There are many reasons to drop a class. Some reasons make sense when applied to individual student circumstances. Was the course too difficult? Did the student enroll in too many demanding classes? Other reasons may be harder to identify: a student becomes dissatisfied with the instructor, often for minor reasons such as not devoting class time to exam reviews or providing study guides. Other reasons cannot be foreseen. These include family problems, long-term illness, and even military deployment. Recognizing potential “drops,” however, may enable an instructor to offer alternatives or mitigate negative circumstances.
Predictable Student Withdrawals from a College Course
Instructors can usually predict potential student drops from course behavior during the first weeks of the semester. This includes:
- Excessive absences
- Frequent lateness to class
- Falling asleep during the lecture
- Texting during class
- Missing or late assignments
- Not taking notes or participating in discussions
- Failing scores on assessments
All of these “signs” should be addressed as soon as they become evident. Early detection and correction can rehabilitate student performance and enable the student to fulfill the course requirements with a passing grade.
Sometimes, students are reluctant to seek help with legitimate problems. A single mother at a community college, for example, relied on public transportation to get to the campus. Local bus connections, however, ended several miles from the campus and the student was dependent on a college shuttle.
That shuttle service ended mid-way in the semester after campus parking problems stabilized. The student was forced to drop classes because of the inability to get to the campus.
Solutions to Potential Student Class Withdrawals
College disability policies usually address student needs that involve extended testing times as well as other accommodations in the learning process. For other students burdened by heavy course loads or learning concerns, instructors can avoid student drops by:
- Referring the student to on-campus tutoring services that are generally free
- Working with Admissions to switch students to on-line (Distance Learning) classes if their employment or home situation has changed
- Meeting with struggling students to address specific areas of weakness and making recommendations to over-come obstacles
- Offering encouragement and affirmation
- Maintaining regular E-mail contact
Unavoidable Student Drops from College Classes
Some student withdrawals are unavoidable. These include:
- Military deployment
- Changes in employment
- Extended illness
- Family catastrophes such as the onset of terminal illness by an immediate family member
- Childcare considerations
- Serious changes in a student’s financial situation
- Improper advising placing a student into a class that required a prerequisite or is not needed in the particular student academic program
- Changes in the student’s major
Student drops occur for many reasons. Seasoned instructors can detect potential student drops early in the semester and attempt to avoid them by addressing individual student needs and behavior patterns. Working toward student success benefits everyone from the individual student to the reputation of the institution and plays a significant role in achieving higher graduation percentages. Ultimately, students, after weighing all options, must claim the final decision as to when to drop a class.
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