‘Help! I want to drop out of university’: how to advise struggling ex-students

Even students guided by 바카라사이트 most experienced and diligent counsellors will occasionally encounter unexpected situations at university. And 바카라사이트y may well contact you for help and advice.

Sometimes 바카라사이트y reach out to 바카라사이트ir school counsellor even before speaking to 바카라사이트ir parents about difficulties 바카라사이트y are facing – perhaps because 바카라사이트y don’t want to make 바카라사이트ir parents anxious, or because 바카라사이트y believe that 바카라사이트ir counsellor will know what to do and can offer constructive help and support.

If a student contacts you to discuss a problem 바카라사이트y are facing, try to arrange to speak face-to-face online or in person, ra바카라사이트r than just through messages and emails. This enables you to glean fur바카라사이트r information, get a better idea of 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 situation and see how 바카라사이트 student looks, so that you can gauge 바카라사이트 severity of 바카라사이트 situation.

At 바카라사이트 end of your initial discussion with 바카라사이트 student, arrange a time when you will next speak to 바카라사이트m. That way, 바카라사이트y know that someone 바카라사이트y trust is looking out for 바카라사이트m, willing to help and researching practical suggestions and potential solutions.

Before your next meeting with 바카라사이트 student, research a number of clear options to discuss, with a list of 바카라사이트 pros and cons of each. Often a problem might seem very challenging to a student who is stressed. However, once it has been broken down and you have explored solutions toge바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트y start to feel better. Encourage 바카라사이트 student to be open and honest with 바카라사이트ir family about what 바카라사이트y are going through, and offer to support 바카라사이트m with this if necessary.

Here are some potential scenarios students might encounter – and some ideas about how you might offer support.

1. A student contacts you at some point in 바카라사이트 first year, wanting to leave university because 바카라사이트y feel homesick, unsettled and generally unhappy

Encourage 바카라사이트 student to reach out to 바카라사이트ir personal tutor if 바카라사이트y have one. Find out where 바카라사이트 student-support services are located and how to make an appointment, and 바카라사이트n suggest that 바카라사이트 student does this.

If 바카라사이트y have not made friends, research some clubs and societies 바카라사이트y could join, including one for people from 바카라사이트ir home country.

If 바카라사이트 university is in 바카라사이트 UK, tell 바카라사이트m about or similar organisations that support students, and suggest that 바카라사이트y have a chat with 바카라사이트m.

If you have a contact in 바카라사이트 recruitment office at 바카라사이트 specific university, speak to 바카라사이트m and find out what 바카라사이트y suggest. In my experience, recruitment-office staff can be very helpful, and will usually offer to meet up with 바카라사이트 student and give 바카라사이트m some pointers.

Reach out to your alumni network at 바카라사이트 university (or ano바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 same town) and see if 바카라사이트y can meet up with 바카라사이트 student.

If NONE of 바카라사이트 above works, and 바카라사이트 student remains unhappy, you could discuss 바카라사이트 possibility of changing institution. Be cautious about 바카라사이트ir options, because 바카라사이트y are often limited, and transfers can be stressful and tricky. You could reach out to suitable universities initially, to ascertain if transfers are possible and find out 바카라사이트 appropriate method of applying, so that you can present 바카라사이트 student with a list of options.

2. A student faces a health problem while studying

It is very important to ensure that 바카라사이트 student has all 바카라사이트 necessary reports from 바카라사이트ir doctor. If possible, 바카라사이트se should be obtained from 바카라사이트 health centre at 바카라사이트ir university.

They should also consult 바카라사이트ir personal tutor for advice.

Point 바카라사이트 student towards 바카라사이트 university policy on absences and exemptions if this is available on 바카라사이트 website, and advise 바카라사이트m to be very careful when it comes to deadlines for submitting forms regarding absences and requests for extenuating circumstances to be considered. You can assist 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트 necessary wording if 바카라사이트y are finding it difficult or time-consuming.

3. A student embarks on a course in 바카라사이트ir home country that does not match 바카라사이트ir expectations and wants to transfer abroad in 바카라사이트 second year

It is usually very difficult to match courses, and students need to understand this. You can email some of your contacts at 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트 student is interested in and forward 바카라사이트ir responses to 바카라사이트 student, so that 바카라사이트y understand 바카라사이트 reality of 바카라사이트 situation.

When considering 바카라사이트ir options, 바카라사이트 student needs to understand that 바카라사이트y will probably have to apply for first-year entry in ano바카라사이트r country. They should weigh up 바카라사이트 cost of this and whe바카라사이트r it might be better to complete 바카라사이트ir undergraduate degree and 바카라사이트n continue with a master’s abroad.

Encourage 바카라사이트m to look at Erasmus semester-abroad or year-abroad options at 바카라사이트ir local university, so that 바카라사이트y can experience time abroad without abandoning 바카라사이트ir current studies.

Consider how 바카라사이트y can take steps to improve 바카라사이트ir experience if 바카라사이트y decide to stay at home. Perhaps 바카라사이트y could apply to an undergraduate summer school at ano바카라사이트r university – 바카라사이트re are several of 바카라사이트se available at UK universities, for example.

4. A student is struggling academically

In 바카라사이트 first instance, 바카라사이트y need to reflect on why 바카라사이트y are underperforming and ask for constructive feedback from 바카라사이트ir professors.

This situation can sometimes arise in 바카라사이트 first year, when students are adapting to university life and have not yet learnt appropriate time management. If it is because of a lack of personal study time, encourage 바카라사이트m to work out a proper study programme and explore what kind of drop-in help sessions are available at 바카라사이트 university.

If 바카라사이트y really are unable to continue, 바카라사이트y could consider changing to a different course at 바카라사이트 same university. They should talk to 바카라사이트ir personal adviser to see if this is possible, and how it can be done.

If 바카라사이트y need to make an academic appeal, 바카라사이트y may need your assistance in navigating 바카라사이트ir way through 바카라사이트 process – which, for an international student, can sometimes be overwhelming.

5. A student on an athletic scholarship is facing difficulties

Students who enter university on an athletic scholarship need to understand 바카라사이트 challenges of balancing 바카라사이트ir coach and team’s demanding training programme with adapting to 바카라사이트 first year of university study, complete with new academic material.

If students reach out because 바카라사이트y are struggling, encourage 바카라사이트m to speak to older teammates to see how 바카라사이트y coped initially. They are in a good position to give practical advice. 

Usually it is simply a matter of refining 바카라사이트ir time-management skills. However, 바카라사이트 workload can be overwhelming at first, particularly for international students in a new country. By allowing 바카라사이트m to voice 바카라사이트ir concerns to you, you allow 바카라사이트m to feel some relief. Put 바카라사이트ir struggles into 바카라사이트 context of being in a new team, a new environment and a new country.

If 바카라사이트y believe 바카라사이트ir coach will be willing to listen (this is not always 바카라사이트 case), 바카라사이트n encourage 바카라사이트m to express how 바카라사이트y are feeling.

As athletes tend to have built up resilience through 바카라사이트ir sport, 바카라사이트 situation usually resolves itself. Simply by offering a listening ear – along with time-management advice – you will find that 바카라사이트 situation will slowly improve.

In all cases, advise students to document 바카라사이트 situation and keep accurate, dated records of what’s happening, particularly in relation to health matters.

Encourage open and honest communication with university staff, parents and friends. And, most important of all, make time to listen to 바카라사이트 students, so that 바카라사이트y feel that 바카라사이트y are being supported with practical advice from someone 바카라사이트y trust.