WITHDRAWING FROM COURSES
It is the student’s responsibility to check “Registration and Schedule Information” for
important dates and deadlines on their my.nmsu.edu homepage or the university website at
following link:
http://www.nmsu.edu/~registra/registration-information.html
1) The deadline to DROP classes has passed. We are currently in the withdrawal period for fullsemester classes.
a) Withdrawn courses are still considered a part of the student’s credit load for the
semester. If a student at 18 credit hours withdraws from a 3 credit hour course, that
student will be unable to register for a mini-semester course, because the student’s
load for the semester is still 18 credit hours. Adding a mini-semester course would
require being approved for an overload by your ACADEMIC ADVSIOR or
ASSOCIATE DEAN, and will incur tuition charges beyond full time tuition.
2) Courses discontinued at this point are not deleted from a student’s academic transcript.
Withdrawn courses are recorded on the permanent transcript with a grade of “W.”
a) “W” grades do not figure into GPA calculation at all, neither increasing nor
decreasing overall grade point average.
b) “W” grades do count against a student’s completion rate, which is the ratio of
attempted classes to completed classes. If a student need to maintain a high
completion rate for purposes of financial aid or athletics eligibility, consultation with
the Financial Aid and/or Athletics offices is strongly recommended before pursuing a
withdrawal.
3) Students cannot withdraw themselves from classes through the my.nmsu.edu system.
Withdrawals are always processed by their Advising Center.
a) If a student is unable to physically go to their Advising Center to complete the
paperwork for a withdrawal during office hours, it may be possible to email a request
to withdraw from course/s.
Note: PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR COLLEGE ADVISING CENTER REGARDING
THEIR PROCEDURES FOR PROCESSING WITHDRAWALS.
b) Emailed withdrawal requests must be sent from the student’s @nmsu.edu email
address. Students much include their full name, ID number (AGGIE ID #), the
specific course to be withdrawn, and a clear statement requesting the withdrawal. For
example: “I request to be withdrawn from ACCT 251, SECTION # and the
SEMESTER.
c) Emailed withdrawal requests received by 4:00 PM on a business day are processed
the same day. Requests received after 4:00 PM will be processed the next business
day.
4) MOST Colleges do not need instructor consent to withdraw from a class, except in
extremely rare circumstances. Usually, the only signature required on the drop slip is the
student’s own.
5) Withdrawing from all classes for the current semester is considered an institutional
withdrawal, and must be processed by the Registrar’s Office. For details about institutional
withdrawal, contact the Registrar’s Office directly at 575-646-4884.
For some students this time of the semester also comes with a decision to remain in a course or
to withdraw from it. How can you make a wise choice? Here are some things to consider:
 Assess the situation. Have you lost your motivation? Are you failing the course? Have
you missed enough classes that you aren’t able to get caught up? How much of your
grade will be based on assignments, quizzes, or tests yet to come?
 Identify options within your control. Can you devote more time to studying? Join a
study group? Attend tutoring? Find a babysitter? Change your attitude? Think about the
things YOU can do to improve your situation.
 Consider the consequences of withdrawing on current or future financial aid.
Students qualifying for the NM Lottery Scholarship must complete at least 12 credits
with a 2.5 or higher cumulative GPA. Financial aid recipients who fail to complete at
least 2/3 of the credit hours they attempt (66.67%) could lose their financial aid next
semester – even if their GPA is high.
 Determine how dropping a course will affect your degree plan. Is the course part of a
sequence or a pre-requisite for another course? Will this delay your graduation?
 Get some good advice. As with any important decision, seek out the opinions of others,
especially experts. Talk with your professor, visit with an academic advisor or consult a
financial aid representative. Remember they are here to help!
Below are three areas on the Financial Aid website, http://fa.nmsu.edu that should be helpful.
http://fa.nmsu.edu/resources/return-of-title-iv-funds
- explains the implications for financial aid funding when the student withdraws
officially or unofficially
http://fa.nmsu.edu/resources/satisfactory-academic-progress
- explains withdrawing and the implication to retaining financial aid eligibility
http://fa.nmsu.edu/resources/enrollment-status
- defines enrollment status