
  • Students are charged a $20 processing fee to re-enroll.

  • Considerations for withdrawing:
  • Each course remains on the student's transcript but has a "W" grade (unless there was an academic integrity violation or the course had ended, as described above).
  • If a student is withdrawing for a medical reason, they may be eligible for a one-time tuition reimbursement. Information can be found here.
  • Withdrawing may influence a student's financial aid eligibility. Before making the decision to withdraw, students should consult with the Behrend Financial Aid Office.
  • Withdrawing from the semester voids an international student's VISA. If an international student is considering a withdrawal, it is highly advised that they consult with the International Student Services Office first.

  • Special types of withdrawals:
  • If a student is attempting to drop all of their summer classes, they must complete a summer-only withdrawal request. Re-enrollment is not needed for a summer-only withdrawal.
  • Students who must withdraw due to military orders must follow a specific process. Information can be found toward the bottom of this website.

Retroactive Withdrawal
  • A retroactive withdrawal is an option if a student has already completed the semester in which they would like to withdraw. For example, if a student did not perform well in the Fall 2019 semester and would like the withdraw from the semester, since it has already passed, they would follow the retroactive withdrawal process.

  • If a student's retroactive withdrawal is approved, the grades associated with that semester will be converted to a "W" and will no longer influence the student's GPA.

  • Unlike a regular withdrawal, students do not need to re-enroll after a retroactive withdrawal is approved.

  • As part of the retroactive withdrawal process (detailed below), students must provide a documented reason that contributed to their academic difficulty. This reason must be something outside of their control that directly contributed to their difficulty. Some common reasons may include:
  • Medical issues
  • Mental health reasons
  • Death in the family

  • The retroactive withdrawal process is subjective and students are not guaranteed to have their request approved.

  • In order to request a retroactive withdrawal, students must follow the faculty senate petition process outlined on this website. It is advised that students are provided with the faculty senate website to view the full detailed information of the process. Generally, the requirements include:
  • Petition cover sheet
  • Retroactive withdrawal checklist
  • Transcript
  • Student request letter
  • Documentation to support the request
  • Two copies of the withdrawal form
  • Documentation from Financial Aid
  • For international students: the International Student Form for Retroactive Withdrawal

  • Because a retroactive withdrawal can influence financial aid or VISA status, students should be referred to Behrend's Financial Aid Office and International Student Services Office when appropriate.
Special Note: Alternative Grading
The alternative grading options for the Spring 2021 semester may influence how you work with students who are considering a withdrawal. In "normal" semesters, students do not have the opportunity to elect into alternative grading, so in some instances, withdrawing is their only option. However, this spring, they must also weigh the pros and cons of alternative grading when they are considering a withdrawal. Here are some advising considerations to help students navigate that decision:

  • Timing: The deadline to withdraw is Friday, April 30 at 5:00pm ET. The window for alternative grading is May 12 - May 21.
  • Alternative grading happens after final grades are in, so it is imperative that students are alert and take action in the designated window.

  • Influence on transcript: A withdrawal removes all courses; if a student is doing well in some classes but not others and would like to receive grades for some classes, alternative grading may be a better approach. This will allow the student to pick and choose which courses they want to opt into alternative grading. If a student opts for alternative grading, they will earn a Z, V, or SAT for the courses instead of the W if they withdraw.

  • Re-Enrollment: Students do not need to re-enroll if they utilize alternative grading instead of withdrawing.

For more details regarding alternative grading, please visit the Keep Learning website.
If you would like to discuss these processes in detail, or you would like to run through a student scenario, please reach out to the DUS Advisers are we are more than happy to help.