Should I drop out of university?

[sonnyw]

Is it a mistake to drop out in my third (and last) year? If I were on track with my exams I'd be graduating in a month, but I'm so far behind that it would probably take me until October 2027 to finish. The thing is, I only picked this major because I thought it'd be easy to find a job, not because I actually liked the subject. Turns out the job market isn't that great anyway, and I really don't want to spend the rest of my life doing something I hate.

I'm thinking about just quitting and starting to work. I applied for a job yesterday that has nothing to do with my studies, but I doubt they'll even get back to me. Last November, I went for it and did a selection process for what would have been a life changing job abroad. The company actually paid for my flight and hotel, but it was super selective and I didn't make it. Since then, my motivation has been at zero. I barely took one exam last winter and I haven't even opened a book for the summer session.

I'm stuck. I feel like I've wasted three years, but I'm looking for a way out. My family makes everything worse since we have a bad relationship and they're forcing me to stay in uni. They have this old-school mindset that whatever you choose at 18 is what you have to do forever. I want to move out and leave this city behind as soon as possible. Honestly, I'd move anywhere in the world just to start over.

The problem is that every job I find asks for a degree or experience. I feel like I don't have any real skills, and while I have age on my side, so does everyone else. I don't want to switch majors because I'm done with the whole university environment and I can't stand living with my parents anymore. But I also can't quit until I have a solid backup plan.

Does anyone have any advice?

 

[bb142342]

So, my advice to you—since you are so close to the finish line—is simply to push through, taking it one step at a time.

Once you have your final degree papers in hand, I'm sure you'll start feeling better again, and that will allow you to make new plans. Perhaps the job market will have improved by then, and you'll find the exact position you're looking for.

Don't let that rejection discourage you. I don't know which country you're in, but things look pretty bleak in the job market here, too. Many companies are shutting down, and even within my own company, we see dozens of applicants vying for a single good position. Therefore, a rejection has almost nothing to do with the individual person; rather, it's simply a reflection of the high volume of people applying right now.

I wish you the best of luck and hope that you are able to successfully complete your studies, should you decide to do so.

 

[SASU-KE]

Please don't drop out. I almost dropped out of college. My mother gave me a talking to.

I somehow powered through, got my degree, got a pretty ordinary job right out of college, but then worked my way up the chain and today I'm successful.

I'm doing well financially at least even though I'm unhappy as a person.

Don't drop out,power through.

 

[sonnyw]

So, my advice to you—since you are so close to the finish line—is simply to push through, taking it one step at a time.

Once you have your final degree papers in hand, I'm sure you'll start feeling better again, and that will allow you to make new plans. Perhaps the job market will have improved by then, and you'll find the exact position you're looking for.

Don't let that rejection discourage you. I don't know which country you're in, but things look pretty bleak in the job market here, too. Many companies are shutting down, and even within my own company, we see dozens of applicants vying for a single good position. Therefore, a rejection has almost nothing to do with the individual person; rather, it's simply a reflection of the high volume of people applying right now.

I wish you the best of luck and hope that you are able to successfully complete your studies, should you decide to do so.

Please don't drop out. I almost dropped out of college. My mother gave me a talking to.

I somehow powered through, got my degree, got a pretty ordinary job right out of college, but then worked my way up the chain and today I'm successful.

I'm doing well financially at least even though I'm unhappy as a person.

Don't drop out,power through.

Thanks for the tips. I'm in Italy, and I'm worried that even with a better job market, I'll just end up in a job I don't like. I've completely lost interest in what I'm studying and don't want a career in this industry. If I'm planning to work in a totally different field anyway, is there even any point in finishing the degree?

 

[SASU-KE]

Thanks for the tips. I'm in Italy, and I'm worried that even with a better job market, I'll just end up in a job I don't like. I've completely lost interest in what I'm studying and don't want a career in this industry. If I'm planning to work in a totally different field anyway, is there even any point in finishing the degree?

When you drop out potential employers take that as a sign.You don't see a task to completion?

