Kicked out of college? Next steps from PROFESSOR (2024)
TABLE OF CONTENTS (jump ahead)
An experienced professor gives college students advice on what to do after they've been kicked out of college.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Yes, it is very likely that a student can appeal an expulsion, but unlikely that they can appeal a suspension or criminal trespass. Check with your college’s student handbook to learn more about your options.
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An expulsion is usually defining a student who was told they could not attend the college anymore due to a code of conduct violation (academic dishonesty or violating the college’s policies).
A suspension is when a student is temporarily kicked out for academic reasons, like poor grades, low G.P.A. and the student can usually return after a short break.
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No. Private universities have much more discretion regarding their expulsion decisions while public universities will need to abide by certain procedures to continue getting federal funding. So, oftentimes you’ll have more due process at a public university than a private university.
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Yes, students can absolutely get kicked out of college. Students could get kicked out of college for academic or scholastic dishonesty, nonpayment, committing a crime, or bad grades.
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Yes, college students can get kicked out for bad grades, although it usually takes an academic warning followed by academic probation before you would be asked to leave unless it is a highly selective program or graduate school.
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If you get kicked out of college for bad grades, you may be able to return after one long semester. You might be required to take a college success course. Your college may also require you to be readmitted to the college. Or your college may require you to complete coursework elsewhere to show you’ve improved your academic abilities.
What to do after you’ve been kicked out of college?
You found yourself here because you got kicked out of college. But what does that even mean?
You likely have a lot of questions.
As a professor, I am going to help you make sense of it all.
I can understand that you’re likely stressed, disappointed and worried about your future.
Will you ever get a job?
Do you have to tell employers or other colleges that you were kicked out?
And should you find another college to attend?
These are probably just a few of the questions that race through your mind.
You don’t have to go at this alone.
I’m here to answer those questions for you.
What does it mean to get kicked out of college?
If you get kicked out of college, it can either mean that you are permanently barred from attending their university ever again, or you are suspended and taking a short break before returning for academic reasons. Usually, students are suspended for poor grades, and expelled for disciplinary reasons. Or you could be criminally trespassed from the college altogether.
Suspension
Let’s talk a little more about suspension.
This is usually a temporary separation. This happens because of bad grades. If you are suspended, you can almost always return. It’s just temporary and a way for you to re-set. The college doesn’t want you to keep wasting your time and money on credit hours that you can’t even earn.
And there are usually strict rules in place that only allow students to repeat a class three times, so it limits the college in allowing you to continue.
Expelled
If you are expelled, you probably had some disciplinary reasons for why you were kicked out.
Maybe you violated their student code of conduct or committed academic dishonesty (plagiarism).
Some college may not kick you out of college for cheating once, but if you do things repeatedly, you might risk getting kicked out so be careful here.
Colleges will usually try to give you plenty of chances before they expel you.
But it does happen.
Criminally trespassed
If you were kicked out of your college because you committed a crime or did something really bad, you could get criminally trespassed. Normally this means that you cannot return or you could be arrested.
There is usually some state laws regarding the maximum time a trespass can last. But the college may say that you can never return regardless. So know what your requirements are before you step foot back on their properties.
How many times can you repeat a college class?
Since you might have been kicked out for academic reasons, like bad grades, I need to touch on this next question a little more so you can understand what your future holds. You’ll need to know if you can return to the same college and continue.
Most often, college students can repeat a class three times. This is called the three-course repeat rule. And sometimes you can be charged additional fees when you enroll in the same course for a third time. These rules are in place because funding is not usually received at those institutions when students take a course more than twice.
Of course, this will vary based on the country, but it is typically the standard in the United States.
Just check with your college to find out their policies because this isn’t a hard rule and may be different depending on your college’s policies.
And usually if you have taken the course three times at one college and try to take it at another college to transfer it for credit, your college may not take it for credit.
So, you better make sure you know your state and college’s policies so that you can actually earn the credit.
I’ve seen some colleges allow a fourth attempt, but it almost always requires some administrative approval first.
If you needed a class, but already took it three times, and your college says you can’t take it again, and they won’t take a transfer credit from another college, you would have to graduate from another college.
Why I said that you’d have to go to another college is because if the course you kept repeating is required for your graduation, but you exceed the number of attempts, there isn’t anything you can do.
This is only applicable in some situations because not all states or colleges have these policies so definitely understand the course repeat rules for your college.
The college may permit you to take it again. Or even transfer credit from another college. You never know. There may be some workaround here.
What’s the process of getting kicked out of college?
This will vary based on the institution.
Sometimes private institutions or for-profit institutions may have different procedures compared to public institutions so keep that in mind.
And it is also important to note that if you are enrolled in a particular program, their procedures may vary too.
For example, let’s say that you are enrolled in a highly selective and competitive degree program, they may have higher standards and suspend you for much less compared to other colleges or degree programs.
