NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
ERIC Number: ED364294
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1993-Nov
Pages: 27
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Study of Students Who Withdrew from Courses, Summer 1990-Spring 1992. Volume XXII, No. 6.
Lucas, John A.; Meltesen, Cal
A study was conducted at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) in Illinois to develop a profile of students who withdrew from courses between summer 1990 and spring 1992. For the 2-year period studied, each degree credit student who officially withdrew from a course was asked to complete a survey form, indicating withdrawal status, whether a counselor had been consulted, principal reason for withdrawal, method of registration, and general comments. Between 1990 and 1992, 13.4% of the 170,000 course enrollments resulted in official withdrawals, representing a 0.4% decrease in withdrawals from the 1988-1990 cohort. An analysis of these withdrawals indicated the following: (1) one out of every five course withdrawals resulted in complete withdrawal from WRHC, although nearly three-fourths of the students who withdrew planned to return to WRHC in the future; (2) nearly 30% of those withdrawing gave reasons completely beyond WRHC's control, and only 7% indicated WRHC as the primary cause for withdrawal; (3) the major reasons cited for withdrawals included personal, family, or health problems, too far behind/poor grades, inconvenient meeting times, or job pressures; (4) there continued to be a lower percentage of withdrawals during the summer semester than during the spring and fall semesters (11% versus 14%); (5) about 40% of the withdrawing students indicated that they had never consulted a counselor in the 2 years previous to withdrawal; and (6) overall, younger students continued to have a higher withdrawal rate than students over the age of 25. Extensive data tables and the survey instrument are included. (MAB)
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires; Numerical/Quantitative Data
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: William Rainey Harper Coll., Palatine, IL. Office of Planning and Research.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A