How do I tell my parents I want to leave college?

Question

Everyone, with the exception of my friends, thinks I'm doing well in school and that I remotely like it. Final exams are approaching within the first two weeks of May and I'm failing all my courses miserably. Each semester I tell myself I'm going to study hard and do better, but I don't and my motivation goes way down. I want to dropout. I don't know exactly how to tell my parents simply because they will freak. The school I am going to is a private school and costing them a pretty penny. They wanted me to transfer badly because of the costs. I had goals, but how things are going I don't know anymore. What's the best way to break it to my parents?

Answer 1

When I dropped out of Purdue, I wrote my dad a letter. I pretty much spilled everything -- how I'd been miserable, how I felt like I was just going to college because it was the supposed "next step," and how I wanted to travel and do all the things I really wanted to do. Later that night he met me at work and told me that I was more like him than he thought... he told me to not worry about the money and to take the time off. I was out of school for three years, and have started going back this past fall with renewed zeal.

I was in the same kind of timeline as you -- I was about halfway through the semester, failing everything, and without any scrap of motivation. I felt like I was just repeating my parents' lives (I even had their same major). I had to take F's for all those classes, sure, but I made those classes up last fall and my GPA is fine now. And while Purdue isn't a private school, it isn't cheap by any means.

The first priority of your parents should be your mental health, and you sound really depressed. Make sure they know how you feel about things, and hopefully they will just worry about the money situation later.

Answer 2

I don't know if this will work for you, but when I was an undergrad, I had a similar academic pattern, but also was clearly deeply depressed. I went to the counseling center, and the counselor recommended that I take time off. My parents were never going to buy it from me, so the counselor brought them in (with me present) and told them, in no uncertain terms, that I was risking a nervous breakdown if they continued to push me.

Give yourself some time to think about what you DO want to do, rather than what you don't want. Your original goals may not be the ones which fit now, but that doesn't mean you won't have any goals at all. When I dropped out, I started working full time and, because I realized I would have to support myself, I talked my way into a promotion. From there, I realized that if I wanted to go further, I would need to go back to school, BUT by now it had become clear what interested me. I've never looked back, and four degrees later, it amazes everyone that I was ever a college dropout.

Answer 3

tell them. college is not for everyone and better you find out now then later. Im telling you that debit in this economy is no joke. I'm currently in grad school but i love it. Ive seen people come and go but the most important thing is that you are happy. your parents are not going to live your life. However; before you go to them prepare make sure you have a plan, samples of the work you want to do with your hands and ways your going to achieve those goals. if they see your determined they should stand behind you! good luck

Answer 4

What's your plan outside of college? Do you have something that makes sense, or are you quitting just because you are being lazy and not making the effort. Excuses and reasons are a hair short of one another, and it would seem that if you haven't come upon a revelation about college, that you should stick with it. IF you have something else you are interested in that you think you will succeed at, then pursue it. Otherwise you are just making excuses and you have no reason to leave, unless you think you're just wasting your parents money. Get a job and pay them back. Time to be an adult.

Answer 5

It seems to me that due to lack of motivation, you're not ready to study (if this is post secondary), or your not interested in whatever you're studying. Is this post secondary or a university type private school?

Tell them what you'd like to be, and how you plan on getting there (important to add this because otherwise they won't think you're points are solid. Hm, maybe talk to people who've been in the same boat as you as well.

Answer 6

hi my friend,surely if you have goals,you can reach them.you know once I leaved college,I studied Graphic which is a good major in my counrtry,after this terrible accident my parents really made me crazy.I suggest you not to leave college.Do you know why?because I think you want to earn many things,but you don't know how.If you want I can help you in your education and life plan to finish your college.I have experience in life planning.let me know if you want or not.trust me but if you want to leave college yet we can again plan how to tell to your parrents.I will wait for your answer.

Answer 7

Whats there email address I'll email them and tell them.