Last Day to Drop is FRIDAY, Oct. 3! What are you juggling?

As the deadline to drop a class approaches this Friday on October 3, what is your plan? Do you have too many balls in the air with other classes, part-time jobs, leadership roles and campus involvement, where it might make sense for you to cut back your course load? Before you get on Hokie Spa and drop that class, here are some things to think about.

Do you need this course for your major? Maybe you shouldn't drop the class. Is it a prerequisite for other courses? Check your plan of study or major checksheet to verify future courses don't require the one you're dropping. Will the drop set you back a year, depending on when courses are offered? If you're not doing well, that might set you back a year or more anyway.

Why are you taking this class? Is it an elective? Does it fulfill CLE requirements? Do you want to get past the CLE requirement so you can move forward with courses in your major? If you registered for the class for a reason that no longer exists (maybe you dropped the minor you thought you were going to add), then dropping the class might be OK.

Are you struggling and that's why you want to drop the class? Have you sought out help? Tutoring is available through the Student Success Center. Have you visited your professor during office hours? The instructor may be able to give you some tips for mastering course content.

Will dropping a class take you below full-time student status? If you receive scholarships or financial aid, maintaining your full-time student status may be critical. Going below 12 credit hours makes you less than full-time in the eyes of the university. Check where your total credit hours will be if you drop a class.

Have you talked about dropping the class with anyone? Get some advice before you drop a class. Visit a professor or an advisor. Touch base with your personal "board of directors:" those key people in your life to whom you go when you make big decisions.

And finally, do you feel like dropping a class makes you a quitter? There's nothing wrong with dropping a class. You're not a quitter...but a strategist who determined devoting more time to your other classes is the right next step for you. Just be sure you've thought it through and that you don't drop the ball as you drop a class.