What Causes Many College Students to Fail or Dropout?

Date of Publication: October 2011

As most of us know, most people go to college with the hope of giving themselves the foundation that they need to be successful in life or the skill that they need to find a good job. Every year, more than one hundred thousand students attend college, but many of them often fail or drop out within less than three years. For example, “Only thirty three percent of the freshmen who enter the University of Massachusetts, Boston graduate within six years, less than forty one percent graduate from the University of Montana, and forty four percent from the University of New Mexico”(Leonhardt). Many researchers have tried to determine why those students often fail or drop out, but they cannot find an exclusive reason. One might think that those students often fail or drop out because they are not academically prepared to attend college, but that is not entirely true. Many college students often fail or drop out because they have a lack of motivation; they are the first persons from their families to attend college; lack of sleep is negatively affecting them; they have financial problems; they are caught cheating; stress or anxiety is negatively affecting them; or many of them don't do their homework.

Many college students often fail because they are unmotivated. "According to a survey that was conducted by the Higher Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles , 33 percent of students said they skipped class frequently, and 63 percent of students said they showed up late for class frequently" ( DiLallo). These statistics seem to indicate that frequent tardiness or absenteeism in class is an issue that exists among many college students. However, frequent absenteeism in class among college students, which can lead on to a negative impact in their academic performance, occurs when lack of motivation exists among them. As Dr. Ernest W. Brewer, a professor, says, "When college students are not motivated, a common outcome is a lost desire to attend class, followed by frequent absences and plummeting grades" (2).

Even if college students do their best to demonstrate that they are motivated by attending class frequently, they may encounter other obstacles on their ways. Another issue that causes many college students to fail or drop out is that they are the first persons from their families to attend college. According to Mehta, Sanjays, Newbold, John J, O’rourke, and Matthew, “Past research has determined that first generation college students work more hours and have more financial dependents (Inman & Mayes,1999; Nunez & Cuccaro-Alamin, 1998) and generally feel unprepared to attend college ( Rodriguez, 2003).” And, conceivably, they go to college with more anxiety or more mental strain and have fewer ways to deal with it (Mehta, Sanjays, Newbold, John J, O’rouke, and Matthew). During their first semester in college, they often probably expose to greater risk of having poorer grades than other students (Riehl in Murphy & Hicks). And they are more likely to drop out (Inman, Mayes, & Riehl in Murphy &Hicks) or have higher risk of not graduating with a degree than non-first generation college students (Olsen). Majority or 5.02 out of 10 of them spend their first two years of college in a two years college instead of a university (National Center for Education Statistics in Bui) because they are financially and academically unprepared to attend a four year college and because they want to have more time in order to work (Bui). Furthermore, they are unable to socially and culturally adapt themselves in a positive way (Brooks-Terry in Williams & Buttler). After all, many of them come from homes where they are anticipated to begin supporting themselves and forming a family right after they finish their "high school" education (Mehta, Sanjays, Newbold, John J, O’rouke, and Matthew). They also come from parents who don't have high education or income, which makes them linger at a non-comparative deficit (Engle). Also, first generation students get involved in less social activities and often experience nagging problems. Mehta, Sanjays, Newbold, John J, O’rouke, and Matthew also reported that "students" who do not partake or participate in college activities may feel that they do not like the school that they attend and may have bad or decreasing grades (1). “Additionally, first generation students also have been found to be more likely to live off campus, resulting in lower levels of on-campus participation” (Terenzini in Mehta, Sanjays, Newbold, John J, O’rouke, and Matthew).

Mehta, Sanjays, Newbold, J, O'rouke, and Matthew goes on to prove in their article (Why Do First Generation College Students Fail?) that one of the major problems that "first generation college students" have is that they do not have a family member who can share some college experiences with them or who can tell them how to deal with problems or stress in "college" because their "parents" did not have chance to attend college; as a result, it is often arduous or difficult for them to know how to deal with college (2) (3) (4). They enter college or university with inadequate preparation, stress is more likely to overcome them or drive them crazy, and they are unable to remain reasonable or rational when problems, such as having difficulties passing their classes or paying for their lives, take place in their lives while they are in school.