Also, accomplishing more looks better on your resume and also accounts for all the time you put in.
How will you account for all the time you put into this degree so far? One of my coworkers put on his resume that he worked for six months in a previous company. The problem is he didn't have a pay slip from that company to back up his claims and HR fired him because he couldn't corroborate.

So it's better you finish this and then go to something else that you like.

 

[Dinorun]

you said you are just a month away, if you were only begining and didnt yet invest much into the dagree it would be a thing to discuss
BUT you are at the last 100 meter dash of a 42km marathon and you are thinking about quiting now. all those efforts sweat and tears would go to waste and your brain is coming up with every posible excuse why you cant do it when you made it this far.
id suggest just finish this first of all, after that try to presue what makes you happy, noone can take the dagree from you afterwards if things dont work out as planned you always have that cradential to fall on

 

[byec560]

From what I understand college is cheap in Italy so I would finish. It's not like 9-5 slavery is gonna be a massive improvement so you might as well take it easy while you can. Especially since it sounds like you're pretty young.

 

[sonnyw]

From what I understand college is cheap in Italy so I would finish. It's not like 9-5 slavery is gonna be a massive improvement so you might as well take it easy while you can. Especially since it sounds like you're pretty young.

It's not super cheap... my parents pay 2k euros per year, that's what they make combined in one month.

you said you are just a month away, if you were only begining and didnt yet invest much into the dagree it would be a thing to discuss
BUT you are at the last 100 meter dash of a 42km marathon and you are thinking about quiting now. all those efforts sweat and tears would go to waste and your brain is coming up with every posible excuse why you cant do it when you made it this far.
id suggest just finish this first of all, after that try to presue what makes you happy, noone can take the dagree from you afterwards if things dont work out as planned you always have that cradential to fall on

I'm actually more like 1.5 years away... I'm behind with my exams, so I won't finish my degree in time. Thanks for the advice

When you drop out potential employers take that as a sign.You don't see a task to completion?

Also, accomplishing more looks better on your resume and also accounts for all the time you put in.
How will you account for all the time you put into this degree so far? One of my coworkers put on his resume that he worked for six months in a previous company. The problem is he didn't have a pay slip from that company to back up his claims and HR fired him because he couldn't corroborate.

So it's better you finish this and then go to something else that you like.

You're right, they would see on my resume that I haven't done anything for three years...
Thanks for the advice

 

[thenextstory]

Is it possible for you to do erasmus, or some other way to take classes abroad and then transfer those credits?
Could you make a plea to your school to relax some course requirements for mental health reasons?
Could you take them online (then you can live wherever)?

 

[EmptyBottle]

Is it a mistake to drop out in my third (and last) year? If I were on track with my exams I'd be graduating in a month, but I'm so far behind that it would probably take me until October 2027 to finish. The thing is, I only picked this major because I thought it'd be easy to find a job, not because I actually liked the subject. Turns out the job market isn't that great anyway, and I really don't want to spend the rest of my life doing something I hate.

I'm thinking about just quitting and starting to work. I applied for a job yesterday that has nothing to do with my studies, but I doubt they'll even get back to me. Last November, I went for it and did a selection process for what would have been a life changing job abroad. The company actually paid for my flight and hotel, but it was super selective and I didn't make it. Since then, my motivation has been at zero. I barely took one exam last winter and I haven't even opened a book for the summer session.

I'm stuck. I feel like I've wasted three years, but I'm looking for a way out. My family makes everything worse since we have a bad relationship and they're forcing me to stay in uni. They have this old-school mindset that whatever you choose at 18 is what you have to do forever. I want to move out and leave this city behind as soon as possible. Honestly, I'd move anywhere in the world just to start over.

The problem is that every job I find asks for a degree or experience. I feel like I don't have any real skills, and while I have age on my side, so does everyone else. I don't want to switch majors because I'm done with the whole university environment and I can't stand living with my parents anymore. But I also can't quit until I have a solid backup plan.

Does anyone have any advice?

I'm also somewhat behind, not sure how much, tho it's from a random mix of passes and fails (and there's also a bit of pressure for me to stay at uni... tho part of me also wants to be able to do the courses, get the degree, and work in the IT field). Maybe see university as a form of practice for one's skills, since it helped teach me the skill of focus?

