Going back to college after a break

Many people leave college with some credits and no degree. Coming back is common, and most of the work is gathering what you already have.

Find your records

Request your transcripts from each school you attended. If a school has closed, the state’s higher education agency usually holds its records. A balance owed to a school can complicate a transcript request; recent federal rules limit when a school may hold one back, so ask the registrar what applies to you.

What to do

• Order every transcript, including from closed schools
• Check your aid history on StudentAid.gov
• Ask about academic progress appeals
• Compare how many credits each school will accept

Check your aid history

Log in to StudentAid.gov to see the loans and Pell Grants you have already used. If you left during a term, some aid may have been returned, and the school can tell you if you owe anything.

If you lost aid for academic progress, a new school or a long break may give you a fresh start, and an appeal is often possible. Ask the aid office how its policy treats returning students.

The credits you already earned are the cheapest part of your degree, so make every school count them first.

Choose the shortest path

Ask schools to evaluate all your credits before you choose. Programs for returning adults often accept more transfer credit and credit for work experience.