CAREERS & EDUCATION HIGHER LEARNING
Thinking of leaving school?
S
Don’t drop out until you are certain it’s the right decision
tudents leave post-secondary school for many reasons — and sometimes it is the right decision, but sometimes it is a mistake. Leaving school before completion has many possible consequences, including financial loss and an incomplete or poor academic record. Nonetheless, sometimes it is a good decision to leave in order to pursue other opportunities or to handle unexpected situations that arise. If you are sure you should leave, look after the administrative requirements, including continuing fees, failures on academic records, and difficulties in future academic and financial matters. Let’s look at why someone might leave school and if there are alternatives.
Wrong program If you have chosen a program that turns out to be wrong for you, it is probably best to leave it before wasting any more time and money. You may be able to drop the program before you have to pay full fees for it or receive a failing grade, if you are not doing well in it. You might decide to complete the semester and then drop the program, or to keep only those individual courses that you want to complete. There may be a related program that you can transfer into at the same school that suits you better.
Health issues If health issues prevent you from attending classes or focusing on your academic work, you may need to withdraw from school until you have recovered. If your health issue is temporary, you may be able to get extensions or other academic accommodations. If your health issue is longstanding or chronic, you will want to consult with post-secondary staff hired to help students with disabilities. They may be able to reduce any barriers to learning by providing academic accommodations. Health issues can also include problems with depression and anxiety. Most schools have staff who can work with you to help overcome these difficulties. If it is necessary to leave school for medical and/or psychological reasons, a letter from a health care provider may help.
Financial constraints Although most students know the cost of attending school, sometimes they are not able to raise all the money required. They may have counted on getting part-time work or find that their budget was inadequate due to misjudged expenses or unexpected costs. Some-
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March 2016
times it is possible to find work on campus to supplement income or to apply for bursaries and scholarships, some of which are based on financial need. Some students are reluctant to take government loans; however, there may be some good reasons to apply for them. For instance, in addition to helping you to pay for school and living expenses, some grants and bursaries are based on whether or not you are eligible for a student loan. Consulting your school’s financial aid advisors and counsellors can help you with this decision.
Academically underprepared A student may find that they cannot keep up with the work because they don’t have a sufficient academic background. Attending a study group or spending more time on the material will close some gaps in their knowledge. If this isn’t sufficient, a background course or some individual tutoring might help. For newcomers, a common problem is insufficient language skills, notably reading critically, listening for meaning and writing. Such deficiencies can be made up in a variety of ways, from free ministry and post-secondary programs, to more costly continuing education courses, to hiring a private tutor.
Family responsibilities Many students also have family commitments, perhaps supporting their own children or helping their parents. Life takes many turns and what is planned may not always work out. Child care arrangements can fall apart, jobs end, people get sick and need care, to name a few scenarios. The student may now have more responsibilities than they can manage. If this happens to you, you may want to consider part-time school, continuing education courses, waiting a year to return or any number of other possibilities.
Other extenuating circumstances Students may experience even tougher life circumstances, such as the death of a family member, a serious illness or a house fire. These situations may leave the student with no other option but to withdraw from school. In these circumstances, if you are unable to withdraw within the school’s stated deadlines, you may be able to appeal for a late withdrawal. You may also get your tuition refunded or a credit toward a future semester.
Stay or go? Deciding on whether or not to leave school can be a very difficult decision. While not every problem can be solved, as a newcomer, you may not be aware of all the possible solutions and supports available. Counsellors and advisors will know about community resources as well as academic alternatives and requirements. These services are usually free and may help you minimize damage to your academic record, your finances and yourself as you figure out your next steps. Geneviève Beaupré and Susan Qadeer have extensive experience working in university and college settings, providing career, academic and personal counselling to international and immigrant students. facebook.com/canimmigrant
