Factors Impacting the Likelihood of Student Withdrawals in Core Business Classes

Abstract

The course withdrawal decision includes both monetary and time costs for the student. Institutional costs include the misallocation of scarce seats to noncompleting students. Understanding the course withdrawal decision process can aid advisors and administrators as they seek ways to improve retention and progression. This study uses 21,318 course outcomes from introductory business core courses for the period 2003 to 2013. Our results suggest a higher withdrawal probability for students with merit-based scholarships and with a previous history of withdrawals. Online courses and withdrawal-related policy changes are also important factors in the withdrawal decision. Individuals who are less likely to withdraw include those with a high GPA or SAT score, students with more experience, summer school attendees, and Black students. In addition, students in introductory economics or business law classes were less likely to withdraw than those taking introductory accounting courses. Variables such as need-based aid, gender, and age did not impact the course withdrawal decision.