Generally, incoming freshmen do not pack their belongings into their parents’ minivans in late September wondering if they will get a degree. At that point, it is only a matter of when.
But according to University data, much of that faith is misplaced. Of the University’s 19,534 undergraduates, 34 percent — 6,641 students — will likely fail to graduate within six years.
Although it’s better than national levels — a whopping 57 percent graduation rate for American four-year universities, according to the National Center for Education Statistics — the figures show many students leaving the University with a large amount of debt and no degree.
“It’s a disappointment,” University Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students Paul Shang said. “College these days is something where there’s a significant financial investment. It’s something you have to be devoted to doing in order to be successful at it.”
With an average attrition rate of 83 percent, the University’s retention among freshmen is higher than other Oregon universities and continues to increase. Yet, the rate of dropouts has remained steady for decades.
The University failed to graduate 36 percent of its 1987-88 freshman class within six years. Out of the following year’s cohort, 32 percent dropped out within that same time frame.
Administrators have yet to extensively study the reasons that compel students to drop out. For Roger Thompson, vice provost of enrollment management, it’s largely a matter of finance.
“The impact that the economy is having on the University can’t be understated,” Thompson said. “For years, the traditional thought is that when the economy is bad, students are likely to go back to college, but the difference is: Which college do they go back to?”
Although research shows financial stress is the primary cause of dropout rates, several reasons factor into a student’s decision to leave school. Many drop out after struggling to hold down a job while tackling a full-time class load. Some leave college to change specializations. Others are simply unprepared for college-level work.
Claire Bane was expelled from the University in 2008 for academic disqualification. After two years of failing grades, Bane moved on to pursue a nursing degree at Lane Community College.
“I didn’t really know how to learn at that point,” Bane said. “And with those giant classes and being just a number in the crowd, it wasn’t the type of learning style that I needed.”
One-third of all college officials responding to an ACT survey said they had no clear goal for improving degree completion at their respective schools. Slightly more than half reported having a staff member responsible for dropout prevention.
Although the issue of retention has been a topic of concern for University administrators, few systemic changes have been enacted to tackle the problem.
“For the most part, at most colleges and universities, the idea is that the student has adult responsibilities and must self-monitor,” Shang said. “They need to understand what it is that they are trying to accomplish here and what their relationship is to the institution.”
But many, like Bane, expect to succeed from the get-go, only to be faced with the harsh reality that college is not for everyone. Although it’s been a few years, Bane says she still feels disappointed by not staying at the University.
“It’s embarrassing,” Bane said. “I tell most people that I transferred because it’s not the type of label I like to have on myself.”
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