Based on a disagreement with a friend...

[lightningxsnow]

Should colleges email or otherwise directly contact students to remind them of the last day they can drop a course without penalty? Or is having it on an easy-to-find section of the website adequate?

Comments

[mofoburrell]

For me the ideal approach would be for them to offer an online calendar (like a Google calendar or something) so you can integrate it in with the rest of your scheduling easily if you want.

[chasing_breezes]

My Uni does this, it's really handy.

[bdoing]

I'm a little surprised to find that there's a consensus so far, but I agree with it. :P

[maideleh]

Every college I've attended has listed it on the academic calendar for the semester. Emails seem ridiculously hand-holding for college students.

[coritiacus]

They should tell them at the start of the course, and then have it available on the website. Not every student needs to know, and if they are dropping a course for whatever reason it's their own responsibility to find that information.

[leskay]

Most profs have no idea, myself included. We tend to know things relevant to ourselves and no one tells us these things.

[mofoburrell]

Oh god, I'm hopeless with anything administrative.

"Is this the last date to add a course?" "Uhhh...."
"Our final exam is on the 18th, right?" "Uhhh...."
"Is this class a prerequisite for 4412?" "Uhhh...."

[leskay]

LOL, seriously. The students (especially freshmen) expect you to be omnipotent. Last week, one of my classes wanted to know why they weren't offering X class next semester and what they were going to do to graduate because it was a required course and blah blah blah. I was like, uh, well, I've never even heard of the course and have zero idea what you need to do to graduate so go talk to Y. Good luck with all that! :D haha. Ah well.