Students are responsible for monitoring and affirming their course enrollment each semester. The official add/drop period begins the first day of the semester and ends the Friday after the second week of instruction. Students that drop course work during the add/drop period are not subject to a grade symbol of "W" on their academic record. The add/drop dates vary for late start, short-term (<8 weeks) courses. Students enrolled in short term classes (<8 weeks) should drop by the first scheduled class meeting to avoid receiving a "W" and being charged registration fees. (BP & AP 5075 - Course Adds & Drops)

Adding Class(es) after the Semester or Session Begins

Students may add a class only during the official add/drop period by attending class and obtaining an add code from the instructor. For online courses, students must email the instructor to obtain an add code. Students may register with the add code online via Self-Service, or by submitting the add code in person at the Admissions & Records Office on the Chula Vista campus or at any of the Higher Education Centers at National City, Otay Mesa, or San Ysidro during the add/drop period. Students must add classes within the established deadline.

NOTE: A class enrollment is official when the add code is processed and fees are charged. A request to add a course may be accepted but later denied if found to be a repeated course, or if prerequisites have not been met.

Enrolling in closed classes: Waitlist

• During the registration period before classes begin, a student wishing to enroll in a class that is closed (filled to capacity) may opt to be placed on the waitlist unless the waitlist is also filled.
• Students must not have a hold on their record.  All prerequisite and/or co-requisite requirements must be met to be eligible.
• As enrolled students drop the class prior to the start of the semester, waitlisted students will be automatically enrolled in the course according to their ranking on the waitlist and notified through their SWC email address.
• If students fail to make their payment in full by the published date, a hold will be placed on their record.
• Students are responsible for payment for each class in which they are enrolled.
• The student must attend the first day of their classes or notify the instructor in advance of an absence.

Dropping Classes

Dropping is ending enrollment in a class prior to about the 20% point of class meetings. A drop is not recorded on the student’s academic record.

Students are responsible to officially drop (withdraw from) a course they no longer wish to attend. Students may drop classes online via Self-Service or in the Admissions & Records Office on the Chula Vista campus or the Higher Education Centers at National City, Otay Mesa, or San Ysidro. Students who do not drop (withdraw from) a course in a timely manner may incur a financial obligation in addition to a substandard grade.

Students must drop a course prior to the end of the second week of the semester to be eligible for a refund. Students must drop classes prior to the beginning of the third week of the semester to ensure there will be no record of their enrollment and no “W” withdrawal grade on their transcript (deadline is published for short session classes or a summer session). Refund and withdrawal deadlines are published on Self-Service for all class sections.

Dropping Students

While primary responsibility for class attendance and maintaining an accurate registration record rests with the student, the instructor is charged with the responsibility for maintaining accurate and proper accountability records for state apportionment.

• Instructors are required by Title 5 to clear their rosters of all inactive students no later than the last business day prior to the Census Date for the semester or session. “Inactive students” include:
  • students identified as no-shows
  • students who are no longer participating in the courses
• Prior to certifying census, instructors must drop any student who fails to notify their instructor of their absence or who fails to attend the first class meeting if the class is at maximum enrollment and other students are waiting to enroll.
• After the add/drop period of the term, a student may be dropped from the class when the total hours of absence for any reason exceed twice the number of hours indicated for that course in the College Catalog. Attendance requirements may vary in programs where attendance regulations are established by an outside regulatory agency. When this occurs, students will be notified in advance of the attendance requirements of the program.
• Students will be dropped from class for lack of a prerequisite or co-requisite.

For more information regarding course adds and drops please see BP & AP 5075 - Course Adds & Drops

NOTE: For short-term classes please check the instructor’s syllabus for dropping requirements.

Withdrawing from Classes

Withdrawing is ending enrollment in a class between about the 20% point and the 75% point of the semester. A withdrawal is recorded as a “W” and is a permanent symbol on the student’s academic record. It is included in progress probation and disqualification determination.

Students are responsible for officially withdrawing from a course they no longer wish to attend. Students may drop classes online on Self-Service or in the Admissions & Records Office on the Chula Vista campus, or the Higher Education Centers at National City, Otay Mesa, or San Ysidro. Students who do not withdraw from a course in a timely manner may incur a financial obligation in addition to a substandard grade.

Students must withdraw from a course prior to the end of the second week of the semester to be eligible for a refund. Students must withdraw from classes prior to the beginning of the third week of the semester to ensure there will be no record of their enrollment and no “W” withdrawal grade on their transcript.

Students who withdraw from a course from the third week through the twelfth week of the regular semester  will receive a “W” grade. After the withdrawal deadline, students must be assigned a grade (A, B, C, D, F, P, NP, or I).

Independent Study

Independent Study classes are listed in the catalog by discipline with the designation number 299. Students must submit an Independent Study petition during the first three (3) weeks of the semester or the first (1st) week of summer session.

To be eligible for an Independent Study class, a student must:

• Be enrolled in at least one other graded course
• Have completed at least one course in the subject or related areas or have demonstrated competence in the area in which the student wishes to study
• Be in good academic standing (minimum of 2.0 cumulative G.P.A.) and non-probationary status
• Have not completed more than one Independent Study course in the same discipline per the Governing Board procedure 4227 - Repeatable Courses. (i.e- Art, Biology, Business, etc.)
• Have not completed more than 9 units in Independent Study

Independent Study projects must meet the same academic standards as the standard course. Instructors must be willing to meet with the student for a time period that is at least equivalent to that commonly available to students in courses conducted by other instructional methods (BP & AP 4101 and Title 5 Section 55230).