Why do students drop out of college? What are the benefits and disadvantages of dropping out of college in 2024?
Recently, we have heard of many instances whereby students drop out of college. The alarming rate has triggered us to look into it and determine the reasons behind this action. The best student at your level could drop out and will make you wonder why that should happen.
A dropout gives up on institutional learning and never returns to complete it. Sometimes, dropping out is mistaken for taking a leave of absence. A leave of absence is used when a student takes a definite break from school for several reasons. On the other hand, dropping out is when a student quits school indefinitely.
To clarify, anybody could be a school dropout, especially when they get to college. As a result, you should not be surprised if anyone around you drops out of school. As I mentioned earlier, there are reasons behind this motive by students, and I will reveal them here in this post.
What percentage of students drop out yearly?
It is no surprise that this number keeps on boosting over time. In 2019, a survey was taken to determine the number of dropouts for the year. The results showed that around 50% of students dropped out. In 2020, the survey was taken again, only to discover that dropouts had already skyrocketed to over 60%.
For the next year, 2021, the same research showed that almost 70% of students dropped out of college in the previous academic year. Undoubtedly, the figure should increase when the survey is conducted at the end of the year. We should expect this since the causes of dropouts are not managed effectively.
Speaking of the causes of students dropping out of college, there are many of them. However, this article will mention only the top reasons students drop out of college.
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5 Reasons Why Students Drop out of College
Here are some of the reasons why most students drop out of college.
1. Poor Financing
For many students, this is the key reason for dropout. When there is no good source to finance your education in college, dropping out is imminent. Students should be aware beforehand that the expenses at College will be more than the norm at High school, so they should prepare for it.
Since most students are sponsored to college by their parents or guardians, it will be the parent’s job to provide any financing required. Inability to do so might affect the student so badly that he/she might begin to lack basic needs to uphold his/her academic life.
Some students sponsor themselves to college if their parents cannot do so. Things could get harder than expected, and they will have no option but to discontinue their education and move on with their normal life.
Over the years, poor financing has been a huge concern, contributing to over 70% of dropouts globally.
2. Inability to cope with Academics at College
Just as they say, college is harder than high school. The workload at high school is lesser compared to that at college. This might not be easy to blend in, especially for fresh students. The first years at college can be very frustrating.
From the increased workload to the higher working time to the ever-increasing dedication, students might be unable to cope with this and see dropping out as an option to eliminate the stress. After financing issues, this comes next in the list of the major causes of college dropout cases.
3. Lack of Attention and Guidance
Remember I said that the early years at college are usually the hardest. This is when colleges/universities record the highest number of dropout cases. Unlike old college students, newbies tend to be more prone to dropping out. You can confirm this anywhere.
When students enter college, they see it as a new place, a change of environment. The changing environment might affect a student, who might only need someone else to share his/her thoughts with.
If there is no one to share thoughts with, the student might be unable to continue after trying repeatedly. However, this factor has not contributed so much to dropouts in recent years but has begun to amass figures.
4. Studying the Wrong Program
This could even kill faster than expected. Studying the wrong program at college is synonymous with activating a time bomb. Students who do not engage in programs that are best for them face several challenges during the program.
Some students go for a program because of friends, and some because that is what their parents or guardians want.
This could have a series of effects, which include dropping out of school. The right program will not throw so many unbearable challenges at you.
5. Mental Health Issues
This has contributed so much to dropouts in recent times. Mental health, which has been overlooked for a long time, is becoming very important at college.
Stress at college could result in some mental disorders, making a student feel like a failure, tired, and unwilling to give up. Some students have a way of battling with this alone, but those who do not stand a chance end up giving up and leaving college.
When we asked some school dropouts about their decision, they said, “They just got tired of everything.” This kind of response is usually associated with mental breakdowns.
How to prevent students from dropping out of College
What is the point of managing college dropouts when they can be prevented first? The first way to prevent students from dropping out of college is for the Institutions to organize orientation programs.
When students get into college or university, they see everything as new. This is where you can give the student the best head start to push him during his program. An orientation program will educate the student on what to expect in college and how to manage various issues that might come his/her way.
For some students, a college orientation will help them decide on the program they should attend during their stay. An orientation is 60% of what a fresh student needs upon admission into college.
Another effective way to prevent dropouts is organizing student loans and reducing tuition fees. No student will want to drop out when the tuition fees are affordable.
Colleges that hike their tuition should reduce it for the sake of students who can not afford to pay that much. Also, student loan initiatives with low interest should be encouraged, as it helps students borrow to finance their education and other costs in college. This should be a great step since most students drop out due to poor financing.
The teacher-Students ratio should be moderate. I advise a teacher/lecturer to know all the students in his/her class and maintain a good relationship with them. Sometimes, these students want to be close to their lecturers, which can only happen if the teacher-student ratio is moderate.
Another way to curb dropout cases is to ensure guidance and counseling centers are on the college premises.
When students want to talk, they need someone ready to listen and provide solutions for them, not the one to criticize. This is why counselors are important in a college setting.
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Sam is a brilliant young Nigerian biochemistry student and an aspiring entrepreneur. Despite facing many challenges, he has never lost his passion for learning and drive to make a difference in the world. Read more about him here.