Understanding College Student Attrition: The Case of Voluntary Withdrawal at Unity University College
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore why academically able students at Unity University College (UUC) discontinue their education. The study focused on part-time students who came to UUC with a strong motivation and commitment for higher education but decided to leave even when they had the required academic standard to continue learning. The study examined attrition from the students’ perspective and probed their individual stories about their reason for dropping out, stopping out, and reenrolling. It identified reasons that include financial problems and a wide range of factors related to institutional support. The attrition-persistence of the part-time students was found to be the function of the interaction among the student, the institution, and the level of financial and employment support students received.
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References
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Ashar, H. and Skenes, R. (1993) Can Tinto’s Student Departure Model be applied to Non-
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Departure Through Theory Elaboration. Research in Higher Education, 39, 103-
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Higher Education, 64(2), 123-139.
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Husain, T. et. al. (1991). Higher Educaion and Employment Opportunities in Pakistan.
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Laekemariam Berhe (1994). The Effect of the Ethiopian School Leaving Examination on
Students Attrition rate in Wondo Genet College of forestry. The Ethiopian Journal
of Education, XV(2), 65-103.
Metzner, B. S, and Bean, J. P. (1987). The Estimation of a Conceptual Model of Non
traditional Undergraduate Student Attrition. Research in Higher Education, 40,
355-371.
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key Issues. An Introductory Report for the Tertiary Education Advisory
Committee. New Zealand.
Pageau, D. (2000). Keys to Success: Willpower and Commitment. Presentation To CIRPA
Conference, 2000.
Pascarella, E., and Chapman, D. (1983). A Multi Institutional Path Analytic Validation of
Tinto’s Model of College Withdrawal. American Educaional Research Journal, 20,
87-102.
Rounds, J. C. (1984). Attrition and Retention of community College Students; Problems and
Promising Practices: Maysyville, CA: Yuba College
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Looking Beyond International Theories of Student Departure. Paper Presented at the Annual Forum of Association for Institutional Research, Seatle.
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Sandler, M. (2000). Career Decision-Making, Self Efficacy, Perceived Stress, and an Intergrated Model of Student Persistence. Research in Higher Educaiton, 41 (5), 537-572.
Seidman, A. (1996). Retention Revisited. College and University, 71 (4),
Solomon, A. (2003). A Preliminary View of Student Attrition at UUC: Paper Presented at
Second Multi-Disciplinary Conference Organized by Unity University College, Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia.
Tinto, V. (1975). Dropout from Higher Education: A Theoretical Synthesis of Recent
Research. Review of Educational Research, 45(1), 89-125.
Tinto, V. (1982). Limits of Theory and Practice in Student Attrition. Journal of Higher
Education, 6, 687-700.
Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving College: Rethinking the Causes and Cures of Attrition (2nd).
Chicago: Chicago University Press.
Tinto, V. (2002). Promoting Student Retention: Lessons Learned from the United States.
Paper Presented at the 11th Annual Conference of European Access network,
Prato, Italy, 19 June, 2002.
Tamrie Andualem. (1997). Attributions and Academic Achievement of Education, Medicine and Polytechnic Freshman Students in Bahir Dar. The Ethiopian Journal of Education, XVII (2), 63-78.
Temesgen Zewoitr. (1991). Attrition Rate at the Faculty of Science. Addis Ababa University, Unpublished Masters Thesis. Addis Ababa.
Yalew Endawoke. (2003). Causes of Student Attrition in Bahir Dar University: Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses. The Ethiopian Journal of Education, XXII, (1), 31-66.
Persistence. Research in Higher Education, 40 (4): 461-480.
Ashar, H. and Skenes, R. (1993) Can Tinto’s Student Departure Model be applied to Non-
Traditional Students? Adult Education Quarterly, 43 (2), 90-100
Asmerom, et. al. (1989) Discontinuation of Students from Institutions of Higher Learning:
Magnitude, Causes and Cures. The Ethiopian Journal of Education, X (2), 9-12.
Bean, J. P., and Metzner, B.S. (1985). A Conceptual Model of Non-Traditional
Undergraduate Student Attrition. Review of Educational Research, 55, 485-540.
Berger, J. and Braxton, J. (1998). Revising Tinto’s Interactionist Theory of Student
Departure Through Theory Elaboration. Research in Higher Education, 39, 103-
119.
