The decision to drop out of college may wind up being harder than the decision to attend in the first place. In the United States, about 40% of undergraduate students drop out, and 30% drop out before reaching their sophomore year. Dropping out of college is a big life decision. For some, it ends up working in their favor, whereas others may feel regret or lose out on opportunities.
There are many valid reasons why students choose to drop out of college. We’ll cover some of the most common reasons why this may be the decision you come to, as well as some consequences to consider before doing so.
If you’ve found yourself asking, “Should I drop out of college?” you may be in a temporary situation that has alternative resolutions to dropping out. Before making the jump, let’s consider some of the reasons you may want to drop out and other options available.
1. College is expensive
There’s no doubt that college is a financial investment that can be heavy to carry. Many students go into debt taking out loans to pay for college. Others may be overworked and underpaid while trying to afford their tuition bills. Although college can be expensive, it doesn’t have to be the reason to give up. There are options like financial aid to help you through.
Affordable options: Additionally, you can consider attending an affordable online institution like the University of the People. Here, you can earn your undergraduate or graduate degree across four disciplines at an accredited and tuition-free university.
2. Classes are hard
Struggling to get good grades could become disheartening. The academic level of college classes are made to be challenging because they are preparing you for real life. However, the adjustment from high school to college can be jarring and take some time to get used to. You have an array of course subjects, long lectures, lots of reading, assignments, and exams. It could all be enough pressure to decide to quit.
Ask for help: Before you give up, you must know that it’s acceptable to ask for help! A lot of colleges offer on-campus tutoring centers and teacher assistants who have office hours made to answer your questions. If you feel your needs are not being met, consider reaching out directly to your professor to discuss your concerns.
3. Don’t like the school
Perhaps you chose between attending various colleges and you have found yourself feeling unhappy with your choice. Many students feel alienated and face hurdles when trying to find their new group in a new environment. It could be that your roommate is too much to handle, or the school doesn’t have any sports teams and that was a big vision you held for your college experience. Instead of dropping out, you can give yourself some time to adjust, make an effort to make friends through social groups, or try to connect with people online.
Transfer units: If all else fails and you feel it’s time to leave the school, take a look at other colleges which may better suit your desires. In most cases, the units you’ve already completed won’t go to waste. Talk to your college academic counselors about transferring units and continuing your education at a new school.
4. Lack of value
Perhaps you’ve started college and you simply feel like it’s not worth it. You may have a business idea or opportunity that you are ready to take up. School could feel like a waste of time. After all, you’re investing a lot of money into classes, so you should leave with more than you came in knowing.
Reflect on life goals: Staying in school will be highly contingent on your life goals. If you wish to enter a profession like becoming a doctor or a lawyer, then school is a non-negotiable as you’ll need your degree. If, instead, you want to try to open your own business or work your way up in a trade, then only you will know whether the tradeoff of college will work for or against your favor.
5. Life circumstances
Sometimes, the choice to drop out of school is beyond your control. Your family member could have an emergency, you may have gotten sick, or you could be in a situation where you have to raise a family. Regardless of the reason, life circumstances can throw a wrench in your plans. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your dream of earning your higher education.
Flexible online options: If timing permits, you can consider enrolling in an online college. Online colleges tend to have more flexible schedules than their on-campus counterparts. This is because you can often learn at your own pace by logging into the school’s online portal to watch lectures and submit assignments.
Consequences of Dropping Out
Dropping out of college doesn’t always come with a clean break. For some, they’ll face consequences like:
Social stigma: Dropping out may also be frowned upon by others. Some people look down upon people who don’t have a college degree. Although the stigma continues to lessen over time, it still exists.
Less job opportunities: Depending on the industry you want to enter, many jobs will require that you have at least an associate’s degree to work
Less job security: When you have a degree, you have increased job security as you’re more likely to be hired over someone without a degree (all else being equal)
Things to Consider Before Dropping Out
If your decision has not been made final yet, there are some things to take into consideration before moving forward with your plan:
Can go back: Perhaps timing isn’t right. If you do decide dropping out is in your best interest now, then you should rest assured that you can always go back to college when the time is right.
Gap year: If your life situation has become overwhelming and you simply need a break, look into taking a gap year. During a gap year, you can travel, volunteer, work, or involve yourself in whatever endeavor you please. The best part is that gap years end up being life lessons and experiences that are not frowned upon.
Lessen workload: If your reason for dropping out is that classes are too hard and your workload is too much, then try to drop a class instead of dropping out. Adjust your schedule and give it a go before making a decision to leave the school entirely.
Follow your opinion: No matter what you decide, it’s most important to follow your own heart, mind, and gut. Only you know what you need to do to set yourself up in the best way possible for your life’s situation.
Learn a skill: Traditional college isn’t for everyone. Some people prosper more by enrolling in a trade school or learning a skill that can earn a living. This could apply to you!
Despite all alternatives, you could still come to realize that dropping out of college is the best path to take for you at this current time. To drop out, you’ll want to follow some important steps so that everyone is on the same page.
Here’s a checklist of steps for how to drop out of college:
Notify your family
Notify your college
Request a refund (you may be eligible to receive money back that you’ve paid for tuition and/or room and board)
Finish your semester (if you can finish the classes you started, it’ll help to keep your units in tact to transfer or return at a later date, should you please)
Arrange for financial changes
The Bottom Line
There are many things to consider before dropping out of college. For some students, alternative solutions like attending an affordable college or taking a year off could be all that’s needed to get them back in the groove. For others, dropping out of college is the path calling their name. Regardless of what you end up doing, be sure to take all you can into consideration before making such a big life decision.
At UoPeople, our blog writers are thinkers, researchers, and experts dedicated to curating articles relevant to our mission: making higher education accessible to everyone. Read More
