Consequences of Dropping Out of College 2024 Update

The question for me is not only if dropping out of college is the right decision; you should also ask yourself what you will do in the real world, after you drop out of college. This article will help clear the stress in your mind.

Are there any Reasons for Dropping out?

Of course yes! There are so many reasons for drop out. Below are good reasons for dropping out

1. Health Challenges

If you or a family member is experiencing health issues, it’s okay to focus on that first. College will always be there to return to after.

2. Good Work or Business

When you have a side hustle or a business that is taking off, and it could last long-term. If these benefits outweigh your costs of dropping out, take the road less traveled and stay committed to your new business.

3. Financial Reasons

College is an investment, so if you are unable to afford it, dropping out may be the best option. Keep in mind, however, that you can still apply for financial aid through scholarships, grants, work-study programs, loans, and even tuition-free colleges

4. Time Factor

Maybe, you’re just not ready for college yet. You can always drop out now, go build up the skills you feel you need to work on through online courses or community college before enrolling again.

5. End Line

You’re close to the end. If you have one or two semesters left, power through because you’ve already invested time, money and energy to get to where you are, so it makes sense to earn your degree.

6. Poor Grades

If you failed one course or did less well than expected, simply retake the class. This is not a strong enough reason to give up now.

7. It is Difficult

It’s absolutely true. College can be challenging and difficult given the coursework, amount of time, balancing your social life and work, but if you put in effort, you can and will succeed.

If you’re still not sure what to do next, seek assistance in making the decision. Whether you reach out to a trusted family member, professional, academic counselor or mentor, people with more life experience may be able to shed some light on your decision-making process.

After Dropping out of College, what can I do Next?

You are considering dropping out of college but you’re not sure what you’ll do with all the extra time, because you want to keep moving forward in life? The best next steps will depend on your ambitions and the reasons for your decision to drop out.

However, we have some few choices that will keep your life on track and moving forward if you’ve decided that college isn’t for you.

1. Start Working

There are certainly jobs that don’t require a degree. A lot of these are in the services, freelance, administrative fields, and they can be part or full-time jobs.

Talk to a career counselor and see what options are available or do some internet research. In our gig economy, it’s also possible to start a small business that offers a service or open an online business.

2. Continue Learning

Consider taking an online course to continue learning. There’s Massive Online Open Courses and even Facebook groups for people to learn new skills. YouTube is another option to perform self-study and learn new topics.

3. Join a Voluntary Service

There are many long and short-term volunteer services programs you can join to give back to a community and feel fulfilled, while also expanding your network and potentials even when finding a new passion for your future career path.

Also, both at home and abroad, volunteer programs are always a great option because while you help others, you’re also helping yourself. Here’s a great list of some trusted options for programs all around the world.

4. Freelance

If you have a special skill, like writing, music production, editing, video services, animation, development, etc., you can offer your services on freelance community websites like Fiverr or Upwork. Begin by filling out your profile and submitting proposals for jobs you find interesting.

5. Take a Break

If you have the funds to afford to do so, go travel, take some time to think. Maybe you’re not fully ready to drop out, you just want to take a break- consider a gap year before you fully leave college. (Link to gap year post)

6. Make Plans Ahead

Write down your short and long terms goals and the steps necessary to achieve them. Consider loan repayments and the impact. Read books or blogs for inspiration. Learn something new each week.

6. Reconsider College

Perhaps that college that you chose simply wasn’t a good fit for you, whether the cost was too high or you lost interest in the degree you were pursuing, it’s never too late to try again.

However, if you want to try again, there are tuition-free colleges that allow you to transfer the credits you earned and pay zero dollars for coursework (like University of the People).

How to Drop out of College

When you have finally made a choice, follow the methodical approach below to make sure that you are not taking a hurried decision or compromising your future.

1. Inform your family

The first and foremost thing you should do is notify your family.

They need to know why you’re thinking about dropping out of college, what your next plan is and how you’d like them to support your decision.

2. Inform the College

To drop out of college, you need to follow a specific set of steps. The college adviser, counselor or even your professor should be able to help explain them to you.

In most cases, when you notify the college, they ask you to withdraw by formally stating your intention in writing. They also note the official date of withdrawal along with some other paperwork.

3. Round up your Semester

If you’re midway through a semester, it is a good idea to consider finishing the semester. Since you’ve most likely already paid for the semester and have gone through most of your classes, completing it only makes sense.

It might seem like a stretch but when you drop off, the semester at which you do get noted. If you’re someone who is considering dropping out of college to start their own business, read our post on should entrepreneurs go to college?