And some degree programs may never allow you to re-enter their program. This can especially be true for graduate programs.
The process for getting kicked out of college is different for students who are suspended vs. expelled.
If you are suspended, you likely had many opportunities to avoid suspension.
This usually happens when students do poorly in their classes. You might have had a G.P.A. lower than 2.0, and you were never able to get it up.
The college usually gives you a couple of chances.
Typically, you’ll have to meet with advisors periodically to make sure you’re on track, get progress reports signed by your professors, and take any remedial classes to help improve your success in college.
Then if you still don’t improve, you may be suspended.
It doesn’t always mean you are kicked out, but it sure feels like it.
The college just doesn’t think that it’s best to continue right now.
The college is saying to you, “take a break, regroup, deal with life, and come back when you’re ready.”
Your college may have certain requirements you must meet to return.
Since most college only allow students to repeat courses three times, they don’t want you to keep putting yourself in a situation where you can never earn credit for a course.
If you had to compare being suspended vs. expelled, you want this type.
Because if you are expelled, you are usually kicked out because of a disciplinary reason.
You may have committed academic dishonesty or violated the student code of conduct. Or worse, you committed a crime.
If you did one of these things, you were likely given a formal hearing where evidence was heard, and your college decided to expel you from their institution after reviewing the evidence.
This process usually takes a while, but it can happen in just a few weeks, if needed.
If it’s more urgent, like a crime was committed, you may be criminally trespassed from your university immediately.
That’s the worst-case scenario.
Otherwise, you had a formal process before you were kicked out.
And you almost always can appeal. Sometimes more than once.
But if you found yourself here, your attempts probably weren’t successful and you’re wondering what you can do about it now.
What can you do after you get kicked out college?
To answer this question, you first need to consider why you were kicked out.
If you were suspended for academic purposes, there probably isn’t much you can do about getting kicked out of college. Your college is simply saying, it’s best for you to take a break and come back when you are more prepared. If you were expelled because of academic dishonesty, or violating their student code of conduct, you will likely have to wait until that waiting period expires, and then you can attempt to return, if allowed.
There may be plenty of appeals for you to try your best to stay enrolled and continue at that college, but these are likely limited to a few appeals.
Most colleges will allow you petition or apply for readmission after being kicked out for academic reasons like low G.P.A.
After expulsion, colleges may have more remedies for students, so check with your college and find out if there is any recourse.
And if you are criminally trespassed, learn about the legal ramifications if you return.
Can you return after 12 months?
Did the college permanently trespass you?
What are the laws for criminal trespass in your state?
Those are questions you need answered first. But keep reading because I have a lot more specific information to help you.
And finally, you may have legal recourse that you could pursue. If you have the means, you could speak with an attorney to learn about your options if you’ve exhausted all your other options.
How to return to the SAME college after being kicked out?
If you want to attend the same college that kicked you out, you may have to wait a specified period of time before enrolling again. If you were kicked out for academic reasons, most colleges will allow you to re-enroll after one semester. If you were expelled, you can appeal your expulsion or attempt to reapply for admission after a waiting period expires. And if you were criminally trespassed, you may never be able to return.
ACADEMIC SUSPENSION
If you were kicked out of college for academic reasons, and are eligible to return, your college will outline this process. Find your college’s student handbook and review their policies. It is usually outlined here. They may just request that you take a semester off and then follow their recommendations for re-entering their college.
Colleges typically have various levels of academic disciplinary procedures.
If it’s your FIRST time experiencing academic trouble, you will likely get a warning. You will likely have to meet with an advisor, get a progress report signed, and do some tutoring.
If it’s your SECOND time getting in trouble, they may ask you to take a long semester off.
And if it’s your THIRD time, you could get suspended from their institution.
For most students experiencing trouble for the first time, I normally saw colleges requiring students to meet with an advisor before the semester starts. And you may even have to enroll in a college class for student success.
Then you can re-enroll and continue your education.
Remember, there may be time limits before you can return. It is usually just a semester for first and second offenses for academic reasons.
I checked on a university’s website and they can suspend students for academic suspension for an indefinite period of time, however, they allow the student to ask a Dean to review their case and it’s possible the student could return to the same college. But two years had to elapse before they could even ask. Every college could be different.
If you go back to the same college, you will probably be immediately placed on academic probation.
PRO TIP: If you want to attend another college while you are waiting to go back to the college that kicked you out, the credits you earn may not transfer to the old college. Check with the advisor first if you plan on doing this.
While some colleges don’t guarantee that the coursework completed AFTER your suspension can be transferred into their institution, some colleges will require you to complete coursework elsewhere to show your academic capabilities to reenter their university.
You should definitely check to see if your university has a readmission petition. Each college can have different terms of suspension (one-year v. two-year) and processes for readmission.
