Why do students drop out of school?
Students drop out of school for multiple reasons. The #1 reason is a fear of success.
Hi Andrea,
Retention is a constant battle, and as you have indicated, the instructor makes a TREMENDOUS impact on retention.
Patricia
Encouragement from the instructor is very important in retention.
I have recently dropped out of a graduate program in architecture. I have been sacrificing a lot of time an money to be there. I am an older student, and was in studio with twenty-two year olds, for the majority. They are much more focused and have clearer heads to push their projects forward faster than I was able to do. I thought my projects were very good, but after getting very little encouragement from the faculty members at the school, I decided that I didn't 'need' the degree and if my work was not worthy of notice from my professors, why should I waste my time and have my family sacrifice for me to be there. I was clearly discouraged and no effort on the part of the faculty was made to encourage me. So I left.
I know that my situation is not the norm, but if I had gotten some measure of encouragement from my studio professor this term, I might have tried a bit harder to keep my project on track, and not gotten so far behind. With the added pressures of family, bills, and a job, it just didn't seem to me that it was worth it to stay there.
Hi Keith,
Wow, an instructor should never discourage a student! Personnel needs to handle the instructor.
Patricia
Ihave seen students drop out because of their instructors.Instuctors that tell them the
course is a waste of time, or you wont be hired.
Hi Kenneth,
Your academic dean may need to look at the quality of education at your institution.
Patricia
I don't have a survey to back this up but it seems we loose more students not because of failure but because we fail to challenge them.
Hi James,
Absolutely, students drop out of school for many different reason, such as childcare, financial, transportation, work, etc. We have to try to convince them to stay by helping them to see the big picture--a short-term sacrifice to a long-term gain.
Patricia
It seems many young students have many different reasons to quit school. What ever they are I think it's my job as an educator and as an adult to explain to them the good it will do them to stay in school and the benefits they will get from it.
Hello Laura,
They are afraid to succeed. By succeeding, they will be held accountable to perform with success!
Patricia
"Fear of success"? Explain, please.
Hi Dianne,
Do you truly feel admissions should full share what is expected in the real world or is this someone else's role?
Patricia
For many students it is a holding pattern. They are young and fearful of the "real" world. I work in a culinary school and many are not even aware of what kind of work this entails. I often feel that admisstions withhold alot of the reality of what is expected
Hi Daniel,
Whenver you notice the first sign that a student may possibly drop out of school, address the student immediately. The promptness may allow you to save the student.
Patricia
Patricia,
That is correct. We cant just say they dont want to be there because there is a multitude of reasons why they dont want to. They may even say they dont want to because it is easier to think that way than "they cant be there".
Hi Scott,
What other reasons you feel as to why students drop out of school? What reasons have you witnessed at your institution to cause students to drop out of school?
Patricia
I agree with Manuel. I come along many students that do not know what they want, specifically in their future - career wise. It is important to identify their goals, both for us and them.
I think that many of the students that matriculate into school are either not academically or financially ready.
I think also there is a lack of confidence in their abilities, especially those directly from high school. Therefore it is important we provide opporunties for them to be successful and increase their confidence
Hi Bob,
For whatever reason they don't want to be there, but we have to determine why and try to make them see the benefits of a college education.
Patricia
