Impacts of College Freshmen Dropout Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Impacts of College Freshmen Dropout - Essay Example Graduation rates have become an important feature in the landscape of college reforms and within the larger world of educational policy. For decades, getting more students into college has been the top priority of America's higher education leaders. But Studies conducted over the past several years have repeatedly demonstrated that far fewer American students are completing high school with diplomas. A growing consensus has emerged that only about seven in 10 students are actually successfully finishing high school. Graduation rates are even lower among certain student populations, particularly racial and ethnic minorities and males. 57 percent of White students finish their degree, compared with 44 percent of Hispanics and 39 percent of Blacks (federal figures 2008). A quarter of schools have graduation gaps between Whites and Blacks of 20 points or more. (Education Trust 2004) In the first half of the 20th century, growth in high school graduation was the driving force behind increased college enrolments. The decline in high school graduation since 1970 (for cohorts born after 1950) has flattened college attendance and completion rates as well as growth in the skill level of the U.S. workforce. The origins of this dropout problem have yet to be fully investigated. The main purpose of this study is to conduct a research and understand what people think are the impacts of college freshmen dropouts on our educational system, on our economy and on our society. This report takes a descriptive approach to the issue of college completion, specifically, examining graduation rates in the U.S, the increase in college dropout rates and its reasons. The graduation rates are considerably lower in the nation's largest cities than they are in the average urban locale. Further, extreme disparities emerge in a number of the country's largest metropolitan areas. The increases in college dropout rates are very atrocious for us as a nation. Background In the '60s we saw college dropout rates of one in five. In the '90s this increased to one in three. Thirty percent of the college students leave in the first year (Department of Education 2000-2006). The number of college freshman dropouts is typically cited between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5, with some sources positing arguments that nearly half of all college students fail to graduate. The U.S only earns 17 degrees for every 100 students enrolled, which places it 16th internationally. Surveys of high school students show no lack of interest for a college degree, in fact 95% of high school students when asked about college indicated a very strong desire to complete a degree program. On the average, 1 in 4 students drop out of college their freshman year. The exact number varies widely from 1 or 2 percent at top 4 year private institutions to 50 or 60 percent at others. 2 year institutions have the worst drop out rates. For a few, it is a mismatch (the wrong location, too much snow, difficul t roommates, difficulty being away from home, culture clash, or change in career goals). For many others, it is a lack of preparation. Nearly half of entering college freshmen surveyed lack confidence in their math and science skills. 33% say they have