How Do I Go Back To College After Dropping Out

Reapplying To University After Dropping Out

For those who drop out of university, it can initially feel like the end of the world. After working so hard to earn those grades to get in to university, only to then discover that the course, or even the university itself, isnt right for you can be very distressing.

Many students in this situation decide to take some time out and reapply the following year. However, this reapplying process raises many questions about whether dropping out has any impact on future applications. We want to clarify some of the myths around this rarely discussed but very common situation in 2012/13 over 32,000 students dropped out, with almost 7,500 of those subsequently transferring to another university.

Things To Consider Before Dropping Out Of College

Wondering if dropping out of college is the right thing to do?

Well, you are NOT alone.

With so many super successful entrepreneurs having dropped out of college before they get a degree, I can see why you are having these thoughts.

The question for me is not only if dropping out of college is correct.

You should also ask yourself what will you do in the real world, after you drop out of college.

In this guide, I am going to answer all your questions.

Please, read it through the end it may change your decision.

Seek The Help Of A Career Counselor

If you are unsure of your next steps, consider speaking with a career counselor. They can help you find out what your passions and goals are and create a new path for you. A career counselor can help you decide what jobs you qualify for based on your current experience and education. Counselors may also offer suggestions on how to continue in your current career path without a college degree.

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Submit Your College Application

Unless you are granted an exception as a returning student, you will have to fill out a college application to get accepted. Read it through properly and make sure that you fill out all of the fields, so it doesnt get rejected or held up.

You will also likely have to submit proof of your high school graduation, G.E.D., and transcripts. Some schools require evidence of your test scores, and many of them like to see letters of recommendation.

What To Know About Going Back To School

As you think about going back to school, keep in mind that you are not alone, and you may be able to find encouragement and new friends in other adult college students. Some schools offer specific resources for older students like specialized orientations or student groups that can help you meet other experienced students.

You also may have more options than younger students. By having specific goals in mind for your college time, you can choose classes for your expertise and streamline your path to a diploma or take electives that can help you in other areas of your life. Money saved from working might allow you to take out fewer loans and save money on tuition, and you can also save money by living off campus.

Returning to college can differ greatly from attending college as a recent high school graduate. You may have unique perspectives and priorities from the other students, but your time in college can provide you with the same opportunities to meet new people and widen your perspective.

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What Are The Top 3 Reasons Why Students Are Dropping Out Of College

Image by: educationdata.org

It is well known that college students feel that financial obligation and is no wonder why is the number 1 reason for a college dropout. Some of these statistics are low-income students that are more in need of scholarships, federal loans, or grants.

Here are a few things every dropout should understand:

Make The Most Of Your Opportunity

If you’re feeling lonely and struggling to make friends, there are plenty of university societies and sports teams to join. There will be many people in these groups ready to make friends and welcome you in. If you’ve come to university and find you struggle with social anxiety, this might be a good time to seek out professional help via your student welfare officer who can help you get over your fears and make the most of your time at university.

Most importantly, dont make any hasty decisions think things through properly.

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Look Within And Start Reading

Whether you’re starting college at 40, 30 or somewhere else on the age spectrum, school is an adjustment. For older students, the odds of completing a new degree are intimidating, especially for part-timers. A study published by Complete College America in 2017 showed that just 6.9 percent of part-time students seeking associate degrees graduated within four years. At the bachelor’s level, 15.9 percent of part-timers attending non-flagship public schools graduated in eight years.

One reason why adult students may get derailed is because many don’t have a clear idea of how the new credential fits into their future career plans, says R. Lee Viar IV, president of the Association for Nontraditional Students in Higher Education and author of “The Nontraditional Learner’s Guide to Success.” Some simply are out of practice when it comes to studying.

“You need to start practicing,” Viar says. “Start reading. Start getting yourself into that modality of reading because there’s going to be a boatload of reading that you’re going to be doing.”

Taking no-cost online classes before you go back to college, such as through Khan Academy, EdX or iTunes U can give you a taste of what it’s like to return to the classroom.

