The summer semester is almost halfway over. This means students who may be struggling need to decide if it may be best to drop a class.

OCCC Registrar Alan Stringfellow said students have until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, July 11, to decide if they want to withdraw from any classes.

“They do not get a refund,” he said.

Stringfellow said students who withdraw from a course will receive a W on their transcript instead of a grade. The W indicates the class was not completed.

“A W will show up on their transcript at the point in which grades are posted,” he said. “Until then, an NR symbol is out there for grade not recorded.”

The registration office will be open until 5 p.m July 11. After that time, Stringfellow said, students will need to use MineOnline to withdraw. That option will be available until 11:59 p.m., he said.

Stringfellow said many factors go into making a decision about withdrawing from a course.

Stringfellow said each situation is different for each student.

“ … It really depends upon what’s happening in the student’s life,” he said. “Are they working,are they not? Are they a full-time student, are they not? How will [the professor] work with them?

“In the event that [students] have outstanding course work, some [professors] may allow them to turn it in late, some of them may not, which would obviously impact their grade.”

Stringfellow said students receiving financial aid should be aware of what will happen to them should they drop, but also said students should not put themselves in a compromising position.

“I cannot think of a situation where a grade of F would be better than a W,” he said.

“Even if you look at it from a financial aid perspective, they’re both going to negatively impact… so I wouldn’t want a student to put themselves in a position where they are placed on probation or suspension.

“Go ahead and withdraw from the class.”

Stringfellow said students in that positiion should meet with a financial aid adviser.

He said students with questions and concerns also can meet with an academic adviser, but are not required to do so to withdraw from a class.

“If they have questions on how this might impact them in terms of successfully graduating, how is this going to put their graduation off, will this negatively affect them in terms of transferring to another institution — if those type of questions arise as a result of withdrawing … they may want to speak with an adviser prior to that.”

Stringfellow said the time for students to act is now.

He said any delay in withdrawing from a class could result in damaging a student’s academic success.

“If they know for a fact that they are not going to be able to complete the class, I would go ahead and take care of it now. Do it as soon as possible.

“There’s no need to wait until [July 11] if you know you’re going to withdraw or not get the grade that you want.”

For more information about withdrawing from a course, contact the office of Records and Graduation Services at 405-682-7860.

Students also can contact Stringfellow at astringfellow@occc.edu, or login to MineOnline at https://datatelwa.occc.edu/WebAdvisor.