Students can be expelled by their colleges and universities for many reasons, including failure to meet academic standards, cheating, plagiarism, alcohol or drug abuse, and criminal activity. While being expelled from college is concerning and immensely difficult to cope with, it is not the end of the world. There are steps you can take to better your situation, and you still have your whole life ahead of you. Many successful people accomplished great things in their life after expulsion from college, including Harrison Ford, Ted Kennedy and Samuel Jackson.

If you have been expelled from college, don’t lose hope. Here are some of the steps you can take:

Accept responsibility

The first thing you need to do to start afresh is to examine why you were expelled in the first place. If you made a mistake, accept responsibility for that mistake. This is the only way you can learn from your mistake and not make the same mistake again.  

Show remorse

Many institutions will work with you if you are truly remorseful. When you speak to those responsible for making decisions at a college, you need to convince them that you know you made a mistake and that you are determined not to repeat it going forward.

Appeal

You can appeal the decision of your college to expel you. Check out the college disciplinary policy and learn what you need to do to get through the appeals process. Gather all the evidence you need to lodge a successful appeal. Figure out if you have the right to be represented by a lawyer or someone who can help you with the appeals process. An appeal would also give you a chance to explain the mitigating factors that may result in a lesser punishment than expulsion.

Apply for readmission

If you are interested in going back to the same college that expelled you, check out their policy for readmission. Many colleges will tell you that you can apply again after a certain period of time. You can use the waiting period to reassess your situation and learn a few lessons from it. Remember that if you apply for readmission, even after a period of time, your college will want you to show that the incident that got you expelled in the first place will not be repeated. Be prepared to submit a statement showing why the incident that got you expelled will not happen again.

Start anew at another college

Sometimes you are better off moving on. If you do not want to go back to the same college that expelled you, start looking elsewhere. You will need to be totally honest with the admissions office of any school you are applying to. While every situation is different, you will still need to address what happened and prove to their satisfaction that it will not happen again. For example, if you were expelled for drug abuse, the college will want to see that you got help and are on a path to recovery.

Consider taking a gap year

Outside the United States, it is very common for students to take a gap year before starting college during which they may work, volunteer, travel etc. Students taking a gap year can learn so much and benefit otherwise from their experience. While a gap year is traditionally taken after high school and before college, students who have been expelled and do not want to go back to college right away could take a ‘gap year’ to figure out what they really want to do. If you decide on a gap year, use the time productively so you gain from it.

Consider an alternative path

Some students who have been expelled may end up deciding that college is not for them after all.  If that’s how you feel, there’s no point in going back to college. There are other avenues you can pursue, such as learning a trade or vocation, volunteering for a cause you truly believe in, getting a job or even join the military. If you are passionate about art, music, acting, whatever the case may be, you may want to follow your dreams even though it won’t be easy.  Another challenging path is starting your own business, but it may be the right one for you. Many successful entrepreneurs never completed college.  

In conclusion

No matter which step you choose to take, keep in mind that you can start afresh and put your expulsion behind you.