During the'90's the college dropout rate was at an all-time high in that one out of every three students never made it to graduation. Today, it's a whopping one in two that drop out! Why the increase? The failing economy has a lot to do with it. When you're looking for work, it's hard to imagine putting a kid through college, you know? Even if you have your funding in place, the pressure to make financial ends meet is the culprit more often than any other reason. There are other factors, however, and making yourself aware of them is half the battle when it comes to coping and staying the course.
1. Social pressure. Living away from home for the first time can be a problem. Some students thrive in such a challenge, but for others, the desire to go back to the familiar is sometimes too hard to resist. As for those who thrive in a new environment, one that's free from parental scrutiny, sometimes they are a bit too sociable to be able to do well in class. In both cases, dropout is the result.
2. Keep on top of your studies. Earning grade grades in high school is entirely different from doing well in college. As you might have suspected, the work load is intense at the college level so don't let yourself fall behind. If, after a while, you find that there's another major that interests you more than the one you originally declared, you might need to transfer to another school. Transferring doesn't have to equal dropping out, so make the change and stay the course in the process.
3. Where's the support? Back in high school if you had troubles keeping up, a handy guidance counselor was always nearby and easy to meet with for help. In college, do you even know where to look for help? If a student is overwhelmed on all fronts, finding a guidance counselor to keep him on track might be too much to bear. Even though there is help available, college is a time for independence and that just doesn't come easily for some students.
4. If you need to work, try to do so during the summers and on weekends only. If you must work during the academic year, do not do so for more than 20 hours a week. Many students end up dropping out simply because they need to work and can't keep up with their studies.
Dropping out isn't the end of the world, of course. But if you really want your college education in order to fulfill your dreams for your life, be aware of the pitfalls and have your coping skills in tact when they strike.
1. Social pressure. Living away from home for the first time can be a problem. Some students thrive in such a challenge, but for others, the desire to go back to the familiar is sometimes too hard to resist. As for those who thrive in a new environment, one that's free from parental scrutiny, sometimes they are a bit too sociable to be able to do well in class. In both cases, dropout is the result.
2. Keep on top of your studies. Earning grade grades in high school is entirely different from doing well in college. As you might have suspected, the work load is intense at the college level so don't let yourself fall behind. If, after a while, you find that there's another major that interests you more than the one you originally declared, you might need to transfer to another school. Transferring doesn't have to equal dropping out, so make the change and stay the course in the process.
3. Where's the support? Back in high school if you had troubles keeping up, a handy guidance counselor was always nearby and easy to meet with for help. In college, do you even know where to look for help? If a student is overwhelmed on all fronts, finding a guidance counselor to keep him on track might be too much to bear. Even though there is help available, college is a time for independence and that just doesn't come easily for some students.
4. If you need to work, try to do so during the summers and on weekends only. If you must work during the academic year, do not do so for more than 20 hours a week. Many students end up dropping out simply because they need to work and can't keep up with their studies.
Dropping out isn't the end of the world, of course. But if you really want your college education in order to fulfill your dreams for your life, be aware of the pitfalls and have your coping skills in tact when they strike.
About the Author:
Mike Mower dropped out of college twice before winning an academic scholarship and earning an online degree.
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