You Asked - We Answered!
Happy New Year to all the Parents, Family, Friends, and Supporters of our Wildcats! We are the Wayfinders, academic advisors from different campus majors. You can learn more about us here.
Last semester, we held a virtual “Coffee Chat” where many of y’all joined us to ask questions. Since these Quick-Qs are so valuable as you support your student, here’s an overview:
Can you explain the difference between dropping a class and withdrawing from a class?
DROP – unenrolling from a course during the first two weeks of the semester (before the deadline)
A dropped class does not appear on the student’s transcript and the student is usually not charged tuition for that course. A student may not drop a class after the deadline. Deadlines differ for accelerated courses.
WITHDRAW (individual class) – unenrolling from a course after the drop deadline has passed. These courses will appear on a student’s transcript with a grade of “W”. They do not have an impact on a student’s GPA, but they do impact their pace (how many attempted units were passed/completed). A student may withdraw from a maximum of 12 units total. Full withdrawal from all courses in a semester are not part of this calculation.
COMPLETE WITHDRAW (all classes) - unenrolling from ALL courses for the term after the drop deadline has passed. These courses will appear on a student’s transcript with a grade of “WC”. They do not have an impact on a student’s GPA. If the student withdraws for medical reasons, they may apply for a full or partial refund of those units.
A student should ALWAYS consult their advisor before dropping or withdrawing from a class. This decision can impact their total units, graduation timeline, and potentially their financial aid, VISA status, or program eligibility. Dropping or withdrawing will impact the total units a student completes for the semester. They may also impact federal and institutional financial aid, and the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid should be consulted to clarify eligibility requirements.
Why can’t I see my students grades throughout the semester?
UAccess houses the official records for a course once term grades are posted. During the semester, grades will not be displayed in UAccess, so a parent whose been granted guest access to grades will only be able to see the final grades, not progress reports.
If you can’t see posted final grades, it is because student grades are subject to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. At the postsecondary education level, parents have no inherent rights to access or inspect their child’s education records. Records may be released to parents only if they have been given a written release by the student or if they are considered a dependent for tax purposes and a Parent Affidavit has been filed in the Registrar’s Office.
More about FERPA: https://registrar.arizona.edu/privacy-ferpa/student-parent-information
What are some tools you could recommend that would help students who may be struggling academically or personally?
One of the most important ways to support your student is to simply be there for them. Ask if there’s anything you can do, provide any resources, and focus on their progress. They know if they’re struggling-they don’t need a reminder. What they do need is encouragement to notice their progress.
TA/Professor Office hours(answer questions, build rapport, get feedback on assignments): usually listed on the course syllabus https://uafamily.arizona.edu/news/2022/09/engaging-and-communicating-professors
Think Tank (Tutoring and other services): https://thinktank.arizona.edu/
Thrive Center (peer mentoring): https://thrive.arizona.edu/mentoring
Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques (SALT) Center (fee for service, support for students with learning and attention challenges including Learning Support Specialists and 1:1 tutoring https://salt.arizona.edu/
Disability Resource Center (DRC) (ADA compliance, reasonable accommodations) https://drc.arizona.edu/
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): https://caps.arizona.edu/
Peer-to-Peer Programs: (including Stressbusters, Mindful Ambassadors, Nutrition Navigators, Wildcats RISE, etc.): https://friend2friend.arizona.edu/peer-programs
What are some suggestions you may have for my student to work or study with their peers?
Many studies on learning support this! Students learn better in groups – even if none of them is an “expert”. They learn not only academically, but it has a positive impact on human development.
Group Tutoring: https://thinktank.arizona.edu/private-tutoring
Join/start a Club: https://asuatoday.arizona.edu/
Thrive Center: https://thrive.arizona.edu/mentoring
Do you have a question? We have an answer! Submit your question here.