Even if students are prepared for college by parents, other issues may arise. Lack of sleep also negatively affects many college students or causes them to fail. “Lack of sleep makes it difficult for students to concentrate in school. Our ability to remember is related to our ability to learn, and there have been many studies about sleep and its effects on memory, and learning. These studies suggest that good sleep habits are essential to good study habits” (Fleming). This seems to show that good sleep habits are beneficial to students because they can help students to learn or to study effectively in school, but lack of sleep is detrimental to students because it can make it difficult for them to learn or to remember or to focus in school. It’s also evident that students who have a certain inability to learn, to focus, or to concentrate in school can fail their classes, or students who do not sleep adequately are more likely to fail in school because they can have trouble staying awake in class. According to a survey that was conducted by the Army Research Laboratory Field Element, they interviewed some college students; “43 percent of failing students reported they were getting only 3 to 4 hours of sleep each night, as compared with 23 percent of the passing students. However, when they ask whether they get enough sleep, 33 percent of the falling students and 17 percent of the passing students report that they ‘always’ or ‘often’ have trouble staying awake in class” (Vilbiss, Rice, Laws, and Alfred) (see next figure). This idea can make us realize that even though lack of sleep is negatively affecting both failing and passing students, it is clear that failing students have a higher percentage of sleep deprivation or trouble staying awake in class, so we can make an inference that failing students are more likely not to sleep or have trouble focusing in class. Not only do some students have trouble staying awake in class or do not sleep adequately, but another issue is that sleep deprivation or inadequate sleep can also be a reason of poor academic performance. "In a recent study conducted by many authors, they found that poor sleep is among the most unexpected and definitive causes of poor academic achievement" (Taras).

Not only do many college students are not motivated, are the first persons from their families to attend college, or are negatively affected by lack of sleep, but another dilemma is that financial problems also cause many college student to fail or drop out. “Eighty four percent of college students need more than one source of cash to keep up, two-third of them say they work part time or more to help pay for college, almost sixty percent of them rely on loans to help with college costs, nearly fifty percent of them say that they are uncomfortable with the debt, and majority of students at four year colleges say they routinely feel at least a little worried about having enough money to make it through the week” (Cass) (see next fig.) . These statistics can make us realize that most college students need a lot of money or have to work or have to take loans in order to support themselves or to pay for college. And loans or college costs are not the only characteristics that negatively affect many college students. Stress or anxiety from work or a lack of money also affects many of them by causing them serious problems. According to Professor Bernice Andrews, “The study that was conducted by some researchers from the Royal Holloway University shows that financial difficulties among students are having a direct impact on their mental health which then leads on to reductions in their academic performance” (qtd. in Hall).

The need to work also affects dropout rates. As a matter of fact, “Seventy one percent of students who had quit college said that work was a factor in the decision, more than fifty percent said it was a major factor, and about thirty five percent of those who dropped out said that they tried to balance work and study and found it too stressful” (Ashburn). Silvia Gilardi and Chira Gugliemetti argue that it is evident that employment can serve as a barrier from prolonging education, and non-traditional students or students who are working do not have adequate time to work together with the faculty members; as a result, they may encounter serious obstacles on their ways (49).

Also, many college students often fail because they are caught cheating. According to Stanford, “Academic cheating is defined as representing someone else's work as your own.” And plagiarism refers to the idea of taking someone else’s work and claims it as your own (kidshealth). These evidences seem to indicate that plagiarism is synonymous to academic cheating. According to a survey that was conducted by Donald L. McCabe, forty percent of college students admit that they plagiarize in many of their “written” paper or work (Gabriel). As a matter of fact, back in the days, the number of students cheating was less than 30 percent, but now-a-days, this number is drastically and substantially escalated by more than 74.99 percent (Education-Portal). Using cell phones and using internet or computers are some technological strategies that many students often use to cheat (TVCC News-Journal). Also, some students often use electronic or technological device to exchange answers or ideas while they are taking test in class (TVCC News-Journal). For example, “Last December, a Houston-area school caught 60 students cheating on a test.The method they use to cheat: texting” (TVCC News-Journal). Also, at the University of Florida, Manuel Bermudez, an associate professor in the College of Engineering’s department of computer and information science and engineering, caught ninety seven of his students cheating in one of his classes, and he strongly penalized them for doing that (Alcantara). Every year, at least 75 percent of college students report that they cheat at some forms during their time in school (Education-Portal). Moreover, not only do many college students report that they cheat at some point during their time in school or are strongly penalized by some instructors because they get caught cheating , but another issue is that students who are caught cheating in a course may automatically fail the whole course simply for doing that. According to Kate Taylor, “If a student is caught cheating on a test or project, he may automatically fail. In colleges, students may even fail the entire course in which they cheated” (1).