Can I Apply To College After Academic Dismissal

Whether or not you can apply to, and be accepted into, a college after academic dismissal hinges primarily on the college and their policy on punishing students. Often you will be allowed to return to campus if you can prove that you have changed and take your education seriously.

Often students fall by the wayside when they are younger and come back as more disciplined adult students.

If you were ejected from college for a different reason, like a criminal act, you might not be able to return to the same school. Check with the school of your choice before making any decisions. Often, if a student commits a criminal act during their initial time in college, they are considered a juvenile and the act is removed from their record.

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This isnt always the case, but its certainly worth checking if you think a youthful offense could hinder your chances of being accepted into the school of your choice.

The other factor to consider is whether or not you want to go back to the same school. If years have passed between the time you were dismissed and your bid to re-enter the school, there shouldnt be a problem. On the other hand, if its only been a semester or two, you might be embarrassed and not want to go back to the same school.

Trust your instinct on this one.

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Can I Leave Part Way Through My Course

There’s no obligation for you to complete a course you’ve started. However, before you officially state your intention to leave, you should continue attending your lectures and seminars. If you change your mind and decide to stay, you’ll regret missing classes and may suffer in terms of handing in assignments and sitting exams.

As you consider your options, it’s worth talking them through with a student support officer or careers adviser. They can discuss the pros and cons of changing or leaving your course and help you to come up with a viable career plan for once you’ve left.

If you decide to leave, you’ll need to meet with your personal tutor to inform them of your plans. You’ll then need to obtain and fill out the necessary withdrawal forms provided by your faculty office. Only when these have been submitted and approved can you arrange an official leaving date with your department.

Once this date is set, you’ll need to contact Student Finance to formalise your intentions with them. They’ll get in touch with you further down the line to discuss the financial side of dropping out of university.

If you’re leaving in your second or third year, it’s worth checking with your department to see if the time you’ve already put into your course makes you eligible for any certificates or diplomas – see our guide to qualifications.

Is Dropping Out Of College Worth It

Some people decide to drop out of college because of the debt that comes with studying and they would argue that by not having the debt they feel as though they are freer so they may feel it is worth it to drop out of college as if the course isnt working out for them the money, they will have to pay back is certainly a reason to drop out.

Other people decide to drop out because they find their course challenging. For instance, some med students drop out when they have done 4/5 years as they dont believe they can handle the work-load. For them, dropping out of college may not be worth it as they have to pay back the money, they have been loaned for the 4/5 years and subsequently find a job that most likely wont pay them as much as they would be paid if they had continued with their course.

Ultimately, for different people different factors will make dropping out worth it. On the whole, most people dont decide to drop out of the course that theyre doing however, if you do decide you can still lead a successful life, if you have thoroughly considered what it is that you wish to pursue in life.

You may want to check out this student article to aid your decision:

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Withdrawing From Your Course

Once your uni or college lets Student Finance England know youve withdrawn, theyll reassess your student finance based on the number of days you attended your course.

Theyll stop any future payments to you and your uni or college, and send you a new student finance entitlement letter. Depending on the date you withdrew, and when your uni or college lets Student Finance England know, you may be overpaid.

Lack Of Financial Support

If you have financial support from your family, this can make college inaccessible from a monetary standpoint, especially if you want to avoid going into debt from student loans. That said, a lot of universities offer scholarships, bursaries and financial aid to struggling students. You may want to look into available options before dropping out for financial reasons.

College is not for everyone.

If you are trying your best, devoting time in your degree, and getting for help from peers, tutors, and professors, but are still struggling to fit into academia, it may be time to consider taking an alternative course. That said, you may simply be in the wrong faculty and could succeed in a different field of study.

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Find A Certification Program

Now this one is cool and we just had to include it because Ive never seen anything like it before.

Certification programs exist in fields where the education system hasnt caught up with demand.

Mainly technology, and thats a great thing. That means there are companies that only want to know that you know how to solve their problems.

