The term “dropout” is most often used in reference to students who abandon education before earning a high school diploma or General Educational Development certificate. The United States’ dropout rate has been on the rise, with more than 1.2 million students failing to complete high school each year.
According to the National Dropout Prevention Center, there are many reasons why students drop out of high school.
Table of Contents
- 1. Did not Like School
- 2. Could not Keep Up with Schoolwork
- 3. Missed too Many School Days
- 4. Did not See the Value in an Education
- 5. Got Poor Grades
- 6. Could not Get Along with Teachers or Peers
- 7. Did not Make the Transition from Middle School
- 8. Changed Schools and Did not Like the New One
- 9. Did not Feel Belonged There
- 10. Was Suspended for too Many Times
- 11. Thought Would Fail Competency Test
- 12. Got a Job and Decide to Focus on That
- 13. Did Not Have Time After Working for So Long Time
- 14. Did Not Feel Safe in School
- 15. Was Expelled for Something Serious
- 16. Was Pregnant
- 17. Married or Planned to Get Married
- 18. To Care for a Member of the Family
- 19. Had to Support Family
- 20. Could Not Afford School Fees
- 21. Just Didn’t Want to Go School Anymore
1. Did not Like School
One of the most common reasons why students drop out of high school is because they do not like the school. They may feel bored and consider school as a waste of time, and rebel against it.
Some even believe that their academic performance has nothing to do with their future job so they don’t bother learning anything at all in the class.
2. Could not Keep Up with Schoolwork
A student might neglect his or her academics and develop poor study habits, which results in failure to keep up with the schoolwork. The student’s life outside school, family problems, and health issues are often associated with the neglection of academic performance.
3. Missed too Many School Days
Some students are absent too frequently, which makes them eventually drop out of high school. Some have an unstable home environment or are forced to work in order to support their families, which prevents them from being able to attend school on a regular basis.
4. Did not See the Value in an Education
One of the most influential reasons why students drop out of school is because they do not see the value in an education. Some might think that the only way to get ahead in life is through hard work and physical labor, which can be achieved without additional education.
Others may believe that academic success will not get them anywhere in life because it does not directly contribute to the amount of money they make.
5. Got Poor Grades
Some students might find themselves getting poor grades, which results in their parents pressuring them to leave school for work. They feel unable to complete the academic requirements of high school and cannot see any hope of graduating, so they give up on education entirely.
6. Could not Get Along with Teachers or Peers
Some students drop out of high school because they cannot get along with teachers or peers. They find themselves ostracized by classmates, which makes it difficult for them to even attend classes. They also might not be able to work well with their teachers, which results in disciplinary actions and warnings against them.
7. Did not Make the Transition from Middle School
The reason for some students dropping out of high school is that they are ill-prepared for high school, which are far more difficult than middle schools they used to attend. It is usually because they did not receive enough guidance when transitioning from middle school.
8. Changed Schools and Did not Like the New One
Some students moved to a different school, but they did not like the environment there. This may be due to bullying, lack of communication skills, or depression.
9. Did not Feel Belonged There
Another reason why students drop out of school is that they do not feel like they belong there. If this is the case, their grades and attendance suffer as a result. They might be influenced by other classmates who encourage them to drop out.
10. Was Suspended for too Many Times
Some students were suspended for disciplinary reasons. This includes fighting or drug use, but might also include sleeping in class or not following the rules. These students may have no interest in continuing his or her education there.
11. Thought Would Fail Competency Test
Some students drop out of high school because they think they will fail the required competency test. They might have been persuaded by misleading information from peers or family members, who told them that the test is extremely difficult, and impossible to pass. Lack of confidence in their abilities makes them feel less motivated to pursue a high school education.
12. Got a Job and Decide to Focus on That
Some students drop out of school because they get a job and decide to focus on their occupation instead. This is usually motivated by money, as the student believes they will make more in their new job than if they had stayed in school.
13. Did Not Have Time After Working for So Long Time
Some students may have been working full-time for a while and do not have the time to continue pursuing an education. This may be due to financial obligations or family issues, which require them to work in order to support their family.
14. Did Not Feel Safe in School
Many students drop out of school because they do not feel safe in school or is the victim of school violence.
15. Was Expelled for Something Serious
Many students drop out of high school because they were expelled for committing a serious offense. This could be due to violence or drug use, which leads them to have no other choice but to leave the school system entirely.
16. Was Pregnant
Many young girls drop out of high school because they become pregnant and decide to stay home with their child rather than return to high school. This is often seen as more of a burden than an opportunity because the women may lose their entire peer group, which can affect them later on in life. Plus, they must find a way to support them financially.
17. Married or Planned to Get Married
Another common reason for dropping out of high school is because the student was planning to get married. Although it may seem like a good idea to drop out in order to take care of the loved one, it often leads to bigger problems later on. Marrying too young may lead to a divorce in the future because a person does not possess the maturity level to handle a relationship.
18. To Care for a Member of the Family
Some students drop out of high school to take care of a member of the family. This could be due to an illness or injury, which causes them to drop out in order to support themselves and make sure they are okay. Sometimes, it might be due simply because they need to financially provide for the family.
19. Had to Support Family
Another reason for dropping out of school is that the student needed to support his or her family because there was nobody else to do it. This can happen when the student’s parents become ill or injured, forcing them to quit high school and find a job in order to support the family.
20. Could Not Afford School Fees
Some students drop out of school because they cannot afford the expenses. They might be paying for their education themselves, or might have been forced out by their parents who could no longer afford it. The student is then forced to go into debt to finish his or her education at a later time.
21. Just Didn’t Want to Go School Anymore
Some students may simply lose interest in going to school and do not care about their education.