Many students call their families explaining that they need to drop a class. There are many reasons for this. We asked Susan Martindale, Academic Advisor here at Missouri State about the true cost of adding and dropping classes. Below, Susan provides great feedback about the process:
Jim calls his mom half-way through the semester to announce, “I need to drop my history class. I don’t like the way the instructor is teaching it and I would rather take it next semester with my friend. Scenarios like this happen every day and it is important for parents to understand the true cost of these kinds of decisions.
Dropping a course can be an appropriate option. If the student is failing the class with no hope of turning things around, or discovers he is in the wrong class for his major, dropping may be the right course of action. However, dropping classes can have many negative consequences, not the least of which is financial.
Generally speaking, the cost for a three-credit course for an in-state resident is $612 ($1248 for out-of-state) plus a textbook. There are deadlines for receiving a percentage of that fee as a refund if students drop classes. Those deadlines happen rather early in the semester. For example, March 17, 2015 is the last day to receive a 25% refund for full-semester spring classes. The Academic Calendar on the University website is a very helpful resource for parents to stay abreast of dates and deadlines.
Let’s look at Jim’s situation. He calls his mom March 20, three days after the last refund deadline. He received his mid-term grades March 19 and knows his history grade is C-. If he drops the class he has missed the deadline and will not receive a refund. Since the history class is a required general education class, Jim will need to retake it at some point and pay $612 again. The course will ultimately cost a total of $1224. If the textbook changes, he will have to buy another book as well.
Sometimes students complicate their situation when dropping a class results in falling below full-time status. They may lose insurance coverage, jeopardize financial aid, and even delay graduation. Second block classes, which start mid-semester, may be an option to stay enrolled full-time but there is a limited selection and those classes are often electives and cost the same as required courses.
Before dropping a class, a student should always speak to the instructor, the advisor, the financial aid office if applicable, and the insurance company to avoid unexpected consequences. Otherwise the student may be making a very expensive decision.