You have the option to drop a course in ACORN by the drop deadline. If you are facing extenuating circumstances that impacted your academic progress and you did not drop the course by the drop deadline, you have two options:
- You can drop the course by requesting late withdrawal (LWD) after the drop date through your College Registrar's Office.
- You can submit a petition for withdraw without academic penalty petition. Typically, a withdrawal without academic penalty petition is used when no other type of petition request (like term work extension or a deferred final exam) are appropriate.
An example of extenuating circumstances would be if you were diagnosed with a debilitating or life-threatening chronic illness during the term for which you were receiving treatment.
A withdrawal without academic penalty petition is not granted if you have completed the course (i.e., you submitted the final assignment or attempted the final exam). If you choose to finish the course, you have decided to accept the outcome despite the circumstances you experienced. It is always recommended that you seek advice from your College Registrar’s Office.
If you have been sanctioned for an academic offence under the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters, you are not eligible for a withdrawal without academic penalty petition.
If your petition is granted, your transcript will show a WDR notation instead of a grade. Courses with a WDR notation do not count towards your GPA or number of credits. Neither LWD nor WDR entitles you to a tuition fee refund.
Deadline to Submit a Withdrawal Without Academic Penalty Petition
The deadline to submit a petition for withdrawal without academic penalty (WDR) depends on the session.
- For Fall/Winter Session courses, the deadline is the following November 15. For example, the deadline to submit a petition for WDR for a course taken in Fall 2024/Winter 2025 is November 15, 2025.
- For Summer Session courses, the deadline is the following February 28/29. For example, the deadline to submit a petition for WDR for a course taken in Summer 2024 is February 28/29, 2025.
All supporting documentation must be submitted within three weeks after the petition submission or the petition deadline, whichever is later.
Personal Statement for a Withdrawal Without Academic Penalty Petition
In addition to the recommendations listed in Preparing a Petition, you should explain in your personal statement the extenuating circumstances that prevented you from dropping the course by the drop deadline and include the following:
- Explain the precise timeline of events, including when your extenuating circumstances started and steps you took leading up to preparing your petition.
- Outline any support you sought to remedy these circumstances (e.g., connecting with your College Registrar, Accessibility Services, a mental health professional, etc.) and what the outcome was.
- Mention if you stopped engaging in the course (e.g., when you stopped going to classes, submitting assignments, writing tests, etc.).
- Outline any special consideration provided by your instructor(s) (e.g., make-up tests or extensions) during the course.
- Explain why you did not seek another remedy (e.g., LWD, term work extension petition, deferred exams petition, etc.).
- If you completed the final assignment or attempted the final exam, explain why you made this decision given the circumstances you were facing.
- If your documentation is not dated during the time of the extenuating circumstances, explain why.
- If you do not have documentation to support certain information reported in your personal statement, be sure to explain why such documentation could not be obtained.
Supporting Documentation for a Withdrawal Without Academic Penalty Petition
In addition to the guidelines listed in Preparing a Petition, you must submit documentation that supports the information provided in your personal statement. For example, if your personal statement reports that you were diagnosed with a chronic illness during the course preventing you from engaging in the work, you must provide a Verification of Illness or Injury (VOI) form dated during the course, or doctor’s note indicating a diagnosis that impacted your academic progress.
In addition to the supporting documentation you provide, the faculty will review other relevant documentation it has access to, such as your marks breakdown for the relevant course(s) and your academic transcript. They may also contact your college or course instructor for further information.