Thirty-seven per cent of students at Carlow, Dundalk and Tralee Institutes of Technology dropped out during or at the end of their first year, a new study has found. This is broadly in line with the experience in similar institutes in other countries.
The survey was carried out through a questionnaire of students who had enrolled for the first time in 1996-97. It found the main reasons for dropping out were low Leaving Certificate exam grades; unclear career aspirations; lack of information on courses and career options, and choosing unsuitable courses; difficulties with some or all of the subjects taken; and financial and work-related problems.
Institutional factors were lack of facilities and support services to meet course requirements, and poor communication between staff and students.
Over two-fifths of those who left early said the course they did was the only one open to them given their Leaving Certificate points. Those who left had disproportionately low average Leaving Certificate results of 100-195 points. Nearly three-quarters had done particularly badly in mathematics, getting 30 points or less (Cs and Ds at Ordinary level).
Almost half the students who left said the main reason was that they had chosen the wrong course and wanted to follow a different career; a quarter cited failing exams as the main reason.
Significantly - in the light of high employment levels - 90 per cent of those who left without finishing their first year or after failing their first year exams were either working or still studying. 52 per cent were working, a quarter were pursuing education and training in other colleges (many doing Post Leaving Certificate courses), and 14 per cent were working and studying simultaneously, mostly as apprentices. Only 8 per cent were unemployed.
Another notable factor was the amount of part-time work the students did. Nearly two-thirds of those who dropped out were working over 11 hours per week, compared to under half of those who completed first year.
Students from professional, salaried and skilled manual backgrounds were significantly more likely to leave than those from semi and unskilled manual, and farming backgrounds.