A Post-Mortem Study of Student Attrition at the College of Business Administration

Abstract

The increase in competition for the college-age population and the decline in fiscal support for land-grant institutions have forced universities to consider attrition/retention issues. The College of Business Administration at a metropolitan, commuter university was interested in learning why students in good standing drop out. The findings of a survey study indicated that no single factor appeared to be the critical causal factor and that a number of variables may contribute incrementally to the decision to leave. Important to this study was the finding that a substantial number of the respondents have dropped out previously, suggesting that it may be more accurate to describe these students as stopping out rather than dropping out. Proactive strategies that may be undertaken by the college are discussed.