What happens if your dismissed from college

Kelci Lynn Lucier. Education Expert. Kelci Lynn Lucier has worked in higher education for over a decade. She is the author of "College Stress Solutions" and features on many media outlets.

Cite this Article Format. Lucier, Kelci Lynn. Sample Appeal Letter for an Academic Dismissal. How to Appeal a Dismissal From College. Common Application Essay Option 4—Gratitude. How to Write a Letter of Continued Interest. Dual Enrollment in High School and College. Sample Responses to a College Deferral Letter. Your Privacy Rights.

To change or withdraw your consent choices for ThoughtCo. Your student may attend a local community college and then move on to another school.

Your student may need to change major or career plans. Your student may need to work for a while a semester, a year, several years to grow and gain the maturity and motivation to return to school. There are always options, but finding them may take some time and research. Your student should be prepared to do some work investigating — jobs, local schools and admission or readmission policies , alternative majors or careers, or alternative programs such as Americorps, volunteer or community service programs.

There may be options out there that you and your student never considered. It is essential that your student be honest in their own mind about what went wrong, but it is also helpful if they are honest with you, with other family members, with employers and with future schools.

It is essential that they be honest with a future school. Any future institution will want to see a transcript. This is the time for your student to take responsibility for their history, explain what they have learned, and describe their new understanding, maturity and motivation. Help your student think about their ultimate goals and some action plans to achieve those goals. These action steps are critical. It is important your student feel that each step, however small it might be , is a step toward an ultimate goal.

Your student may now realize that there are more steps than they initially anticipated, but they will be making progress. Goals, action plans, baby steps. All of these are important, but all will fall by the wayside if your student is not committed to what they are doing. Your college student is an emerging adult. One characteristic of emerging adulthood is finding who you are and who you want to be. Your student has already been forced to take an alternate path. They will need to be open to what they discover personally and about their world as they travel this path.

It may require another change in direction — or several changes of direction. Goals may need to be reset — perhaps several times. If your student has been dismissed, they may need your support more than ever right now. You may need to help them get past the guilt and shame they may be feeling.

This is important. Your response will help to set the tone. But the work of moving on will need to be done by your student.

This is part of what may make the difference moving forward. Be there — but stand back and let your student take responsibility. No one starts college expecting failure although many may fear it. If your student has been academically dismissed, it feels as though the roadblock is overwhelming. But finding the causes, taking responsibility, being honest in setting new goals and plans, may give your student a motivation and drive that those students on the straighter path never find.

As difficult as this situation is, help your student find the opportunity that lies in the situation. You may be surprised, and pleased, at what you learn about your student as they move ahead. Academically Dismissed from College? Time for a Reset. My son transferred to a 4 year school after completing his Associates degree in Engineering. He had a GPA of 3. When he transferred to the new college the TA who was assisting with his class schedule had him sign up for 6 engineering classes.

He began to suffer panic and anxiety attacks, gained 60 pounds in 4 months, and became depressed. He failed all of his classes that semester. His advisor helped him with his next schedule and although he has done better — a 2.

Although I know he has to own some of this, I feel that the college should also be held accountable for misadvising him from the beginning. He has always been a confident, social person and now he is depressed and has lost confidence. What would be the best way to handle all of this?

Rachel — It all depends on the school. Each school has its own policy. Call the admissions office and explain your situation and ask. They may ask you to explain, as part of an application, what happened at your previous school and why things are going to be different the next time. Yes, you may be able to present a case to the school about why you should be allowed to stay enrolled.

Your school may only allow appeals from students who have experienced an extenuating circumstance during their time in college. Examples include the death of a close loved one, a sudden health emergency, or a serious mental health crisis. Choosing a humble, honest, and respectful approach often makes the best impression.

For some colleges, writing an academic dismissal appeal letter is the preferred process. Other schools may let you make your appeal in-person, and an eloquent presentation might help to persuade the committee members. You may want to keep in mind that getting the decision reversed is far from a sure thing. When applying to college after academic dismissal, you may find that some schools are more accepting of students with academic troubles than others.

Going to community college after dropping out of college may be a good option for restarting your college career. Community colleges often have more lenient acceptance policies than other universities.

At a community college, you might also benefit from smaller classes, hands-on experiences, and tutoring programs. It may be best to own up to the issue and talk about how you plan to improve at this new school.

You may be admitted on a probationary basis until you start producing better grades. Finding success at your new college may be only the beginning. No matter what age you are, like going back to school at 25 , once you have a better track record in place, you might be ready to transfer back to your original school or apply to a different 4 year program. An appeal may not be in the best interest of the student. If your student is dismissed, his first thought, and yours, may be to apply immediately to another school.

This may be appropriate. However, before doing that, you and your student may need to consider what factors caused the problems that warranted his dismissal. Jumping immediately back in may not be the best solution. A student who is academically dismissed from college is not doomed to failure. You may need to help your student view this as a time to reassess his abilities, behaviors, and priorities.

He was originally admitted to the college because of his abilities and potential, but something has prevented him from living up to that potential. Now is a time to step back and reevaluate. Before you and your student decide to immediately appeal the dismissal or to apply to a different school, consider carefully whether taking a break may be the best course of action for your student. An academic dismissal from college happens for a reason.

Something has prevented your student from succeeding. She may need your support more than ever now to think about how to proceed and how to use her time off. For many dismissed students, taking a break from their current routine and setting may be the best path to success, even if it involves an unexpected detour. Your student may decide to spend a year working to gain experience and perspective.

Your student may need to move back home for a semester or a year to achieve some balance and focus. How you respond to this situation will help your student know how to respond.

Helping your student see this as an important, if unplanned, step in her path will help her to use the time constructively. In most cases of academic dismissal, the student may be eligible to apply for readmission or reinstatement after a certain period of time.

This is different from appealing the decision at the time of dismissal. One thing that your student will have had time to consider during his time off is whether or not he wants to return to the same institution or to transfer to another college. If he wants to return, he should check the policy of his college. When students apply for readmission, the college may be looking for certain factors. They will be looking for indications from the student that things will be different if he returns.

He may be asked to submit a personal statement giving a compelling argument that he has addressed whatever challenges he had prior to dismissal. They may be looking for successful completion of some credits at a community college or some other institution. They may ask whether social, family, or personal issues have been addressed. If your student has used time off from his college productively, he may be ready to return to school with a renewed focus and a new outlook.

Many students who have been dismissed return to their previous college — or another college — and are completely successful. Helping your student see this time as an opportunity rather than a set-back will mean that he can use the time off to his advantage. This may not be the path that either of you originally had in mind, but it may be a path that, in the long run, will be most beneficial to your student.