Still, you might also want to find time to spend away from parents (eg choosing bus vs car, etc) to give more time to relax, which can hopefully make u feel a bit better.

You could see if the university has career counselling, and explain the concern, and maybe there's a cross-degree pathway, maybe there are academic breaks, or other forms of support available.

Additionally, consider brainstorming a bit about backup plans, gap years, etc for the career counselling session.

 

[Pluto]

 

[sonnyw]

Is it possible for you to do erasmus, or some other way to take classes abroad and then transfer those credits?
Could you make a plea to your school to relax some course requirements for mental health reasons?
Could you take them online (then you can live wherever)?

Thanks for your reply :)

Unfortunately no... I wouldn't be eligible for Erasmus scholarships and my parents wouldn't give me any money. We talked about it in the past and they've always opposed to it and ridiculized those who went to study abroad.
The plead is impossible, the university doesn't care at all. In my country lots of people have mental health problems, yet the universities or the government don't do anything to help. Also, they don't offer extracurricular activities or anything like that. It's all just studying and I find that very depressing...
Currently I'm not going to class because the university is too far away and I can't afford to rent a place near there. I'm trying to study on my own and I go to uni just to take the exams. The professors never record their lectures but I don't mind... when I went to class I felt like the professors couldn't teach at all and I could find anything they said easily on books or in the internet.

I'm also somewhat behind, not sure how much, tho it's from a random mix of passes and fails (and there's also a bit of pressure for me to stay at uni... tho part of me also wants to be able to do the courses, get the degree, and work in the IT field). Maybe see university as a form of practice for one's skills, since it helped teach me the skill of focus?

Still, you might also want to find time to spend away from parents (eg choosing bus vs car, etc) to give more time to relax, which can hopefully make u feel a bit better.

You could see if the university has career counselling, and explain the concern, and maybe there's a cross-degree pathway, maybe there are academic breaks, or other forms of support available.

Additionally, consider brainstorming a bit about backup plans, gap years, etc for the career counselling session.

Thank you for your advice :)
I'm also in the IT field

 

[EmptyBottle]

Thanks for your reply :)

Unfortunately no... I wouldn't be eligible for Erasmus scholarships and my parents wouldn't give me any money. We talked about it in the past and they've always opposed to it and ridiculized those who went to study abroad.
The plead is impossible, the university doesn't care at all. In my country lots of people have mental health problems, yet the universities or the government don't do anything to help. Also, they don't offer extracurricular activities or anything like that. It's all just studying and I find that very depressing...
Currently I'm not going to class because the university is too far away and I can't afford to rent a place near there. I'm trying to study on my own and I go to uni just to take the exams. The professors never record their lectures but I don't mind... when I went to class I felt like the professors couldn't teach at all and I could find anything they said easily on books or in the internet.

Thank you for your advice :)
I'm also in the IT field

cool, hope things go well.

 

[thenextstory]

Thanks for your reply :)

Unfortunately no... I wouldn't be eligible for Erasmus scholarships and my parents wouldn't give me any money. We talked about it in the past and they've always opposed to it and ridiculized those who went to study abroad.
The plead is impossible, the university doesn't care at all. In my country lots of people have mental health problems, yet the universities or the government don't do anything to help. Also, they don't offer extracurricular activities or anything like that. It's all just studying and I find that very depressing...
Currently I'm not going to class because the university is too far away and I can't afford to rent a place near there. I'm trying to study on my own and I go to uni just to take the exams. The professors never record their lectures but I don't mind... when I went to class I felt like the professors couldn't teach at all and I could find anything they said easily on books or in the internet.

Thank you for your advice :)
I'm also in the IT field

Is transferring to a different university an option?

 

[enjoytheride]

Is it a mistake to drop out in my third (and last) year? If I were on track with my exams I'd be graduating in a month, but I'm so far behind that it would probably take me until October 2027 to finish. The thing is, I only picked this major because I thought it'd be easy to find a job, not because I actually liked the subject. Turns out the job market isn't that great anyway, and I really don't want to spend the rest of my life doing something I hate.

