Texan Mosaic

By Elizabeth Hamilton

     Buckle up SPC Texans!  Midterms have ended.  April 25 is the last day to drop classes for the spring semester at South Plains College.  With that date looming, the spring semester is about to kick into high gear.

     Daniel Wright, an academic advisor at the South Plains College Lubbock Downtown Center, estimates that three to four students visit his office every week seeking to drop their classes.

     “Once we hit midterms,” Wright says, “it can be higher. Possibly eight to ten a week.”

     Andrew Ruiz, SPC’s registrar, offers even broader statistics. “We have between 1,500 to 2,000 drops and withdrawals per semester,” Ruiz says.

     Of course, there can be many reasons why a student may choose to drop a class before the drop date.  Everything from being overwhelmed with grades, to scheduling changes and problems in their personal lives.

     But is that always the best plan? Wright says no.

     “I encourage students to wait,” he says. “Don’t just drop because it’s hard. Life is hard.”

     Instead of an immediate drop-fix, Wright says the SPC advising office offers a coaching method to help students in their classes. Students can set up a plan to meet with an advisor once a month, he says, to discuss obstacles they are facing and how to overcome them.

     “Sometimes they just really need somebody to hear them out and just say ‘I can do this.’ Or have somebody believe in them,” Wright says.

     Some professors offer similar advice. Chris Trobridge, SPC assistant professor of history, says, “Oftentimes you are not in the hole as deep as you think you are. There is a way out of a poor grade to a better grade. As soon as you start getting grades that you are not happy with, speak with the professor.”

     Professors are usually easy enough to contact through email and office hours, but Trobridge says students don’t reach out very often.

     “Rarely do I have students visit with me before they drop,” Trobridge says, “even though at the beginning of the semester I strongly suggest that before you drop, you come talk to me.”

     He says one reason why he thinks students don’t use office hours is because they are intimidated.

     “I wish they weren’t because most of us actually want to help the student,” he says, “but for whatever reason, they are intimidated.”

     Students may wonder, when the right time is to drop a class.   Ruiz suggests students don’t make a decision too soon.

     “We want students to have a firm grasp on how they are doing in a course before deciding to drop,” Ruiz says, “A lot of the time, it is not until late in the semester when a student can truly see how they are doing in a class.”

     If someone is considering dropping a class, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

     Trobridge says, “I encourage students, not just here – but in everything, talk to bosses, professors, etcetera.  Ask for help. Be open to guidance and suggestions. If you do that, things will become easier. You’ll understand better what we’re looking for.”

     Also, keep in mind the last day to drop a class is April 25. Ruiz says students are not allowed to drop a class after that deadline.

     Students can drop a class by filling out a student drop form, on the SPC website.

     You can find the form by going to Admissions & Records under Student Services on the SPC main webpage. 

  Next, click on the Student Forms link on the right side of the page.

 Finally, click on the Student Initiated Drop Form under the Forms list.

   But before you do that, think about it. Weigh your options. Look at the calendar.  

   April 25 will be here before you know it.