Enrollment /Withdrawal

ENROLLMENT

Registration and Class Scheduling


The Office of the Registrar is the principal source of information concerning registration procedures. Details are contained in the Schedule of Classes published each semester prior to registration for the upcoming semester.

Students must complete registration during the assigned period at the beginning of each term by paying tuition and fees and by filing the completed registration form with the Registrar. A new, re-admitted, or continuing student who did not preenroll must register during regular registration periods. No credit will be given for a course in which the student is not officially registered.

Flexibility for learning is built into daily and weekly class scheduling. 50-minute and 80-minute class periods are available throughout each week day. Frequency of weekly meetings varies, depending upon the credit value of the particular subject.

Registration Changes


Once the student has filed the registration form with the Registrar, any necessary changes must be made on the appropriate form during the period stated in the Class Schedule and Registration Guide. The faculty mentor or advisor must approve all program changes. Once classes have started, individual instructors must approve the addition or dropping of any student in their classes. No adds are accepted after the fi rst week of classes. Students may drop with no record of attempting the course through the third week of the semester, and may withdraw from a course through the sixth week with a grade of "W" posted.

Study Load


For undergraduate students, a minimum full-time study load is 12 credit hours per semester (one credit hour is equivalent to one semester hour). A normal course load for students planning to graduate in four years is 30 credits per year; this could be accomplished by taking 15 credits each semester or, in some years, by taking 13 credits each semester and a 4-credit course during the January Interim. Credit hours taken in excess of 15 require additional tuition charges. An extra study load, more than 17 credit hours per semester, must be approved by the student's mentor or advisor and certifi ed by the Registrar. Forms for an extra study load are available in the Registrar's.

Transfer Credit Policy


Whittier College accepts courses in transfer as long as the courses were completed at a regionally accredited institution. Whittier will not accept courses that earned a grade lower than a C-. A student may not receive credit for courses taken at a community college after completing 70 units of college work. A maximum of 70 credits may be transferred from a community college. A combined maximum of 90 credits from community colleges and four-year institutions can be transferred.

WITHDRAWAL POLICIES

Dropping Classes

With the signature of the instructor, students may drop a class without record of enrollment during the fi rst three weeks of a semester course.

Withdrawing from Courses

Until the end of the sixth week of a semester course, students may withdraw from a course for any reason. A grade of "W" will be assigned. After this period, withdrawals will be allowed only for reasons of health or serious personal problems. Academic diffi culties or lack of interest in the course are not sufficient reason for late withdrawals.

Unauthorized or Unoffi cial Withdrawal from Courses

Students are responsible for course registration and changes to their schedules. Any student who unoffi cially withdraws from a course by ceasing to attend, or fails to submit required coursework, will receive a grade of "UW" for the course. A grade of "UW" computes the same as a "F."

Withdrawing from the College

A withdrawal is generally requested when a student does not plan to return to Whittier College or plans to transfer to another school. A leave of absence is granted to a student who plans to return to Whittier within one academic year.

Students who plan to do either must apply through the Dean of Students' Office.
Withdrawals will be recorded on the transcript as a W.

Leave Of Absence

Students in good academic and fi nancial standing may request a leave of absence. The leave of absence together with any additional leaves of absence must not exceed a total of 180 days in any twelve month period. If a leave of absence does not meet the conditions listed in the Code of Federal Regulations-34 CFR 668.22(d), the student will be considered to have withdrawn from school.

Medical Leave of Absence During the Semester

 

  • Students who have an emergency or medical illness during the semester must obtain the Withdrawal/Leave of Absence form from the Dean of Students Office.
  • The student must make an appointment with the Dean of Students.
  • Students must complete the form, date it and submit it to the Dean of Students Office.
  • Faculty will be notifi ed by the registrar’s offi ce and the student will receive a grade of "IN" in all courses.
  • The student will be expected to complete all courses upon returning to active status.

End of Semester Leave of Absence

  • Students need to spend time away from Whittier College may request a Withdrawal/Leave of Absence form from the Dean of Students Office.
  • The student should make an appointment with the Dean of Students or the Assistant Dean of First Year Experience (for freshmen) to discuss his/her plans.
  • The student must complete the form, date it for the last day of the semester, and submit it to the Dean of Students Office.

Students who fail to notify the Dean of Students offi ce of their leave of absence will not qualify for tuition cancellation of any kind. A student is not considered on leave until the student submits the completed and signed Withdrawal/Leave of Absence form to the Dean of Students.

Medical Withdrawal During The Semester

  • Students who have an emergency or medical illness during the semester must obtain the Withdrawal/Leave of Absence form from the Dean of Students Office.
  • The student must make an appointment with the Dean of Students.
  • Students must complete the form, date it and submit it to the Dean of Students Office.
  • Faculty will be notifi ed by the registrar’s offi ce and the student will receive a grade of "W" in all courses.
  • The effective date on the form will be used to calculate tuition cancellations whenever applicable.

No withdrawals of any type will be granted during the last week of any course.