I'm thinking about just quitting and starting to work. I applied for a job yesterday that has nothing to do with my studies, but I doubt they'll even get back to me. Last November, I went for it and did a selection process for what would have been a life changing job abroad. The company actually paid for my flight and hotel, but it was super selective and I didn't make it. Since then, my motivation has been at zero. I barely took one exam last winter and I haven't even opened a book for the summer session.

I'm stuck. I feel like I've wasted three years, but I'm looking for a way out. My family makes everything worse since we have a bad relationship and they're forcing me to stay in uni. They have this old-school mindset that whatever you choose at 18 is what you have to do forever. I want to move out and leave this city behind as soon as possible. Honestly, I'd move anywhere in the world just to start over.

The problem is that every job I find asks for a degree or experience. I feel like I don't have any real skills, and while I have age on my side, so does everyone else. I don't want to switch majors because I'm done with the whole university environment and I can't stand living with my parents anymore. But I also can't quit until I have a solid backup plan.

Does anyone have any advice?

I understand your mind and soul are saturated, overwhelmed, possibly very tired... When one is in that state of mind everything seems darker than it actually is - the job market seems worse than it actually is, the prospect of getting a job after completing your studies too. This is not to say that it isn't hard, but when we are going through a depressive period, we tend to see things through some glasses of negativity.

My advice would be to just take it slower. Does it really matter when you will finish, whether 2026 or 2027? 2027 seems perfect, as long as you get there safe and sound. I am currently attempting a 3-year Bachelor's in 5 or 6 years, taking 2 or 3 subjects per semester. It's all I can manage. But what matters is that step by step one gets closer to their desired destination. And believe me, you can't see every blessing finishing the course may bring to your life. You actually have to get on the top of that hill - and you are very close, to be actually able to see what opens up for you. :)

Don't lose hope. There's value in what you have done and achieved so far - it is not pointless, and also value in what you will achieve from now on. Give yourself a break - if you can't run, walk. It's fine.

Hugs!

 

[Celerity]

I strongly disagree with most of the advice in this thread. I completed a degree when I wasn't ready and ended up having to go back to school later. Dropping out absolutely can be the correct decision. If I had obtained more work experience and had a better idea of what I was good at and what I enjoyed, I may have made different choices and saved myself a lot of time. After you obtain a degree, you also lose out on a lot of scholarships and loans that are only available to those working on their bachelor's.

I have met plenty of capable people who walked away from school when they were younger and returned to complete some very advanced education in their later years. The most dramatic examples is an old boss of mine with a PhD who was a high school dropout. You are not a failure by walking away.

That said, a lot of this depends on context. You say you chose IT. I'd be dead miserable working IT, but maybe we don't have the same reasons for disliking it. Your strengths are likely different from mine and would take you in a different direction than what I chose.

If you are like me, I'd pick up a service sector job with flexible scheduling. Retail is obvious. Not sure about Italy's healthcare system, but here CNAs are a good place to start. Either way you go, a job with flexible scheduling would allow you to return to school when you are ready. At least in my area, night class availability is rather poor, which precludes full-time employment 8-5.

 

[Spit On My Grave]

You might consider online learning or college

 

[sonnyw]

Is transferring to a different university an option?

No... unfortunately there aren't any universities that offer my major and that are close to where I live

You might consider online learning or college

Thanks, what is that?

I understand your mind and soul are saturated, overwhelmed, possibly very tired... When one is in that state of mind everything seems darker than it actually is - the job market seems worse than it actually is, the prospect of getting a job after completing your studies too. This is not to say that it isn't hard, but when we are going through a depressive period, we tend to see things through some glasses of negativity.

