This document presents a review and theoretical synthesis of recent research on dropouts in higher education. The first chapter deals with defining dropouts from college, and in considering the various meanings applied to that term, suggests some needed modifications in the definition. The second chapter reviews recent data on dropouts in order to…

AN INVESTIGATION WAS MADE OF THE PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF COLLEGE DROPOUTS. PERSONALITY INVENTORIES AND RESPONSES TO QUESTIONNAIRES WERE USED TO DISTINGUISH PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS UNIQUE OR ESPECIALLY PREVALENT AMONG DROPOUTS. THE PERSONALITY SCALE DATA AND MOST OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE DATA USED IN THE STUDY WERE MADE AVAILABLE FROM…

This article discusses the current dropout rate, as great as 70 percent in colleges and universities, and the need to alleviate this problem. (HS)

This report evaluated a project designed to identify, locate, and assist high school dropouts in Oahu, Hawaii. The study group consisted of 105 males and 145 females. Former dropouts were used as outreach aides to: (1) contact potential dropouts in the schools, and (2) to assist the student in resolving his difficulty. The study revealed that most…

The factors that contribute to student dropouts have been the focus of extensive deliberation during the last decade. Despite expanded attention, the number of dropouts remains unacceptably high. Drawing on the authors' 17-year history of dropout research in Texas, Arizona, and across the country, this article describes the alarming dropout rates,…

Whether educators recognize which students are at-risk and despite the extra time that is spent motivating and redirecting at-risk students, effective intervention must include analysis of both individuals and the systems that affect experiences in education. In order to understand the varied levels in which dropouts are affected and to plan…

We use unique data to examine how college students from low income families form expectations about academic ability and to examine the role that learning about ability and a variety of other factors play in the college drop-out decision. From the standpoint of satisfying a central implication from the theory of drop-out, we find that…

Public/Private Ventures' (P/PV's) "GroundWork" series summarizes available evidence on a variety of social policy topics, providing a firm foundation for future work. This second brief in the series presents an overview of issues surrounding the ninth grade transition: why it is so important; why many middle school students find it so difficult;…

What is the mandatory age of attendance in each of the states? Specifically, what is the age at which a student may leave school with or without parental consent, and what if any caveats or requirements are attached to dropping out? To answer these questions, the Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast (REL-SE) staff conducted a Google search…

This article suggests that contact with the legal system increased school dropout in a Chicago sample of 4,844 inner-city students. According to multilevel multivariate logistic models, students who were first arrested during the 9th or 10th grade were six to eight times more likely than were nonarrested students ever to dropout of high school and…

The number of adult learners who participate in online learning has rapidly grown in the last two decades due to online learning's many advantages. In spite of the growth, the high dropout rate in online learning has been of concern to many higher education institutions and organizations. The purpose of this study was to determine whether…

Educational success is often synonymous with attainment of academic qualifications. However for some students, simply continuing to attend school rather than dropping out may represent an important attainment, and completion of secondary school significantly reduces chances of subsequent chronic poverty. The longitudinal US NELS dataset was…

Identifies basic issues relevant to the development of dropout prevention programs. Considers (1) risk factors leading to dropout, (2) nine possible target groups for dropout intervention, and (3) four possible constraints (cost, burden, directions, and laws) that will influence the consideration and selection of new policies or programs. (IW)

Information on alternative education and programs for potential dropouts and dropouts in Iowa is compiled in this directory. Data were obtained from reports submitted to the Iowa Association of Alternative Education (IAAE) and from out-of-state sources. Following the introduction and information on the IAAE, 15 sections present information on the…

If the nation is to truly meet the goal of every child a graduate, everybody must hold schools responsible for graduating every student with a regular diploma, particularly poor and minority students. Unfortunately, current education accountability systems virtually ignore high school graduation rates. This brief summarizes such shortcomings in…