School drop-off in university students: case study of the economic-administrative area

Abstract

The factors that influence a student to decide to abandon their university studies are presented as research results, the main objective was to identify the causes that generate the abandonment and desertion of university students from the economic-administrative area in order to reduce said situation. 532 students from a Mexican university where Administration, Accounting, Administrative Computer Systems and Business Management are taught were considered. The methodology considered a mixed, transversal and descriptive approach, the Survey to Measure School Dropout in Higher Education Institutions was applied as an instrument, which considers eight categories: a) General student data, b) Academic data, c) Health and well-being, d) Socio-family data, e) Economic and labor aspects, f) Data on infrastructure, equipment, school regulations and user treatment, g) Influence of the environment and h) Other unspecified reasons. The results obtained indicate that the main dropout problem in Higher Education Institutions corresponds to three premises, the financial issue that refers to payments generated during their academic training, access to communication services, such as the internet service and questions both individual and family health. Once the causes of dropout have been identified, the implementation of strategies is recommended: a) the identification of attributes prior to the admission of the students such as: family, social, cultural and work context, b) Consider the expectations of the students: the goals family, individual and work, c) Establish the experience of students in terms of: their learning styles, technological skills, interaction in virtual environments and institutional support needs and d) Take into account the interaction with the non-academic environment of the student that has to do with: the student's expenses, access to the technology they have and health aspects.