EXPELLED
Now, if you were expelled, you may not ever be able to return.
But some institutions may allow you to return after a certain period, and it is usually years. Once a particular time period has elapsed, you can reapply for admission.
Some colleges even require you to get administrator approval.
CRIMINALLY TRESPASSED
If you are criminally trespassed, you may never be able to return.
Hear me out first.
Some of these trespass warnings are temporary, and you can return after a certain period elapses (like 12 months), other times it may be permanent.
So, you might not be able to return to that college ever.
If you can return to the same college, follow the college’s policy and state law if you are returning after being criminally trespassed.
How to return to a NEW college after you’ve been kicked out?
Students can certainly apply to other colleges or universities if they’ve been kicked out of college but the fact that you’ve been kicked out of another college could impact the new university’s decision to admit you into their program. You will have to disclose your previous college enrollment on your admissions application.
Well, depending on your circumstances, you may be prepared to attend another college. If you get kicked out of one college, you can likely attend another college, if they will admit you.
You should check with the colleges you are interested in applying to find out about their admission policies.
It is VERY IMPORTANT to understand that in the United States, institutions may share your educational records with other institutions, and your academic and disciplinary records may appear.
This could mean that your potential NEW college could learn about you being kicked out and could spell trouble for you.
If you don’t have any college credits that you want to transfer, you could start over as a freshman. But keep in mind that the college will still ask you about previous college enrollment on your application.
If you want to transfer credits, then you’ll be showing your new college your transcript and they’ll likely know more about your academic situation. You may have a permanent mark on your transcript and your new college will know about your circumstances which could hurt your chances of getting accepted.
Some students may decide to take classes at a community college, improve their G.P.A. first and then apply to another college. It is typically easier to get accepted into a community college.
Some colleges offer ACADEMIC FRESH STARTS where you can ask the college to exclude all your previous grades.
It is important to mention that many states have legislation regarding the number of withdraws (W) a student has at any public college. It doesn’t usually include private universities though because it has to do with federal funding in public colleges.
But if you have more than 6 withdraws from courses, this will have some implication if you re-enroll and try and withdraw after those attempts have been used up.
There are some exceptions, but they are rare.
Check with your college if you are worried about returning and needing to withdraw but already met your limit.
I’ve got some tips below to help you succeed when you re-enroll in college so don’t give up.
How to plan for your future after being kicked out of college?
Think about what went wrong.
You might have just not tried hard enough and need some support services.
If you have a disability, think about getting academic accommodations, if you haven’t already.
If you have some personal circumstances that are preventing you from being successful in college, work those out first.
If you have mental health problems, and are going back to college, you might want to talk to your professors.
It is very important that you figure out why you got kicked out and solve the problem or at the very least, work towards a solution.
You don’t want to re-enroll in college again, only to have the same thing happen.
If you didn’t attend class and got poor grades, think about ways to make yourself to attend class so you don’t fail again.
If you need help during the semester, ask your professor for assistance.
Don’t be scared to approach them.
Will I have to tell future employers that I was kicked out of college?
You will not have to tell employers that you were kicked out of college but you might want to if they specifically ask and it’s somehow significant to the job. I have never seen an application that asked if the applicant was kicked out of college. Now some employers may ask about your college education, and you may want to put down that you completed some college. But just know that if they dig deeper and require you to provide transcripts, then it might be listed on your transcript that you were kicked out.
And most importantly, if the application asks for information about your college education and you omit it and the employer finds out, they might not want to hire you because they’ll think you lied.
But honestly, I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Most people who get kicked out of college won’t typically have to disclose that to employers in the United States and most other countries. In the United States, there are a lot of privacy laws to protects students’ educational records. I guess there are some rare instances where an employer needs to know about your college status, but I can’t think of one. Just remember to be honest on your applications. You don’t want to mislead employers.
You’re probably concerned that you won’t get a job either. And I am here to tell you that there are plenty of job opportunities for people without a college education. I know plenty of successful people that never went to college or who were college dropouts.
Even if you got kicked out of college, you can still go on to do amazing things. Even if that means you jump right into a career or find another college to attend.
Many employers are scrapping the educational requirements because they know just how valuable people can be without a college education. There are loads of opportunities for you.
And honestly, maybe college just isn’t something you should pursue right now.
Not every person attends college, and you can find other ways to be successful.
You might consider a trade school or become an entrepreneur.
You could even start a blog!
Seriously, there are so many other things that make people successful besides their college education. And while I am a professor, and I love education, some people can take different paths and be entirely fine.
How do I deal with being kicked out of college?
Getting kicked out of college can be very devastating. You planned for your future and everything just crumbled in front of you. All the dreams and plans you had disappeared. Or so you think.
