The early student drop out in higher education

Abstract

In this article, we report the results of a study about early student drop out from higher education, at an Argentinean university. We analyze both quantitative and qualitative data with a mixed methods approach, focusing on the perspectives from different actors. Data were collected through students workshops, surveys and interviews. The analysis focuses on students who are leaving the university at the beginning of their studies and students who abandon the university during the first two years. In the first case, student drop out is mainly associated with external institutional factors. In the second case, early student drop out is associated to internal college and school dynamics.The study relies upon the analysis of quantitative data from students in the first two years at the university.