There was more than usual reaction to my blog on 6-year graduate rates (62%) so I thought I would add to the picture. Consider these facts:
The 4-year graduation rate (% of entering students who graduate in 4 years) = 31%
The 5-year rate == 55%
A big part of the problem is that we lose students from year to year:
The second-year retention--students who come back for a second year = 82%
For a 3rd year = 74%
For a 4th year = 68%
While we lose 8% between sophomore and junior years and 6% between junior and senior year, the main problem is keeping students for the second year. 18% drop out. Is college too hard? To expensive? Are they ill-equipped for college studies? What else?
One more thing--and no surprise here--men and women drop out after the first year at about the same rate (17% for females and 19% for males), by the end of the second year the difference shows: 75% of females vs 71% of males make it to the junior year, and 73% of females vs 61% of males make it to their 4th year.
Any thoughts?
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One reason why the drop out rate may be higher for males as compared to females in the later years of college may be due to manual labor options. There seems to be more careers and job options for men without college degrees that are respectable and decent in pay. There are not as many of these jobs alternatives for women without a degree. I have posted an interesting article in Wetpaint about some internal problems that colleges are facing that are hindering students from earning degrees.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Desiree’s comment on men seems to have more job options without college degree. Now you get to see that in the real world as well. I can speak for my department and I can defiantly say that for Professional job postings we definitely get more women candidates then men. My current department is 75% women and 25% men.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both comments. Still, in today's world, men can have more options of manual jobs than women can, therefore, resulting in a higher drop out rate.
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