College Dropout Boom
Dropping out is a situation where student stops from going to college completely. College dropout occurs between the age of 16 and 24 years. Dropouts are unlikely to clear from school. Institutions take time before they realise that one is out of school forever. It is essential for students to get a quality education. Getting a good educational background leads to the attainment of a good job. Society advocates for students to enrol in college with the aim of obtaining speciality degrees. This enables them achieve their goals. Students face many issues that end up hindering their ability to complete college education. The dropout rates still remain high despite the many colleges that are established to accommodate students (Class matters 9). According to the US department of education statistics, in every ten students three of them fail to graduate. School dropout in Texas increases by about 35%. The dropout epicentres are Houston and Dallas.
First cause of a high dropout rate is financial problems. Many students come from low-income families. This hinders their ability to remain in college. Their families are unable to meet the financial needs that can sustain the students for the four years of education. The increasing cost of living makes the students have the idea of working instead of going to school. This allows them to buy daily necessities for their families (Bowen et al 49). Even though, the students may get part-time jobs, income derived from such jobs is of a meagre nature.
The cost of tuition in many of the college may also be a reason why students drop out or find it hard to enrol into college. The financial situation within the family determines which colleges the students will attend. This means that if the college tuition is too high for the family there is likelihood that the students enrolled will dropout. Even for those who find work to support their parents often find it hard to get enough money to pay their fee (Attewell 16). Recent economic crisis makes parents lose their jobs. Parents end up not being able raise school fees for their children.
Many of the students who enrol in college are rarely prepared for the college life. Lifestyle in high schools is dissimilar to college. Many learners find it tough to adjust to the new lifestyle presented in colleges. Students often enter college with a pre-set stereotype regarding the college life. Fact is reality is far from what they presumed. College life is demanding in terms of money. Those who cannot keep up with the lifestyle often drop out.
Some students make wrong choices when selecting the courses. They do this out of pressure from parents, friends or mentors. Others do it out of ignorance. Their school performance decreases. This leads to low self-esteem as one is considered daft, frustrations begins and one ends up getting withdrawn entirely. It gets to a point where a student cannot withstand the pressure in school anymore. Keeping up with school assignments becomes difficult and one feels numerous pressures from all corners. Eventually they quit.
Most students work to sustain their lifestyle. This is an admirable endeavour. Unfortunately, some are unable to juggle work and school life. Students who combine work and school at the same time should balance. Failure to do so will have negative results especially when work is demanding. They are forced to make a choice between the two. They believe that they no longer need a college education. The generation today is motivated by the materialistic lifestyle rather than knowledge. They begin to neglect the schoolwork and end up dropping out (Bowen et al 56). This mainly occurs to those who have the privilege of getting jobs that pay well.
Children accept to go to colleges to please their parents. These parents force their children to enrol into college without considering the desires of their children. The parents also dictate the courses that students should do. The forced students often are less motivated to work hard. Hence, they do not pay attention to their course work and eventually drop out.
The present society lifestyle is another reason for dropout. The demand to maintain a high social lifestyle makes many students prefer work to college. The students who manage to get employed after high school find it hard to quit work and join college. Connection between going to college and getting a good job is unclear to many youngsters. Many people are successful in life without having gone to college. An example is Bill Gates. He did not go to college, but he has managed to build a billion dollar empire. The availability of jobs, which do not require a college degree, has also motivated the students into preferring work over college. It is evident that having a college degree does not often make one qualify for employment (Class matters 19). In a situation, where a student finds work they will make sure they retain it and postpone finishing college for a later date.
Disable students also find it hard to cope with life in college. Most colleges overlook the fact that there are disable students who need exceptional facilities. As result disable students quit education and opt to stay at home. Parenthood also increases the likelihood of female student dropping due to of pregnancy. They have to leave college and start taking care of their young ones.
Dropping out of college has both positive and negative effect. One positive effect is that it gives the student an opportunity to venture into things that they find attractive. Some venture into businesses and family projects and they end up being successful. Such students became productive (Attewell 18). They concentrate more on their work and become motivated to contribute more to their work
The serious negative effect of school dropout is engagement in crime. Dropouts face bleak future. This engages them in criminal activities in order to make a living. Another effect is that dropouts are restricted to jobs of low status. Their financial situation is also affected because they are restricted in their work growth. Promotions in their work places may not be absent due to lack of college degrees (Bowen et al 63). Their self-esteem is also affected if their friends manage to graduate and find better jobs.
The above reasons can be solved through various ways. Close relationship between students and adults should be promoted. This will enhance growth and maturity in college students making them reason wisely. Parents should allow their children to take courses that interest them. Policies should be enacted to support both needy and struggling students who want to complete school. Lastly, relationship between school and work should be brought out clearly in the school curriculum. Counselling dropouts is essential.
Work cited
Attewell, Paul A,and David E. Lavin. Passing the Torch: Does Higher Education for the Disadvantaged Pay Off Across the Generations? New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 2009. Print.
Bowen, William G, Matthew M. Chingos, and Michael S. McPherson. Crossing the Finish Line: Completing College at America’s Public Universities. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press, 2009. Print.
Class Matters. New York: Times Books, 2005. Print
