Causes for College Dropouts free essay sample

For a lot of reasons, we really want people to graduate these days, however; getting people to graduate is not easy. Thousands of students attend college every year, and unfortunately, not all of them succeed in graduating. As, Mara Tyler says, â€Å"A student is more likely to drop out whether for a semester or permanently if he is not able to strike a healthy balance with work, school, social activities and family† (Tyler). Many students find it hard to balance work, life and school especially in a time where finding jobs are difficult and there is more to getting a job than just schooling. Three of the main factors to why students are dropping out of college are causes outside-the-classroom. Many students end up getting the job they want and, because of this, drop out of college. In many cases, students who work during college gain promotions to high-paying positions before graduating. We will write a custom essay sample on Causes for College Dropouts or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Also, students take internships in college that turn into jobs. Since most colleges require a minimum number of courses, school forces students to work fewer hours or give up the chance at a promotion (Tyler). Mark Kantrowitz says, â€Å"Nearly three-quarters (71%) of students who dropped out of college said that work contributed to the decision, with more than half (54%) identifying it as a major factor. About a third (35%) said that balancing work and school was too stressful† (Kantrowitz). Therefore, students end up putting college on hold to pursue their job opportunities. Once a student has a position in the field he desires, he may or may not return to school to finish his degree. For students, the freedom and excitement of being on their own can be too much. Sure, there are perks to college life, such as being able to come and go as you please, eat and drink what you want, and take naps in the middle of the day. But without structure, your good times can come with unpleasant side effects like the â€Å"freshman fifteen† or disciplinary actions and academic probation. Donald J. Foss identifies loneliness and isolation, alcohol, time management, and studying as factors that can trip up students. Foss says, â€Å"A second source of high voltage shocks to college commitment comes from bad decisions about what is important—in shorthand, the alcohol problem. Many students stay up too late, engage in binge drinking and possibly other substances, and over-commit to social activities†¦ Alcohol is still the #1 drug problem on college campuses—schools with a party reputation, fully 60% of freshman drink† (Foss). Drinking, staying up late, and blowing off classes to the point where the student is too far behind to make up for the slack can lead to dropping out. Another reason students drop out of college is a lack of money; many students cannot afford to pay for their classes, fees, and books. Mark Kantrowitz says, â€Å"Other major reasons for leaving school included affordability of tuition and fees (31%)† (Kantrowitz). Unless students have financial help from family or are lucky enough to get scholarships or grants, they are often forced to take out loans or work part- to full-time to pay for school. Often times, students cannot afford the cost of living while trying to complete a college education. So because the cost of college on top of other expenses is so high most students do not feel as though they can afford college and end up dropping out. Not all students succeed with graduating college because of these examples and many other different reasons. Students are finding it harder and harder as the years go on to maintain structure in their busy lives and keep up with college. Every year the number of college dropouts increase and will continue to increase because of these factors. Students without financial burdens, who know how to handle their newly found freedom and job, are the kind of students that graduate in college. Even students with one or two of these problems can graduate college if they really work hard. Students with the proper skills, knowledge, and attitudes can tackle college and graduate.