Google has come out with an IT Support Professional Certificate program that prepares you for a career in IT in just 8 months.

Guess how much it costs?

$49 per month for 8 months

I wish I was making this up. You get the knowledge necessary to make at least $50,000 per year with virtually no debt.

Also, look for online courses and mini-degrees in websites like Udacity or Udemy

Image Source: Udacity

And rest assured that you can get the skill set that you need to find a good job without needing a college degree.

There are certificate programs all over the country that focus on low-cost education that teach you a specific skill.

And some companies are in such desperate need to fill the roles that a Bachelors degree is not necessary.

These types of programs are worth looking into.

To sum up, everything weve talked about in this article, I love this Ryan Holiday quote the best. Because the truth is, there is no wrong decision.

Theres regret and personally, I would rather risk something and be wrong.

Theres nothing worse to me than looking back and wishing I could have done something different.

S To A Successful Return To College

Going back to college requires learners to complete the steps below. Following this process helps create a plan, obtain financial assistance, select a program, and transfer credit. Admissions counselors and financial aid advisors help incoming degree-seekers with these and other tasks. Family and friends may also play a significant role in supporting students’ academic journeys.

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Dropouts Who Successfully Complete College

Even under the best circumstances, about 40% of students enrolled in a bachelors degree drop out within 6 years. Among these, a small percentage of them re-enter college years later as adult independent students.

Non-traditional adult students face the biggest challenges in completing college, but there are some factors that can greatly increase the odds in their favor:

1) Working professionals in in-demand fields such as business, healthcare or information technology are likely to benefit the most upon completing college. They are also likely to have the higher motivation to rise above all the odds to work toward completing college as an adult student.

2) Employees whose employer pays for college have a much easier time in both paying for college and in having a supportive environment that encourages college. In such companies, there might be many employees in the same office or team studying at the same college which is a win-win for both the employees and the employer.

3) For non-working adult college students, having a supportive family or spouse who pays for college is a great determinant of success. Many couples have been known to support one another through college whereby one of them works while the other completes college and vice-versa.

The main reason for the high success rate at the degree completion colleges is the easy & unlimited credits transfer, lower fees, and many low-cost online & distance sources of college credits such as CLEP and so on.

College Just Isnt For You

College isnt for everyone, and if youre starting to feel like youre not in the right place, or this just isnt the right time for you to go to college, thats okay. If you decide to leave, take time to consider what youll do next, even if that means trying different things until you find what works for you.

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I Failed Out Of College Can I Start Over

Most of the time, you can return to a school that you failed out of. You simply need to meet with an academic advisor and talk to them about what happened during your previous attendance. Often, if you were much younger when you initially attended school, the advisor will chalk your previous experience up to being young and impulsive.

Older students are less likely to get swept up in the social college experience, and therefore at less of a risk of dropping out or failing again.

You should also personally consider the reasons why you failed out of college in the first place. Did you dislike your major? Did you take on too much? Did you get caught up in the allure of college life? The answers to these questions can help you on your journey moving forward, and allow you to make better changes for your future.

Review Your Current Situation

Before you re-enroll into college, you need to review the where, why, when, what and how of college, as follows:

• Where are you in your life and career at present? Is college something you can handle at this point in your life? Do you have the right mindset to focus on college with your other responsibilities?

• Why are you motivated now to complete college and will college have a positive impact on your job situation?

• Those who are already working in their chosen field will be able to utilize a lot of their knowhow from their work toward their degree. They are also likely to know which majors to choose for bettering their careers.

• If youre not currently working, the best way to figure out what degree you should choose is to match things youve been very good at in high school with in-demand fields with a lot of job opportunities.

• Healthcare, business and computer software are fields with good pay and a lot of job opportunities.

• Are you able to allot your evenings or weekends for college studies? Or does your job allow for longer seasonal holidays when you can spend time studying for college?

• What is the nature of your work and work timings? If you frequently have work deadlines or if your schedules are unpredictable, you might be better off choosing an online program.

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