BlackDiamondDust

A Black Diamond Is Everlasting.

January 11th, 2010

Are You a Candidate for Dropping Out?

During the’90′s the college dropout rate was at an all-time high in that one out of every three students never made it to graduation. Today, it’s a whopping one in two that drop out! Why the increase? The failing economy has a lot to do with it. When you’re looking for work, it’s hard to imagine putting a kid through college, you know? Even if you have your funding in place, the pressure to make financial ends meet is the culprit more often than any other reason. There are other factors, however, and making yourself aware of them is half the battle when it comes to coping and staying the course.

1. Social pressure. Living away from home for the first time can be a problem. Some students thrive in such a challenge, but for others, the desire to go back to the familiar is sometimes too hard to resist. As for those who thrive in a new environment, one that’s free from parental scrutiny, sometimes they are a bit too sociable to be able to do well in class. In both cases, dropout is the result.

2. Scholastic stress. Even students who aced high school sometimes struggle once they face the hard reality of college class work. Or, they adapt well to the increased responsibilities but realize that they’ve chosen a university that isn’t as good as a fit as they originally thought. They drop out in hopes of finding a better fit but never get around to it.

3. Who is there to turn to? You never really had to wonder about that while in high school because there was a guidance counselor assigned to you, likely right under the same roof as all of your classes. College can be a different matter. If you find yourself overwhelmed, either socially or academically, it’s important to know who to go to before you get too stressed out.

4. A student or an employee? It’s likely that you’ll have to be both at one time or another during your college career. Can you handle both? The dual role is exactly the reason that some students end up dropping out. You can increase your odds of success by cutting back on costs as much as possible and making sure that your nest egg can handle some time to focus on your studies. If you play your cards right, working during the summer and school breaks might just be enough to tide you over until you can earn your degree.

Dropping out isn’t the end of the world, of course. But if you really want your college education in order to fulfill your dreams for your life, be aware of the pitfalls and have your coping skills in tact when they strike.

Mike Mower dropped out of college twice before winning an academic scholarship and earning an online degree.

categories: dropping out of college,leaving college,finishing college,college,university,college survival advice,higher education

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