Deadlines too early

More time needed for Drop/Add, Pass/Fail

This Tuesday, a mere three weeks after the beginning of the semester, students have to decide whether they want to modify their class schedule without tarnishing their transcript. This is not enough time for students to adequately assess their course load. The University must push back the Drop/Add and Pass/Fail deadlines so that students can make fully informed decisions regarding their classes.

Three weeks is clearly not enough time for students to gage their workload. Some classes have not met more than three times. Most classes haven't had any major exams or assignments due. If they have, they almost certainly haven't had those tests or papers graded yet. This fact becomes especially important in larger classes, where students may have their assignments evaluated by a "grader" with whom they haven't had any interaction.

A student's workload is generally defined by these major assignments. He or she should not be expected to decide if they want to drop a class or take it on a pass/fail basis without having an understanding of the true difficulty of the course.

Allowing students to have more time in deciding the status of their classes also encourages them to expand their horizons. Students would be more likely to try difficult classes (including classes in subject matters with which they aren't familiar) if they know that they can wait to see their first major grade, and modify the course if it threatens their academic record. By lessening the risk of taking difficult courses, students would be encouraged to challenge themselves and seek out a well-rounded education. The net result is that students learn more.

Some have expressed concern that the Add deadline cannot be extended because students cannot make up more than three weeks of a course. While this may be true, individual students are capable of making this decision on their own. Additionally, this objection does not apply to students wishing to drop a course or elect it on a pass/fail basis. At the very least, the University could keep the Add deadline the same while moving the others back.

The University should listen to the needs of its students and move the Drop/Add and Pass/Fail deadlines later in the year. Three weeks is just not enough time for students to make decisions about their academic future that will ultimately affect the rest of their lives.