Schedule Changes

Most schedule changes can be made in your plus.hope.edu account beginning registration week and through the first week of classes.

After the initial registration week, online registration pauses for a short time while waitlists are reviewed by departments. Online registration reopens shortly after. When it reopens, you will be able to add any open course, waitlist for any closed/waitlisted course, and drop any course.

Once you have registered for classes, the easiest way to make changes to your schedule is manually, rather than via the Schedule Planner. Using your Printable Term Schedule in plus.hope.edu, along with the class schedule, make a note of the CRNs you want to change. Then make the changes manually in the Register for Classes and Add/Drop Classes screen in plus.hope.edu (the menu items are: Registrar and Student Accounts, then Registration, then Register for Classes and Add/Drop Classes).

If a course is closed or has a waitlist, you should waitlist for it. This is the best and most accurate way that departments can see their course demand. Instructions for waitlisting and details about waitlist notifications are here.

TIMELINE FOR FALL 2025 SCHEDULE CHANGES

Online registration reopens, automated waitlisting begins	April 9 at 11 a.m.	Online registration reopens at 11 a.m. and automated waitlisting will begin. Students who are first on waitlists for courses that have open seats will receive email notifications, inviting them to add the course. You can also make changes to your schedule at this time or register for classes if you haven't already. You can add open courses, waitlist for closed/waitlisted courses, and drop courses.
Automated waitlisting ends	August 27 at 5 p.m.	Automated waitlisting will be disabled. If you've received a waitlist notification before this time, you will still be able to add your notified class, until your deadline. You can still add yourself to existing waitlists during this time, but you will not be notified if a seat opens up in a class, and you will not be able to add the class online.
Online registration closes	August 29 at 5 p.m.	Online registration and schedule changes in plus.hope.edu will no longer be available for the semester. Schedule changes can only be made with email permissions from instructors and advisors, using the Schedule Change Form.
Deadline to drop or add first-half and full semester courses	September 3 at 5 p.m.	Final deadline to drop or add full semester and first-half courses.
Deadline to drop or add last-half semester courses	October 22 at 5 p.m.	Final deadline to drop or add last-half courses.

Courses can only be dropped and added until the drop/add deadline. Future deadlines are listed on the Academic Calendar. After the deadline, you can only withdraw from a course for a W grade (see below). The course will remain on your record and your billing will not change. It is your responsibility to know the deadlines.

WITHDRAWING FROM A COURSE

Withdrawing from a course is different than dropping a course, and it is different than withdrawing completely from Hope. Withdrawing from a course means you no longer attend the course, but you made the decision after the drop/add deadline.

There are times when withdrawing from a course is an appropriate option. For example, sometimes when you’re doing poorly in a course or not able to keep up with the workload, withdrawing is your best option. This can prevent a low grade from affecting your academic record and can allow you to focus on your other courses.

IMPLICATIONS

ACADEMIC RECORD

Withdrawing from a course is different than dropping. When you withdraw, the course remains on your record with a W grade. This is a non-penalty grade; it does not affect your GPA. Even if you retake the course, the W remains for that semester. One or two W grades are not cause for alarm. However, repeatedly withdrawing from courses may affect graduate school and career opportunities. Talk to your academic advisor and/or potential graduate school.

TIME

You do not earn credit for the course from which you withdraw. This may extend the time and cost to finish your degree.

MONEY

You are still charged for the course from which you withdraw; there is no refund. Your attempted credits for the semester will remain the same, although your earned hours at the end of the semester will be reduced.

FINANCIAL REGULATIONS

Federal regulations require that students make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) towards the completion of their degree. Withdrawing will affect SAP and possibly jeopardize financial aid in future terms. Students who fall behind in their coursework, fail to achieve minimum GPA standards and/or fail the completion of classes risk losing their eligibility for federal and state financial aid. It may also affect external and Hope College scholarships, grants and/or loans. Talk to Financial Aid about how withdrawing from a course affects your personal financial aid package.

BEFORE FINALIZING YOUR DECISION

Check with your course instructor and/or advisor about alternatives to withdrawing.
Visit the Academic Success Center to learn about:
- Tutoring
- Academic advising and coaching
- Supplemental instruction
- General study skills
- Study skills tutoring
Check with Financial Aid about aid in future terms.
If you are an athlete, talk to Athletics about how withdrawing may affect your athletic eligibility.

HOW TO WITHDRAW FROM A COURSE

Get email permission to withdraw from the course from the course instructor and from your advisor.
Fill out the Schedule Change Form. Upload screenshots of your permissions to the form. Once we receive your request and all required permissions, we will process it and email you a confirmation.
Be sure to submit the form and all required permissions by the withdrawal deadline listed on the Academic Calendar.

PASS/FAIL OPTION

The grading policy page has more information about changing a course to pass/fail.