Most people receive a lot of advice over their lifetimes. Can you think of some of the things that others have told you? One bit of advice that you might have heard from your parents and teachers is that you should stay in school and continue on to graduation. That way, you will be able to go to university or college and get a good job in the future. However, not everyone manages to finish high school, whether by choice or through problems in their lives. How can they ever continue their education? The process might be difficult, but high school dropouts can still go to university or college if they want.

Students might have many different reasons for dropping out of school, such as a crisis in their lives, a change in family circumstances or a move to a remote area of the country where high school is unavailable. Some students might have finished the work to graduate but not have a Canadian diploma because they were homeschooled or because they finished their education overseas. In most cases, the process for getting into a Canadian university or college is similar for all of these people.

One of the most common ways to get into higher education is to write an entrance exam set by the university or college. Foreign students whose first language is not English often have to pass these exams before they can get into Canadian universities and colleges, and people who have dropped out of high school can do the same to show that they have the skills and knowledge they need. Most universities and colleges also accept people who are at least twenty-one years old as “mature students” without requiring them to meet any specific academic standards.

Being accepted into a college or university is a good first step, but students also need to be able to do the work or they will not be able to graduate. Students in many post-secondary institutions need to be able to organize their own work, write long papers and complete complicated projects, often with very little help from their instructors. Taking courses through Continuing Education programs or through online universities can help people develop the skills they need to be able to complete their coursework. Some universities, such as Oxford University in England and Stanford University in the United States, even offer free online courses in various subjects. Students might not be able to receive degrees through these programs, but they offer a good chance to learn and to practice the skills they need for their studies.

Have you dropped out of high school and are you thinking of going to university or college? Many people have done that, and they have been successful in achieving their goals. If you left school but still enjoy learning, you can return to your studies and maybe gain a new career or help yourself become better at your current job. It’s never too late to improve your mind and your skills with a post-secondary education.