My advice would be to just take it slower. Does it really matter when you will finish, whether 2026 or 2027? 2027 seems perfect, as long as you get there safe and sound. I am currently attempting a 3-year Bachelor's in 5 or 6 years, taking 2 or 3 subjects per semester. It's all I can manage. But what matters is that step by step one gets closer to their desired destination. And believe me, you can't see every blessing finishing the course may bring to your life. You actually have to get on the top of that hill - and you are very close, to be actually able to see what opens up for you. :)

Don't lose hope. There's value in what you have done and achieved so far - it is not pointless, and also value in what you will achieve from now on. Give yourself a break - if you can't run, walk. It's fine.

Hugs!

Thank you for your kind words :)

I strongly disagree with most of the advice in this thread. I completed a degree when I wasn't ready and ended up having to go back to school later. Dropping out absolutely can be the correct decision. If I had obtained more work experience and had a better idea of what I was good at and what I enjoyed, I may have made different choices and saved myself a lot of time. After you obtain a degree, you also lose out on a lot of scholarships and loans that are only available to those working on their bachelor's.

I have met plenty of capable people who walked away from school when they were younger and returned to complete some very advanced education in their later years. The most dramatic examples is an old boss of mine with a PhD who was a high school dropout. You are not a failure by walking away.

That said, a lot of this depends on context. You say you chose IT. I'd be dead miserable working IT, but maybe we don't have the same reasons for disliking it. Your strengths are likely different from mine and would take you in a different direction than what I chose.

If you are like me, I'd pick up a service sector job with flexible scheduling. Retail is obvious. Not sure about Italy's healthcare system, but here CNAs are a good place to start. Either way you go, a job with flexible scheduling would allow you to return to school when you are ready. At least in my area, night class availability is rather poor, which precludes full-time employment 8-5.

Thank you for your advice :)

 

[never mind me]

Thanks for the tips. I'm in Italy, and I'm worried that even with a better job market, I'll just end up in a job I don't like. I've completely lost interest in what I'm studying and don't want a career in this industry. If I'm planning to work in a totally different field anyway, is there even any point in finishing the degree?

I think it still makes sense to finish your degree, if at all possible . It can help you to get a decent job in the long run, even if it is something that has nothing to do with your degree. Often employers are more willing to employ someone who holds a degree than someone who doesn't, even if the subject has nothing to do with the job. I have seen this happening to my boy-friend who couldn't find a job as a chemist after doing a master in chemistry. But he eventually applied for a job in IT without having any formal training in the field whatsoever and managed to build his career from there.
However, I think it also depends on circumstances and local law. In some countries it gets much harder to apply for a 2nd bachelor course after already completing one. So if that is the case in Italy AND you think you want to do another bachelor in the future it may be best to not complete your course.

 

[ladidabi]

You sound very reflected. It does create a dilemma though.

Sounds similar to something I've been through. Graduated mid-psychosis and active alcoholism though back in 2024. I didn't attend at all during 2 last semesters, and I was as far behind as you can imagine. My reason for my current title is same as yours. Chose a major that in theory universally offers easy jobs. In short, the one job I had in the field sent me to my current unemployment and endless medical treatments. During my active working period, and after I applied for over 500 jobs. Got one interview, but the interviewer was hired externally from abroad. She knew nothing about my country, or structure of our country. She put my CV on Google translate mid interview. It was set up to fail. I have completely given up too, not to be a debbie downer.

I think people these days are falling behind in terms of understanding that the demand has and is still shrinking heavily in most fields everywhere in the world. Now while I don't know what you are doing in uni, I am just going to state it anyway as a general "warning".

Companies, governments and organisations keep cutting costs (even without replacement of AI), to save more and more every year they create a new budgeting plan. Many fields have people getting laid off like it's a tradition. The greed is absurd, at least as someone who worked on a Municipal level. I have heard similar from other people with various degrees and background. Many rejection letters I received actually included the name of the person hired. All of the times, it was an older person with 10+ years experience.

They ask for years and years of experience yet no one will offer a starting point to actually gain this experience. You are not alone in this.

While I understand the users saying you might as well finish it since you're almost done, you do have to consider if there's any sign that there may be a need for someone with that major. You should do something you want to do, or else you'll be crying on your way to work daily after working there for a while. But you should also be aware of what is available now, and if it will stay that way depending on the circumstances of the world. Crazy, I know.