First impressions aren’t supposed to be the deciding factor of whether you like something. 

But for me, they mean everything when it relates to add/drop week. 

My classes are usually only scheduled twice a week, so the add/drop period doesn’t give me enough class time to decide whether I like the professor – let alone the material. 

USF Policy 10-006 defines add/drop week as the first week of each semester where students can add or remove classes without academic penalties or fees.

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Beyond add/drop week, students can still add or remove classes up to the tenth week without academic penalty, but they are liable for tuition fees and will receive a “W” for withdrawal on their transcript.

Students should have more time to add and drop classes without penalty fees in order to have the best understanding of their class before they make up their mind.

If I were to add/drop a class at this point in the semester, my tuition would not be reimbursed. 

Why should I have to pay for a class I’m not even participating in? This money could be used for a different class I’d rather be in.

Not to mention the headache that comes with adding a class late after having dropped another one. 

After the first 10 weeks of the semester, students have to file an Academic Regulation Committee (ARC) petition to add or withdraw from a class.

“With an ARC petition, students could do a late add but that would require approval from the ARC and from instructors,” said Naya Daley, an enrollment management assistant in the Office of Registration at USF. 

But even then there is no guarantee the petition will be accepted, Daley said. 

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Most professors usually don’t dive into content until the add/drop week is over, leaving me no time to reflect on my feelings about the class until it’s too late. 

The first week of class is only for syllabi and icebreakers, so students don’t truly know what they’re getting into until the add/drop period has ended.

And some students may want to change classes after seeing more of what their professor’s teaching style is like.

“Last semester I had a class where the professor’s teaching style was hard to follow, and it was a three-hour-long class,” said Brooklyn Wheat, a junior in IPRA. “Everyone learns differently, and I didn’t know I didn’t like my teacher’s style until it was too late.”

An extension could also help professors too, allowing them the chance to get to know their students without the immediate pressure that they may drop the class.

Students are already overwhelmed with deadlines during the first week of school. The stress of registration deadlines is just another thing to add to their plate. 

At the end of the day, if students have to pay for their classes, then they shouldn’t have to rush to curate their perfect schedule.