Cabrera, A. F., Nora, A., and Castaneda, M.B. (1993). College Persistence: Structural
Equations Modeling Test of an Integrated Model of Student Retention. Journal of
Higher Education, 64(2), 123-139.
Conway, C. (1996). A Preliminary View of Undergraduate Student Attrition at the University
of Victoria. www. inst. uvic.Ca/
Conway, C. (2000). BC Universities early leavers study. Presentation at ICRPA conference, Oct. 2000.
Cuseo, J. (2003). Student Retention: Understanding the causes of student Attrition and Implementing a Prevention plan. Mary Mount College.
Day, V. et. al. (1987). Student Attrition at Dallhousie. Unpublished report.
Day, V. (2001). What is known About Student Attrition. Unpublished report.
Gebreselassie Seyoum (1993). Research Analysis and Appraisal to pave the way for and Lay the Foundation of Developed System and Method Education and Administration of Ethiopia. (Mimeograph).
Hoffman, H. (2000). A qualitative Analysis of Technical Non Traditional Student college
Attrition. 30th ASSEE/IEE Frontiers in Education Conference.
Husain, T. et. al. (1991). Higher Educaion and Employment Opportunities in Pakistan.
Paris: International Institute for Research planning, Research Report No 60.
Laekemariam Berhe (1994). The Effect of the Ethiopian School Leaving Examination on
Students Attrition rate in Wondo Genet College of forestry. The Ethiopian Journal
of Education, XV(2), 65-103.
Metzner, B. S, and Bean, J. P. (1987). The Estimation of a Conceptual Model of Non
traditional Undergraduate Student Attrition. Research in Higher Education, 40,
355-371.
Nicholl, J. and Sutton, A. (2001). Student Retention and Success: A brief Description and
key Issues. An Introductory Report for the Tertiary Education Advisory
Committee. New Zealand.
Pageau, D. (2000). Keys to Success: Willpower and Commitment. Presentation To CIRPA
Conference, 2000.
Pascarella, E., and Chapman, D. (1983). A Multi Institutional Path Analytic Validation of
Tinto’s Model of College Withdrawal. American Educaional Research Journal, 20,
87-102.
Rounds, J. C. (1984). Attrition and Retention of community College Students; Problems and
Promising Practices: Maysyville, CA: Yuba College
Rudick, M., Hanson, G., Moss, K. (1999). New Directions in Student Retention Research:
Looking Beyond International Theories of Student Departure. Paper Presented at the Annual Forum of Association for Institutional Research, Seatle.
Ryder, R. (1994). Non-Traditional Students: Perceived Barriers to Degree Completion: College Student Affairs Journal 13, (2) 5-13.
Sandler, M. (2000). Career Decision-Making, Self Efficacy, Perceived Stress, and an Intergrated Model of Student Persistence. Research in Higher Educaiton, 41 (5), 537-572.
Seidman, A. (1996). Retention Revisited. College and University, 71 (4),
Solomon, A. (2003). A Preliminary View of Student Attrition at UUC: Paper Presented at
Second Multi-Disciplinary Conference Organized by Unity University College, Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia.
Tinto, V. (1975). Dropout from Higher Education: A Theoretical Synthesis of Recent
Research. Review of Educational Research, 45(1), 89-125.
Tinto, V. (1982). Limits of Theory and Practice in Student Attrition. Journal of Higher
Education, 6, 687-700.
Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving College: Rethinking the Causes and Cures of Attrition (2nd).
Chicago: Chicago University Press.
Tinto, V. (2002). Promoting Student Retention: Lessons Learned from the United States.
Paper Presented at the 11th Annual Conference of European Access network,
Prato, Italy, 19 June, 2002.
Tamrie Andualem. (1997). Attributions and Academic Achievement of Education, Medicine and Polytechnic Freshman Students in Bahir Dar. The Ethiopian Journal of Education, XVII (2), 63-78.
Temesgen Zewoitr. (1991). Attrition Rate at the Faculty of Science. Addis Ababa University, Unpublished Masters Thesis. Addis Ababa.
Yalew Endawoke. (2003). Causes of Student Attrition in Bahir Dar University: Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses. The Ethiopian Journal of Education, XXII, (1), 31-66.
Published
2005-12-01
Section
Articles