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Why do higher education students drop out? Evidence from Spain

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  • Gérard Lassibille

    (IREDU - Institut de recherche sur l'éducation : Sociologie et Economie de l'Education - UB - Université de Bourgogne, CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • María Lucía Navarro Gómez

    (Universidad de Málaga [Málaga] = University of Málaga [Málaga])

Abstract

This paper seeks to advance our understanding of the drop-out behavior of students in higher education. Our results are based on longitudinal data for 7000 students who embarked on short and long programs from one university in Spain and who were observed over an eight-year period ending in 2004. The statistical analysis is carried out in a competing-risks framework. We find that academic preparedness is one of the major influences on student completion. Additionally, older students and students who delay entry into higher education are more likely to drop out before graduating. Our analysis provides guidance about the role that financial support plays in reducing drop-out rates; we also find that family characteristics are significant factors in explaining student drop out in long programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Gérard Lassibille & María Lucía Navarro Gómez, 2008. "Why do higher education students drop out? Evidence from Spain," Post-Print halshs-00324365, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00324365
    DOI: 10.1080/09645290701523267
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00324365
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    Cited by:

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    2. Judith M. Delaney & Paul J. Devereux, 2020. "How Gender and Prior Disadvantage Predict Performance in College," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 51(2), pages 189-239.
    3. Berlingieri, Francesco & Diegmann, André & Sprietsma, Maresa, 2023. "Preferred field of study and academic performance," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    4. Tímea Ceglédi & Hajnalka Fényes & Gabriella Pusztai, 2022. "The Effect of Resilience and Gender on the Persistence of Higher Education Students," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-14, February.
    5. Rossella Iraci Capuccinello, 2014. "Determinants and timing of dropping out decisions: evidence from the UK FE sector," Working Papers 15742191, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    6. Chen Qiao & Xiao Hu, 2020. "A joint neural network model for combining heterogeneous user data sources: An example of at‐risk student prediction," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 71(10), pages 1192-1204, October.
    7. Wydra-Somaggio, Gabriele, 2017. "Early termination of vocational training: dropout or stopout?," IAB-Discussion Paper 201703, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    8. Behr Andreas & Giese Marco & Teguim K Herve D. & Theune Katja, 2020. "Early Prediction of University Dropouts – A Random Forest Approach," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 240(6), pages 743-789, December.
    9. Juan Guio & Álvaro Choi & Josep-Oriol Escardíbul, 2016. "Labor markets, academic performance and the risk of school dropout: evidence for Spain," Working Papers 2016/9, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    10. Doorley, Karina & Keane, Claire & Tuda, Dora, 2021. "COVID-19 and the Irish welfare system," Papers BP2022/2, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    11. Girijasankar Mallik & John Lodewijks, 2010. "Student Performance in a Large First Year Economics Subject: Which Variables are Significant?," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 29(1), pages 80-86, March.
    12. Keane, Claire & Doolan, Claire, 2023. "Cliff edges in the Irish Tax-Benefit system," Papers BP2024/1, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    13. Contini, Dalit & Salza, Guido, 2020. "Too few university graduates. Inclusiveness and effectiveness of the Italian higher education system," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    14. Diogo Lourenço & Carla Sá & Orlanda Tavares, 2017. "Pushed Away From Home? Spatial Mobility Of Prospective Higher Education Students And The Enrolment Decision," FEP Working Papers 593, Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto.
    15. Hamza Mohammad Abdulghani & Khulud Alanazi & Raghad Alotaibi & Najlaa Abdulrahman Alsubeeh & Tauseef Ahmad & Shafiul Haque, 2023. "Prevalence of Potential Dropout Thoughts and Their Influential Factors Among Saudi Medical Students," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440221, January.
    16. Vassilis Zakopoulos & Ioannis Georgakopoulos & Pelagia Kontaxaki, 2022. "Developing a Risk Model to Control Attrition by Analyzing Students’ Academic and Nonacademic Data," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(2), pages 350-366.
    17. Stephen E. Childs & Ross Finnie & Felice Martinello, 2017. "Postsecondary Student Persistence and Pathways: Evidence From the YITS-A in Canada," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 58(3), pages 270-294, May.
    18. Zafar Zaheer & Shabana Gul & Imran Wazir & Saima Wazir, 2016. "Determinants of Student Dropouts: A Case Study of Business Students," Business & Economic Review, Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar, Pakistan, vol. 8(SE), pages 37-52, March.
    19. Mallik, Girijasankar & Shankar, Sriram, 2016. "Does prior knowledge of economics and higher level mathematics improve student learning in principles of economics?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 66-73.

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