A large number of students quit college courses before completion for plenty of reasons. A recent survey highlights the top two causes affecting female students more than male students.
The latest results from the Lumina Foundation-Gallup 2024 State of Higher Education Study conducted last year list different reasons that force students to drop out of college including the lack of remote learning options and interest.
Top reasons students quit college
The survey included 6,015 students currently enrolled in a post-high school education program, 5,012 adults previously enrolled in a program who did not complete a degree, and 3,005 adults who have never been enrolled in a school or program.
It was found that in the last six months, 54% of them quit college before completion of their course due to emotional stress, followed by 43% due to personal mental health reasons.
The survey further highlights the World Happiness Report which shows that the US has lost its spot in the top 20 happiest countries for the first time in the publication’s 12-year history, with a decline in youth happiness being a part of it.
Furthermore, emotional stress and mental health issues are affecting female students twice as much as male students. While 64% of male students and 37% of female students said they dropped out of college due to emotional stress, 52% of women have quit the course compared to 27% of men for mental health reasons.
Other reasons why students leave courses unfinished
The majority of the respondents said they left college while doing their bachelor’s degree, compared to those pursuing an associate degree and certificate or industry certification.
While emotional distress and mental health issues top the list, American students have also quit college due to the cost of attendance – the top third reason.
24% of students say they left the course because it was “too difficult”, while the same percentage said they “don’t feel I belong.”
The other leading causes for students to leave college include, personal physical health reasons or because they feel prior schoolwork didn’t prepare them well for further education or they got a new job.
Meanwhile, fewer students said they felt the course they took was not relevant to their future careers or were no longer interested in it.
