Who will leave University in 2021?
With the multiple issues facing Year 12 graduates at this time, it is important to have some facts at hand around why students considered leaving University (prior to the onset of COVID 19).
My concern at the time of starting Open to Success was for the mental, emotional and financial stability of students, having seen many experience significant anxiety after beginning their courses.
This information (below) taken from the 2019 Student Experience Survey clearly indicates students’ areas of concern and reasons for considering leaving Higher Education.
“The most common reasons for considering departure relate to situational factors, such as
· health or stress (46 per cent),
· study/ life balance (30 per cent),
· the need to do paid work (27 per cent),
· difficulties relating to workload (25 per cent),
· unspecified personal reasons (25 per cent) and financial difficulties (23 per cent).
The fact that these reasons were indicated by a large percentage of students in the 2019 survey and in previous surveys, underscores the importance of student support in terms of assisting students to continue with their studies.
As in previous years, the most common (arguably) institutional factor indicated by students in 2019 was
· that their expectations had not been met (22 per cent),
· career prospects (18 per cent) and quality concerns (16 per cent)
This may indicate that further analysis of student expectations and their goals and evaluation of their higher education experience would be beneficial in discussions around attrition and retention.
Several dispositional factors were also relatively common, including a need to take a break (24 per cent), boredom/lack of interest (with 21 per cent), and a change in direction (16 per cent).”
Prior to this year, career prospects seemed to have been a much less contributing factor to student attrition from University. One wonders whether the changes in fee structures and the current economic crisis will have an impact in 2021 and beyond. Time will tell.
What is important is that students are fully armed with knowledge about their options.
These findings from the 2019 Student Experience Survey need to be shared with Year 12 students, as they make choices for their studies upon graduating from secondary school. Each of the contributing factors will impact students in different ways. By considering them prior to enrolling at University, students will be better equipped to deal with uncertainties and challenges.
Choosing a degree/career pathway will not only depend on the cost of the degree or whether there will be employment at the end. It will depend on a student’s ability to adapt, deal with change and disappointment. It will depend on their resilience and their determination to stay the course.
I have based my coaching on thinking with the heart first, rather than the head and this still applies, despite the recent economic challenges ahead for all. However, an important step in the Take HEART strategy for career selection is to do research.
Hence students need to be armed with the following to support them as they make post-secondary study choices.
· Good self- awareness – identify and acknowledge strengths and weaknesses early on to be better equipped to deal with emerging crises.
· FACTS about what studying at University or TAFE is all about and why students drop out.
· An understanding of personal risks in undertaking higher education (see above). Going to University for ‘something to do’ is not a good reason to study.
· Good support network – keeping positive about the future will help students stay in the course.
· An open and flexible mindset to enable them to lay down foundations for their futures.
A degree is part of the journey not the destination.