College Students Dropping Out Of College

The college drop-out and failure rate in North America is unacceptably high and it’s becoming a huge problem. In fact, US News reports that “30% of college freshmen drop out after their first year of college” (Bowler 2). There are quite a few reasons students drop out of College. Whether it’s having a child or working two jobs, it’s hard for most students to balance college and life. Some of the main causes of dropping out include nontraditional situations, mental issues such as stress or anxiety, and lack of self-knowledge.

In the reading “The College Dropout Boom,” the author, David Leonhardt, describes the college admissions system as being ruthlessly meritocratic. When looking at the word meritocratic, one can visualize it as the construction of two parts: the word merit and the suffix “-ocracy”. The word merit can be defined as the deserving of reward for past actions and the suffix “-ocracy” is understood as a form of governing body. Therefore, meritocracy without context means a form of governing body which rewards deserving individuals based upon their past actions. From this definition, it is quite obvious why David Leonhardt used the word meritocracy to describe the college admissions system. According to Leonhardt, students are admitted into college

This question and many others have been poised time and time again. Why do I need to go to college? My parents didn’t go and their life turned out fine. My friends never, have time for relax and have fun why would I put myself through that. Bill Gates, didn’t finish college look at him now. In the article "The Future is About More Than College", by Joshua Starr only 3% of Americans think a high school degree is sufficient to tackle today's work force (58). Although college is not a mandatory choice, it will dictate almost every choice you make in your life there on after.

“In fall 2016, some 20.5 million students are expected to attend American colleges and universities, constituting an increase of about 5.2 million since fall 2000” (National Center for Education Statistics). That number seems to be rising each and ever year, and it almost seems as students feel like they have to go to college directly after high school. Maybe it is because they feel that they have to fit in, even if college is not for them. Although some students attend college for academics, sports, and other reasons, some students attend college for no apparent reason; with that in mind, students should take into consideration the time and money that is put into going to college.

The main reason people go to college is because they were always told you will have a better life if you go to college. Kids are pressured to feel that the have to go to college because, “it

The web page "College Dropout Statistics" lists many reasons for drop outs and how many including that, "30% of college and university students drop out after their first year" (Beckstead). Expectations are set for students including; having great attendance in their classes, finishing their assignments on time, being a part of an organization, or going out with other students. Keeping up with all that goes in school, and having maintaining a social life can be difficult. Another statistic states, "Being unable to balance school, jobs and family is one of the top reasons for dropping out" (Beckstead). Everyone is trying their best to enjoy college, but also get the degree they are striving for. All of this causes many students to drop out because they can not handle all of

After high school, many students make the decision on attending college based off of the things their parents/ teachers may have taught them when they were young. For example, many students further their education because throughout their lifetime they’re told they have to. In school we’re taught that in order for us to receive good jobs, and make a decent amount of money we have to have a college degree. Some are even taught that they must go beyond the undergrad and receive their masters, and doctorate degrees if they really want to be known as something in this world. While others go because it would make their parents proud, or to fulfill the legacy of being a first generation college student in their families. While this may be the case majority of the time, if you’re like me you go because

If a student does not have the money to attend college, it is like having your vehicle being taken away from you. Education is the road, and without having the thousands of dollars one needs to attend the University of their choice, no one would be able to drive down the path to success. It all comes down to the fact that college is too expensive for a majority of adolescents, being more of a luxury than a commodity, which holds us away from our potential dream, and future.

On the other hand, there are plenty of reasons that cause students to go to college is to end up financially stable. Going to college almost guarantees you a decent paying job after you graduate. Another reason that causes high school graduate students to go to college is to get a new change of scenery.

College is something everyone should experience. Even if it is for just for a year in the least. Not everyone gets to experience the ‘real world’ effects as the ‘real world’ slaps us in the face. We hear when we are small that college is what we all should do but, what if you can’t do it by means of expense? There are so many things that need to be paid for. You may ask; “What about scholarships?” Not all schools let you stack so you still end up with expenses that range from class supplies, books, and all the way to room and board. With all these items that need to be paid for and more, college just isn’t an option most of the time.

Before addressing the situation, there is the question of why people go to college. According to Caroline Bird, people go to college not because they want to but because guidance counselors and parents are always telling them that it is best for them. “It is practically beat into our heads that in order to be a productive citizen of society, you should have some sort of college education.” (Caroline Bird) Some people may even go to college just so they can get the social title of being called a college student, but a majority of the time they are pressured. For some people college can be worth it, but, it depends on the person. Some people can afford more expensive colleges and others can 't afford any.

Today, many people decide to attempt to further their education by attending community college, but quickly they realize it is either to hard or it is the wrong path. Many first time students face extreme difficulty getting caught up to a college level of English and math; therefore, they dropout and go back into the work force. Many first year students hold multiple jobs to support their own living expenses while trying to get educated, but when things get hard, many sacrifice their education. Every college dropout has their own reason for quitting school, wither its finances, planning, or a lack of motivation.

Yet still take the initiative every day to get up and work on school work and for some of the millions of students go into a campus! But what truly drives a college student to want to learn? Is it the need for a batter paying job? Is it to benefit your family? Or to maybe just tell yourself “ Hey I did this!” I think it could be all three but when it comes to most high school students getting overwhelmed with the things that are going on in their home lives and bring it to school when they should be paying attention. “High schoolers dropping out can be attributable to the social climate, particularly those elements dealing with student participation and the severity of the problem environment.” (Pittman, Haughwout, December 1987) As we age we realize that college is going to be required of us at some point so why not do it now. We as college students psych ourselves up for this awesome experience, to find that it is stressful and way harder than we thought college was going to be, we learned in high school. So, we go into everything blind thinking one way to find that it is another. But no matter what gets in some of our way we keep going knocking out one class at a

Life is believed to be easier for people with higher degrees than for those without higher degrees. Hence, it is the joy of parents to see their children admitted into a higher institution. With the high cost attached to attending a four year university, most students prefer to attend community colleges. Community colleges provide the same quality of education offered by universities for the first two years at a lower cost which help students reduce debts toward getting their higher degree. However, compared to the number of students who started their first year in community colleges, a large percentage dropped out. This is common to both freshly graduated high school students and adults who came back to college to obtain a degree. Students drop out of colleges because of financial issues and the need to take remedial courses. As a result, they have self esteem issues and may remain poor.

While there are many problems college students’ face while attempting to obtain a degree, the largest hindrance from completion is that of financial ability. One of the largest contributors to college dropout rates is the lack of financial support. Many college students must work either full or part time to support themselves or their families. With the declining economy and increasing costs of college tuition, funds are being scarcely distributed and many college students find that they are unable to continue their education due of this.