Getting into college is just the first step of a college degree, and graduating is another challenge entirely. About one-third of students drop out along the way, so if you quit after your freshman year, you’re not alone.
Students leave college for all kinds of reasons, experts say, with financial stress topping the list. Other reasons include academic struggles, emotional stress, medical issues, substance abuse and feeling unsure about what to major in.
Sometimes the financial stress of college causes poor mental health,according to a recent Healthy Minds study by the American Council on Education.
Dropping out doesn’t mean you can’t go back and successfully earn your degree. In fact, many students who return after time away feel more motivated, focused and directed.
“I love working with these students,” says Shannon McNeal, assistant director of academic services for retention and academic coaching at Roanoke College in Virginia. “What I do in strategic advising includes looking for ways to build their confidence.”
[Read: Dropping Out of College: Why Students Do So and How to Avoid It.]
If you’ve been wondering about how to go back to college after dropping out, here are some tips for success.
Figure Out Your Why
You’re most successful when you’ve identified your reasons for going back to college, experts say. Do you need a specific credential for your career goals? Are you aiming to open employment doors?
Maybe you won’t feel complete without following through.
“Understanding the why will help students use this purpose as motivation towards completing their degree and educational goals,” Brett Bruner, assistant vice president of student success and persistence at Wichita State University in Kansas, wrote in an email.
Decide Where to Apply
Returning to your old college might make sense, but it may require writing an appeal and demonstrating evidence of success, such as a job or community college classes, McNeal says, depending on why you left.
Also, consider the emotional impact or logistical difficulty of returning to the same school where you encountered problems.
“For some students, whatever went wrong at the first school might have poisoned that well for them,” says Hanna Stotland, an independent college consultant who helps students pursue higher education following challenges like mental illness, substance abuse, suspension or expulsion.
Students who developed substance abuse issues, failed classes or were accused of something like academic or sexual misconduct may not want to or be allowed to return to their original college. The reasons for leaving might dictate the kind of college you apply to, Stotland says.
If you have new academic goals, financial considerations or other circumstances — like becoming a parent — you may want to cast a wider net. You might be better served by an institution offering a program not available at your original college, online classes or part-time pathways.
Some colleges offer programs designed specifically for returning students, like the Ada Comstock Scholars Program at Smith College in Massachusetts. So if you’re interested in a returning-student program, look for colleges that offer them, Stotland says.
[Read: What Academic Probation Is and How to Avoid It.]
Do Your Research
Once you’ve chosen a school or schools to consider, explore degrees offered, how to transfer credits, eligibility for financial aid — including potential scholarships for transfer students, which may be limited — and campus services.
Sometimes the reason you left will have resolved in the time you took off, but successful students make good use of mental health and career and academic services even when they feel solid. Find out what’s offered.
Suspension for poor grades will require specific steps to remedy. “Learn what the process is,” McNeal says.
Even if you crashed and burned within the first month of college, you’ll probably need to share the transcript from that college to enroll at another, Stotland says. If your grades are low, you may want to bring them up at a community college before applying to a four-year college.
Wherever you apply, determine if you’ll be considered a transfer student and what those eligibility requirements are.
Address the Original Challenge
It’s important to understand what got in your way. Financial struggles? Emotional? Whichever the reason for leaving college, consider how you’ll handle the issue when you’re back.
Sometimes a student “believes they struggled with mental health when in fact it was a developmental and environmental issue,” says Eric Wood, director of counseling and mental health at Texas Christian University.
For example, a student who felt isolated or struggled with academics due to underdeveloped study skills might think they suffered from depression, Wood says. But maturity, engaging with the campus community and a plan to manage academics may solve the original sources of stress.
McNeal normalizes challenges and helps students understand that struggle is part of the college journey. “When I talk to students, we do some reflection on what went wrong, and they can usually pinpoint certain things,” she says.
[READ: 4 Tips for College Success]
Articulate Your Plan
Generally, returning students will complete the same application as new students, though some schools may have a streamlined application process for readmitting students, Stotland says. College officials may want to know how you intend to manage a past personal challenge because the same stressors may crop up again.
You may not need to address your reasons for leaving, but if you decide to, the balancing act is to be clear about what happened without going overboard on details, Stotland says.
Reflect and make amends but don’t grovel, she recommends. You might note your ongoing substance abuse treatment or mental health care and the plans you’ve put in place, while remembering you have a right to medical privacy.
Create a Support System and Stay Organized
Once you’re successfully re-enrolled, commit to making the most of your college experience.
“Students should take advantage of wraparound services on campus such as tutoring and learning centers, success coaches, etc. to help them design their life and practices,” Bruner says.
He recommends setting one to two short-term goals to accomplish the first semester. Besides academic goals, “these might include how you want to connect with others, discerning areas of academic interest and identifying what you will do when you reach stressful points during the semester,” he says.
Also, consider how you’ll spend your free time and explore organizations to get involved in, Wood says. McNeal counsels her students to attend class every day. “Get to know your professors and advisers and know where the help is,” she says.
If you’re low-income or have a child, explore the student services or student affairs office to understand basic needs services, available public benefits like the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), child care options and other help for parents. Many campuses have a basic needs coordinator and may be able to help you with paperwork.
College requires autonomy, and self-advocacy and solid life skills are critical to doing well. “The biggest mistake people make is not being intentional about self-care, or they engage in negative ways of coping, like avoidance and procrastination,” Wood says.
As you embark, don’t forget to celebrate your wins, experts say.
“Returning to college to complete your degree is a major milestone to be proud of in your educational journey,” Bruner says.
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How to Go Back to College After Dropping Out originally appeared on usnews.com
