<p>What exactly is the add/drop period? </p>
<p>What happens if you drop or add a class after the add/drop period? Do you get a bad grade on your transcript? </p>
<p>Whats the point of the add/drop period..? Why can't they let your drop classes whenever you want to?</p>
<p>Usually if they let you drop then you won't get a grade (except for possibly W meaning "Withdrawal") and your GPA won't be affected. The catch is, it's not always an automatic thing, and if it's too late you won't get permission to drop (if you stop attending class anyway, you'll just get an F). Check with your school though.</p>
<p>There is a certain day of the semester where you can still drop a class or add a class with out having it affect your transcript. After that date, you can no longer enter a new class, and any class you drop you will receive a 'W' grade for. Then after like the tenth week of the semester or so, you can no longer get a 'W' you must complete the course with whatever grade you are getting.</p>
<p>As far as the point of the add/drop period -- if there weren't a defined drop date, you could drop a class anytime you wanted, like after it was over. People would drop classes just because they didn't like their grades, which sort of defeats the purpose of giving grades.</p>
<p>And there's a defined add date to keep people from showing up to class for the first time in the middle of term, being totally lost, and doing poorly in the class.</p>
<p>At least at MIT, if you want to drop a class after drop date (which is pretty late -- about 2 weeks before final exams), you have to petition a committee with a very good reason for wanting to drop.</p>
<p>Usually it's at the beginning of the term, where you can switch around your schedule. This is so you can actually attend a few classes and see what they're like before you commit to taking it. It might sound good on paper but you might hate it; or you might want to try something new but aren't sure you will like it, etc.</p>