Factors Influencing First Year Students’ Dropout at Chandrakasem Rajabhat University

Abstract

    This project is a survey research that is aimed to study the factors influencing on dropout of first-year-student at Chandrakasem Rajabhat University, in order to get the information for setting up the measures and directions to reduce the number of students’ dropout. Data gathered by using questionnaire of 171 and in-depth interview of 14 first year students with grade point average lower than 1.60. The result showed that: factors influencing dropout of first year student were categorized in 5 aspects i.e. 1) learning factors was the most important followed by, 2) instructor factors, 3) miscellaneous factors, 4) friends get together factors and, 5) activities participation factors. Hypothesis testing has found that gender was significantly difference on answering the questionnaire; female students thought that the instructor has more important role on students’ dropout, on the other hand male students thought that friends get together was more important role on students’ dropout. When categorized by which faculty they are studying it was found that: the students of 1) Humanities and Social Sciences faculties mostly agreed that the 5 mentioned factors influenced on students’ dropout followed by 2) Management Science Faculty, 3) Agriculture and Life Science Faculty, 4) Science Faculty, 5) Education Faculty. Recommended measures to reduce the number of students’ dropout were strictly checking of class attendance by the instructors, not missing the class if not necessary, selection of activities participation, studying intention, regular reviewing of study lessons, and submit the assignments on time. Finding from this research can be suggested in several aspects i.e.: studying in general education subjects require participation problem solving from both students and lecturers, students who got grade point average lower than 1.80 should be enrolled less credits than the others. Extra teaching or tutoring should be provided.