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We welcome Johnnies who withdrew from the college to return home to St. John’s.
Learn more about the readmission process and application.
Students who are considering withdrawing from the college should weigh the decision carefully. Friends, student residents, tutors, or members of the administrative staff should be consulted before making a final decision.
If a student withdraws prior to the 3/4-point of any class, the withdrawal will result in no academic credit for the class. A “W” will appear on the transcript. If a student withdraws after the 3/4-point of any class, a grade of “F” will be assigned, credited and appear on the student’s transcript. Like the assignment of an “F” due to a violation of the attendance policy, the “F” is considered an academic failure, not an administrative consequence. In such cases, an appeal to the Dean to receive a “W” is possible if there are mitigating circumstances.
For those students who have withdrawn after the seventh week of the term, tutors will convene a don rag for the withdrawn student as scheduled. The quality of the student’s work up until the point of his or her withdrawal will be reported on and whenever possible, a letter grade for this work will be assigned. This not-for-credit grade will not appear on the student’s transcript, but like the narrative don rag report, it will become part of the student’s academic file.
Untimely withdrawals may involve considerable financial disadvantage, especially for those receiving financial assistance. Refund policies for tuition, room, and board are described in the Student Handbook. Consequences regarding financial aid awards should be discussed with the Director of Financial Aid.
If a decision to withdraw has been made, the student should obtain a withdrawal form from the Registrar and make an appointment for an exit interview with the Assistant Dean. It is very important to follow the formal procedure for withdrawal because, otherwise, questions of refunds or debts to the college will not have been resolved. Parents or guardians of dependent students who withdraw may be notified.
A student intending to leave the college at the conclusion of any semester should inform the Registrar of that fact as early as possible. It is difficult for the college to plan for the upcoming semester without full information about student intentions.
A leave of absence releases the student from their studies for a period of up to one year. Upon the conclusion of a leave of absence, the student is entitled to resume their studies according to the regular policies and procedures of the college provided that the student remains in good standing. The leave of absence policy is intended to provide a short-term, temporary break from a student’s studies when circumstances make it difficult or impossible for a student to maintain continuous enrollment. Examples of cases where a leave of absence may be warranted include military service*, family emergencies, medical necessity, specialized study at another institution, etc.
Students who wish to take a leave of absence must seek permission to do so from the assistant dean and specify the beginning of the leave requested and their anticipated return. Leave of absence requests should be submitted no later than the 11th week of classes to meet the deadline for grades to default to a W rather than an F. The assistant dean will determine whether a leave of absence is warranted and may make this decision in collaboration with the dean. If leave is granted, the student will not be considered to have withdrawn from the college, and the student is not required to apply for readmission. To resume their studies, the student must only pay the advance deposit for the semester in which they return by that semester’s deposit due date. Failure to pay the deposit by the due date may result in the student being required to complete an application for readmission before being permitted to resume their studies. A leave of absence may be renewed once, upon approval by the assistant dean or dean. In the case of a student leaving for medical reasons, the assistant dean may require a medical or mental health provider’s evaluation and recommendation before the student’s return.
If granted, a one-year leave of absence begins at the conclusion of the final semester completed by the student and ends at the beginning of the next semester not yet completed by the student, even if the student withdraws during a semester they have not completed. To be eligible for a leave of absence, a student must have completed at least one semester of studies. In exceptional cases, a leave of absence may be granted retroactively upon the recommendation of the vice president of student engagement with the agreement of the dean. A student who wishes to request a retroactive leave of absence should apply according to the usual process and note the effective date that they are requesting as well as the reason for requesting a retroactive leave.
Please note that there are potential financial ramifications for taking a leave of absence that each student should consider before making a decision. Any refund of tuition, fees, room, board, etc. will be subject to the college’s normal refund calendar. In most cases, applying for a leave of absence during the semester does not entitle a student to a refund except insofar as outlined in the Refund Policy. Students should meet with the Student Accounts, Financial Aid, and Registrar’s offices to discuss the impacts of taking leave. Potential impacts include the following:
* In accord with federal regulation, a student who is called to active duty in the United States armed forces during a semester in which they are enrolled may withdraw from that semester and receive a full refund on all tuition and mandatory fees as well as a prorated refund on room and board (if applicable) based on their last date of attendance. This notification may be given retroactively if the giving of such notice is precluded by military necessity. For further details on this policy applying to these circumstances, please consult the Financial Aid Office.