Even if many college students are financially prepared to attend college or choose not to cheat in school, other problems may stand up. Stress or anxiety also causes many of them to fail or drop out. The survey that was conducted by The AP-mtvU , a television channel, shows that 80 percent of college students experience stress, and 40 percent of them are negatively affected by it ( Fram& Tompson). In addition to that, 30.2 percent of first year college students say that they experience stress by all the things that they perform according to a report at UCLA (Slabosh). A 2006 U.S survey shows that 4.4 out of 10 college students are stressed , and anxiety is negavely effecting their functionality (Messenger). 3.3 out of 10 college students reported that stress leads on to a negative impact in their grades ( Smydo). And stress exposes many college students to higher risk of having bad grades and dropping out in school (Singhal). Furthermore, many college students drop out in college in order to deal with stress. According to Guirol, when many college students are disheartened or stressed, they choose to drop out in college with the mentality that once they dropout out, they can find an appropriate way or strategy to cope with this stress (1).

In addition to these reasons listed above, many college students also fail because they don't do their homework. "Surveys have been shown that 20 percent of college students don't do their homework" (Phelps). They interviewed some college students at the University of Michigan; 1/2 of them reported that "homework" is something that they never did (U.S Students And Homework). These surveys seem to demonstrate that many college students fail to do or don't do their assignment. However, college students who don't do their assighnment or their homework can fail in school simply because of that. According to educationrealist, "Students who don't do their homework often fail simply for not doing their homework" (1).

Many college students often fail or drop out not entirely because they are academically unprepared to attend college but because they have financial problems. They have to work in order to provide or to support themselves; as a result, it’s often hard for them to work and to study at the same time. In addition to that, lack of sleep is negatively affecting their learning capabilities. Many of them do not sleep adequately. “They choose to engage in other activities. Parties, late night studies session or job-related obligations are taking precedence and leaving less time for the mandatory sleep needed for optimal performance” (Shragge). As a result, most of those students have trouble staying awake in class. However, inadequate sleep or sleep deprivation is a reason of poor academic performance. Many of them are unmotivated to attend class, which is negatively affecting their academic performances. And stress or anxiety is negatively affecting them. Some of them don't do their homework. Or many of them are the first persons from their families to attend college. Their parents do not assist them that much, so they often experience a lot of problems. Some of them are caught cheating, so they automatically fail the course. College dropout or failure rates can be or may be decreased if most of those students take adequate hours of sleep, if we economically help them, if we take more time to motivate them or to talk to them by making them realize how education is valuable or by making them ascertain that class attendance is extremely crucial for academic success, or if parents of first generation college students try to be more supportive to their children. Also, it can be decreased if many students stop cheating or if we can find an appropriate way to help many college students to cope with stress or anxiety.

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Roldens Paulynice

Education: May 2012 Graduated from Palm Beach Sate College: Associate in Arts Degree

Current Student at Florida Atlantic University, Stuying accounting

Author of Author of Teenage Marriages Are Likely to End Unhappily, Think before You Act, What Causes College Students to Fail or Dropout, Why Limits on Civil Liberty since 9/11 Are Warranted by the Threat Posed by Terrorism,The Most Major Causes among the 3 Major Causes of Weak, Unstable Governments in Haity , Many People Get Married for Foolish Reasons, and An Essay about The Tell-Tale Heart And The Black Cat (Narrators' Conscious And Unconscious Feelings,Actions,the Horror)