In the present day, college education is an expected if not demanded in most employment opportunities. As such, most students regard a college bachelor degree as essential. However, not all students who join the college thrive in terms of grades and persistence. In addition, a significant percentage of students drop out of college before completing their studies and earning their bachelor. In this paper, we shall analyze two studies to the question why some students fail to complete their college education and also why some students do not thrive or are outstanding in their grades.
In the first study, it is noted that college drop-out and non-completion in the proper time frequently occurs in colleges. In fact, in the last decade, only half of the students who enrolled for college finished their studies during the year that they were supposed to finish and in the institutions that they registered. The degree completion rates for historically underprivileged students are lower as compared to the rest. Such reasons have led to studies in an attempt to identify the factors and the reasons behind student success in college. The reasons that usually result in students dropping out of college are numerous including lack of money, changing majors, and poor psycho-social fit and numerous others. Numerous studies focus on the persistence and attainment of a degree as the principal measures of student success. Nonetheless, in this study eight other factors were included; academic achievement, development of academic competence, preparation for citizenship and adulthood, personal accomplishments and development, occupational attainment, and development of intellectual dispositions and cognitive skills.
The study questioned whether the enjoyment in the first year of college had a significant impact on the grade and the chances of continuing to the second year. With data obtained from 18 colleges, the study arrived at the conclusion that the student engagement in “academically purposeful activities” positively related to the academic outcomes. The educational outcomes were simply the grades and the persistence to the second year of college .
The second study attempted to find out the cognitive and personality factors and how they related to the timely completion of college education. The study relied on a model base (Borkowski’s model) on the effective and metacognition factors. Metacognition is the knowledge of learning strategies and applying the knowledge in an efficient and effective manner. The model also involves self-efficacy that has factors such as personal attributes, motivation and locus of control. The study aimed to use metacognitive factors to predict the student grades and scores. In addition, the study and research also sought to find out the key predictor to a timely completion of the student's college education.
The study involved 202 voluntary participants who were college students enrolled in an introductory Psychology course at a Southeastern University. The key predictor for the current determined to be the (Levenson’s) internal locus of control. The study arrived at the conclusion that how a student perceives their academic endeavors influences their successes or failure in their academic results and outcomes. The perception is about internal factors like ability and external factors such as help or even luck. Students often arrive at the university with the best of all intentions concerning learning and study habits but fail in their implementation. The teaching of metacognitive skills among students should be in their earlier years and the students encouraged to apply them efficiently and effectively.
In conclusion, numerous reasons and factors can affect the perseverance of a student in college and whether they complete their college education in a timely manner. The key reasons however arise within the student personally rather than external factors. Consequently, the student should learn the relevant skills and attributes before college as these will allow the students to succeed in college and after college.
Works Cited
Hall, Cathy, Kris Smith and Rosina Chia. "Cognitive and Personality Factors in Relation to Timely Completion of a College Degree." College Student Journal (2011): 1087-1095. Print.
Kuh, George D, et al. "Unmasking the Effects of Student Engagement on First-Year College Grades and Persistence." The Journal of Higher Education (2008): 540-561. Print.