But, you have to pause for a moment. Don’t go down that rabbit hole. You are NOT A FAILURE and everything will be OKAY. Your path is going to look a little different than others. Do not fret. There are lots of successful people that were college dropouts. You can still go on to do BIG THINGS without college.
Or maybe you can enroll in another college after taking a break to figure out what went wrong. I recommend taking a short break to reassess your goals.
I know that things seem impossible right now, but you can make it through. And who knows, maybe your new path will lead you to greater things.
You got this.
How to tell your parents you got kicked out of college
This likely feels very scary. And this can be even more scary if your parents have paid for your college. Sometimes parents have pushed their kids to attend college, even when they didn’t want to. Maybe you are part of a family who all attended the same college for generations, and you are worried about what your family will think of you.
You probably worry that your parents will be disappointed in you. Or kick you out of their house. There are countless things that make kids afraid to tell their parents about getting kicked out of college.
I can’t speak for all parents, but I would like to think that your parents are going to love and support you no matter what. They might be angry at first but hopefully they become supportive afterwards.
To get prepared to talk to your parents, you should be as honest as possible. Write down your thoughts BEFORE you talk to them. This will help you stay on task. And make sure you let them know your REAL EMOTIONS. Don’t try to cover up your feelings. Be vulnerable.
And the most important thing you need to do is tell them your plans for your future. They are probably concerned about what your future will look like. So, RESEARCH your prospects and have a detailed plan ready to explain to your parents. This will help calm their fears about your future.
Finally, if your parents paid for your college, you need to be prepared to discuss this. Are you going to have to repay them?
I know this can seem daunting, but please don’t let this be something that changes your focus.
You are not the first person to get kicked out of a college and you won’t be the last.
Do I have to tell new colleges I apply to that I was kicked out?
When you start applying to other colleges, nearly all of them will ask you about your prior college experience. They will request transcripts. And since there are databases that can indicate your past enrollment in college, you should be honest on these applications.
You won’t be able to hide the fact that you have been kicked out of college, and if you do, you could risk expulsion at your new school. The reason why other colleges need to know about your previous college experience is because there are some state and federal policies that could be impacted by your academic history like financial aid or withdrawal limits.
When you have been disciplined, kicked out, or expelled from college, this will become part of your educational record. In some instances, institutions can share your educational records with other institutions.
What I am saying here is that the NEW college may find out that you were kicked out, if they receive your educational records, and if you are not honest, it could come back to haunt you. In return, they could expel you from their college.
If your grades are going to negatively impact your transfer, some colleges will have something called an academic fresh start. This allows students to ask the college to exclude any grades previously earned and start over again. However, there is typically a waiting period but check with the college you plan to attend.
Never lie about getting kicked out or suspended to your new college.
You may feel alone, but lots of students have experienced this.
I would talk to an admission’s counselor and find out how to proceed. They may not require you to disclose this information, but you need to find out what is required before you omit anything on your application.
What can I do instead of college? Life after being kicked out
If you have been kicked out of college, you may not want to go back to the college EVER. And that’s okay. There are plenty of other opportunities and lots of people who have been successful without a college education. Instead of college, you can get training to work in a trade job, become an entrepreneur, freelance or get an internship.
I bet you are feeling pretty down and out about your situation. Or maybe you are one of those students who was desperately looking for an out and hated college. Either way, maybe you could start looking at other opportunities and give up on college altogether.
If none of the options above seem to work for you, and you want to move on from college, let’s talk about some of your options.
You could go get some training or earn a certificate to work in a specialized field. Sometimes these fields will require a certificate or license where you might have to complete some coursework but it might not be typical of your college classes.
These classes are usually more focused on the skills you are learning for your career. And it usually takes less time to complete. Here are some examples.
Paralegal
Welder
HVAC technician
Culinary arts
Automotive technology
Cosmetology
Realtor
Electrician
Construction
If these jobs still don’t seem interesting, would you be interested in starting a career that doesn’t require a college education. Some of these jobs might include police officers (some agencies require college), firefighters, or flight attendant.
If you still don’t see anything you like, think about skills you have. Does anyone come to you and ask you for help because you are good at something. Think really hard.
I bet you have some talents.
Are you really good with computers? Can you sell anything? Are you a good writer?
You could start your own business, be a freelancer or apply for positions in those fields that don’t require a degree.
Finally, if you still feel confused about what you should do, look for internships in fields you are interested in. Often, you can apply for internships, some paid, that will give you on the job experience. This could lead to a full-time position later.
It can all be really confusing, and the BEST thing for you might be to take a step back, breathe a little, and give yourself some time to figure out what you want to do. You don’t have to figure it out in one day.
Disclaimer : Please note that while I am a professor, I am not your professor. Please understand that this is meant for informational and entertainment purposes and is not meant to be professional advice. Your circumstances and college policies may be different than what is described so please check with your college about the next steps.
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