College dropout rates

[gams007]

I was reading the statistics over the amount of graduated students in the USA and the average is very low.
They usually dropped out starting the sophomore year

https://educationdata.org/college-dropout-rates

I think one of the big dilemma is that colleges and universities are very expensive in the USA compare to other countries.

[ss20ts]

It's not just the expense. Some people don't like how long and slow semesters are. Add in 30, 60, 90 credits of general education which many people have no interest in and are stuck paying for. Lots of people also have struggles with their families and a variety of health issues. Also if a woman gets pregnant during college it's really difficult to have a baby (or whatever options they choose) and continue their classes. Most 18 year olds aren't mature enough to take college and the finances seriously because their brains have about 5-7 more years to fully develop. Most Americans have no idea what education costs in other countries. Many things in the US are expensive and we're just used to it because that's how it has always been.

[LevelUP]

The cost of paying for living expenses becomes a factor.

A lot of students have to work jobs to pay for living expenses.

That job comes at the cost of reducing the available time for studying, which affects grades.

Also, it becomes a drag to work and go to school for an extended period of time.

[ss20ts]

The cost of paying for living expenses becomes a factor.

A lot of students have to work jobs to pay for living expenses.

That job comes at the cost of reducing the available time for studying, which affects grades.

Also, it becomes a drag to work and go to school for an extended period of time.

My sister and I both had 3 jobs at one point in college. She finished because I was able to help support her - she's several years younger. I knew it was important for her to finish. I didn't have the same support and left at the end of my freshman year. It's not sustainable to be a full time college student and work 3 jobs at that same time. Oddly, now I have more degrees than she does.

[bjcheung77]

I was reading the statistics over the amount of graduated students in the USA and the average is very low.
They usually dropped out starting the sophomore year

https://educationdata.org/college-dropout-rates

I think one of the big dilemma is that colleges and universities are very expensive in the USA compare to other countries.

For those who don't know the alternative inexpensive options towards higher education, I can see that being a problem here in the USA. The same can be said for other nations that have a similar dilemma. Not all countries have affordable tuition, it all boils down to cost and if the student has the energy, money, time for that educational commitment... sometimes life happens and they're out of the academic picture until they get themselves back up to par...

[gams007]

The cost of paying for living expenses becomes a factor.

A lot of students have to work jobs to pay for living expenses.

That job comes at the cost of reducing the available time for studying, which affects grades.

Also, it becomes a drag to work and go to school for an extended period of time.

My sister and I both had 3 jobs at one point in college. She finished because I was able to help support her - she's several years younger. I knew it was important for her to finish. I didn't have the same support and left at the end of my freshman year. It's not sustainable to be a full time college student and work 3 jobs at that same time. Oddly, now I have more degrees than she does.

What don't like is to wasting time studying stuff that I do not really need, things that I learn in high school they repeat them again. I'm an international student and most of the stuff I get in the beginning when starting a US degree was a waste of time en money the general education for me is not what I was looking for, I work as an IT consultant and for me taking courses like COMPTIA, Microsoft, Google IT, CCNA certificates are the real stuff, My Boss send me to do IT jobs and not to know politics, religion, sociology, psychology and a bunch of courses that I waste more than a year studying. I have to work to support my family, and I need to invest my time more productive.
I was comparing a Latin American degree and the first university year they start already with introduction to programming, OOP and a bunch of computer science stuff than general education. But at least I'm almost finishing this journey by the end of the year.

[Ideas]

Also I think we had a thread here (that I posted in) about professors who make it harder. Some students might be struggling and try to get help from the professor and still not understand the material. Or they get one or two bad grades and figure they need to drop out rather than get a C or D.

[MNomadic]

Also I think we had a thread here (that I posted in) about professors who make it harder. Some students might be struggling and try to get help from the professor and still not understand the material. Or they get one or two bad grades and figure they need to drop out rather than get a C or D.

I was actually just talking to someone last night who mentioned he had calculus class and how that calculus professor added in a ton of extra stuff to make it way harder like giving them take-home tests that required 30-40 hours to finish. He also mentioned this same class had an 80% failure rate so it was a good class. I told him that if 80% of a class fails, that's a terrible teacher. His mind was blown at seeing things from that perspective.

[ss20ts]

I was actually just talking to someone last night who mentioned he had calculus class and how that calculus professor added in a ton of extra stuff to make it way harder like giving them take-home tests that required 30-40 hours to finish. He also mentioned this same class had an 80% failure rate so it was a good class. I told him that if 80% of a class fails, that's a terrible teacher. His mind was blown at seeing things from that perspective.

An 80% failure rate? How does that professor have a job? Clearly they're not teaching. A take home test taking 30 HOURS is absolutely ridiculous. That person is on a sick power trip. Nothing more. They're not interested in educating.

[LevelUP]

Also I think we had a thread here (that I posted in) about professors who make it harder. Some students might be struggling and try to get help from the professor and still not understand the material. Or they get one or two bad grades and figure they need to drop out rather than get a C or D.

I believe you are referring to this thread:
https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...h-DFW-Rate