Reducing Numbers of School Drop outs

            In the contemporary intellect based economy where the scholarly and educational skills are greatly esteemed, increasing that rate of graduating students has been a top strategy among educators and policy makers (Pervin et al, 2015). Statistics state that approximately 41% of all students who start college education do not finish. It is evident that there are various reasons that result to students dropping out of school such as retention or socio economic status (Pervin et al, 2015).  However, the increased rate of dropouts especially in the western countries stridently differs with the social and economic objectives that the government executives have created in relation to attaining a sustainable economic growth.  School drop outs can be defined as those that leave the school without attaining a minimal credential (Pervin et al, 2015).

            The attention of the policy makers have increased on reducing the number of school dropouts but still the problem poses a serious challenge (Staley, 2008). It is vital to note that the emergent literature on students that drop out of school compared to those that graduate indicates that the dropouts are faced with long term unemployment, poverty, dreary health outlooks, political and social apathy, over dependence on public assistance and crime among other factors (Staley, 2008).  On the contrary, research states that many executive and high profile individuals claim to be very successful in life despite the fact that they dropped out of school (Staley, 2008).  This has caused many individuals not to see the importance of college education thus causing an increase in the number of dropouts with the hope of being successful through other means rather than education (Staley, 2008).  

            It is true to say that education is very crucial in any individual’s life but there is evidence of people who have been successful using other means such as sporting activities (In Pervin et al, 2015). Statistics state that most people who are in involved in sporting events have not gone through college education but use their talents to earn money (In Pervin et al, 2015). Such people are even said to earn more than those that have gone through college education. As a result of this, many students seek to find ways to earn money in diverse means causing some to be involved in criminal activities such as drug trafficking and money laundering (In Pervin et al, 2015).  

Research questions

• What is the main profile of the college drop outs?

Hypothesis – there are various categories of the students who drop out of college. These profiles are the dropouts that are quiet, those that are low achieving, those that are high achieving, the in school dropouts and the potential college graduates (Pawar, 2004).

• Is it true that college dropouts end up being successful in life?

Hypothesis – from the information provided, some that use their talents in the right manner end to be successful but a higher percentage of such ends up being miserable in the future and thus engage themselves in criminal activities. Statistics state that a huge number of people who are put in prison are college dropouts (Axinn & Pearce, 2006).

• What is the main reason behind dropping out of college?

Hypothesis – there are various reasons that lead to students dropping out; some may be due to financial reasons, others due to peer pressure or even retention. Nevertheless, factors such as lack of money for college fees have been catered for by various organizations that support needy students (Axinn & Pearce, 2006). It is evident that the students that drop out of school currently do not have any reason to leave school.

• What can be done to counter or reduce the rate of college dropouts?

Hypothesis – the rate of college dropouts has greatly reduced but still measures should be taken to eradicate the problem completely. Students need to be told the need for education and how it relates to talent and also use productive enrollment methods that allow students to apply for college education (In Pervin et al, 2015).

Research methods

            Information that is collected is both primary and secondary. This is because it is conducted through personal interviews, questionnaires and surveys (Olsen, 2012). The personal interviews are meant to give first hand information from some of the students who have dropped out of college and also thorough educators in the college institutions.  The questionnaires are given randomly in order to get feedback on the steps that should be taken to reduce the rate of college dropouts in the area (Axinn & Pearce, 2006). The information that was collected in the last two decades was retrieved from journal and the internet showing the trend of college dropouts in the United States.

            The information was to be collected through conducting interviews with some of the students that have already dropped out of college and their views on the effects on the same. This will help to understand the disadvantages of dropping out and the impact it has on the individual, the society and the economy (Pawar, 2004). The issuing of questionnaires is also vital in order to allow people to give information that would have been left out during the interviews and the survey would aid to get any environmental factors on the same. Information collected from the journals and the internet would aid in providing comparison in the rate of college dropouts in different years (Pawar, 2004). This will help to show if the trend is increasing or decreasing.

            The data collected is both qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative data is information that is collected from the unstructured interviews, the open ended questionnaires and through interviews.  This data is mostly descriptive as it brings out the thoughts and opinions of the people involved (Olsen, 2012). The interviews help to form an analysis based on the responses that are received. However, the evaluation of qualitative data is difficult especially in the interpretation of the information because different people may have different perceptions (Olsen, 2012). The quantitative data is the information that shows the trend over the years and is provided even through tables. This helps to access numerical comparisons and also provide statistical references (Olsen, 2012).

            The sample size in this research will be mainly people that have graduated through secondary education and are required to go through college education. However, this sample will be divided into those that have graduated college and those that have dropped out. The population with these characteristics is large and therefore the research will take a sample of 100 of those that have successfully gone through college and 100 of the drop outs. In this case the confidence level is high and the information provided will be true.

            There are various types to be used to measure this data provided. The basic information is to be analyzed using the nominal data measurement technique, interval data technique will be used to analyze information derived from the survey and the interviews while the ratio data technique will be used to analyze the information provided from the journals and the internet. This measurement technique will help to critically evaluate the information in order to provide accurate results (Axinn & Pearce, 2006).

References

Pawar, M. S. (2004). Data collecting methods and experiences: A guide for social researchers. Elgin, IL: New Dawn Press.

 

Axinn, W. G., & Pearce, L. D. (2006). Mixed method data collection strategies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

 

Olsen, W. K. (2012). Data collection: Key debates and methods in social research.

Pervin, L. A., In Reik, L. E., & In Dalrymple, W. (2015). The college dropout and the utilization of talent.

 

Staley, C. C. (2008). Focus on college success. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.