Many students after graduating from high school are excited about going to college because of the plethora of experiences they will encounter over there. Also, they are eager to study their dream courses, but it comes with different challenges and obstacles that might make one become discouraged due to rigorous school activities.
On the other hand, students tend to get a high level of freedom which comes with its disadvantages such as loss of motivation, perpetual procrastination, laziness, and many others. It is the reason students need to have the right mentality to excel in their academic programs. Without this positive mindset, there will be room for negative energies.
Most times, when students begin their college degrees, they have that enthusiasm wanting to do well in their given field with a good GPA score, because life itself is filled with eventualities and emergencies, their ambitions might become terminated. No one wants something bad to happen to them either physically, mentally, emotionally, or financially.
What are the Reasons Students Drop Out of College?
The reasons students drop out of college or university are numerous, and it varies for each student. Many students find it hard trying to battle with many conflicting issues in their lives. Some of these issues are unavoidable, while some might be plain irresponsibility from the student. The following are reasons for students dropping out of college, and they are:
1. Financial Problems:
It is one of the common reasons students drop out of college. For instance, a student from a poor background will find it difficult to afford his or her tuition fee. In some cases, they might afford the first-year tuition fee, but in other subsequent semesters or sessions, they have to struggle paying their tuition fee.
Financial problem is a motivating factor for students taking part-time jobs to afford certain things like tuition fee, feeding, accommodation, transportation, research practicals, and many others. Therefore, students lacking funds might decide to drop out of school to learn vocational work.
Solution
Parents or guardians should ensure they are financially buoyant in sending their kids or wards to college. Another option is for students academically sound to apply for fully funded or partial scholarships to get some finance for their education. Also, students can be advised to take a part-time job for extra income.
2. Absence of College Counselors:
There are some scenarios in colleges whereby students have dropped out based on trying to fight some personal issues in their lives. Some of these students could be down mentally and for this, they need someone to fill that empty vacuum in them by paying rapt attention to their emotional or mental issues.
Besides having lecturers, college counselors are essential to have in any college because of the roles they play in the lives of students. They can nurture students with good advice that will make them grow in their different endeavors. When students find out there is no college counselor where they can tender their problems, they can decide to drop out.
Solution
Colleges should ensure they have counselors ready to pay attention to students to solve their different needs and challenges. On the other hand, colleges with counselors should make it mandatory for students to visit the school counselor in sharing their deepest emotions, fears, and problem for solutions in return.
3. Undecided Course of Study:
There are cases students gain admission into college but fail to concentrate by putting their energy into it. This kind of thing happens when a course is given to a student that isn’t their first choice. For instance, a student applied to study Medicine and Surgery at Oxford University, but at the end of the day, another course was given.
When a student experience this kind of thing, they might become frustrated and want to give a lackadaisical attitude to their new course of study. As a result of this, they might decide to drop out of college to pursue their major course, and this happens in many colleges across different faculties.
Solution
Proper educational orientation is necessary to direct students on the right path. A student given another course rather than Medicine and Surgery can still have the opportunity to offer a medical course in their postgraduate degree. It is the reason orientation are necessary to enlighten students that there is still light at the end of the tunnel for their dream course
4. Increase Level of Failed Courses:
Failing courses can be something that could be overwhelming for many students. The most annoying thing is when students keep on failing foundational courses every semester or year. It could lead to an increased credit workload because they will rewrite the course(s) to ensure they graduate.
Furthermore, their colleagues are moving forward and studying their major courses, while, they are still struggling with their fresher or elementary courses. At a point, the student might either feel they are not up to the task, a sense of hopelessness in them, or they are not offering the right course that matches their intellectual capacity.
Solution
Students can attend extra lectures or lessons to get more knowledge about their courses. Also, forming group study or lectures among students having the same career goals is essential to help students avoid failing courses. It is one of the effective methods of doing fine academically in any college course.
5. Life Challenges and Situations:
Many unexpected situations might occur in life such as the demise of a family member, financial limitations, disease or illness, etc. These reasons can force or ginger a student to stop their college education is halfway, and look for another thing to do with their lives.
In life some circumstances are inevitable and they are bound to happen. When these things occur, it could lead to two different things like motivating the students mentally or draining the students. Whatever the case on-ground students who are not strong mentally might end up giving up on their education.
Solution
Depressed students should find someone they can share their pains with and give them the right words to carry on with their education and come out with good grades. It is never advisable for any student to keep their pains or problems to themselves because the more they share their problems, the more the anguish in their hearts is reduced.
Conclusion:
Many reasons can make students drop out of college, but there is no problem without a definite solution. The major thing is for the students to keep an open mind and determination to carry on even when the going gets tougher for them. The popular saying, “if there is a will, there is a way” is still effective even at this present time.