Societal and institutional factors in higher education influencing the chances of drop-out
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Abstract
Our study examines the impact of demographic, socioeconomic, and institutional factors on the dropout, persistence, and risk of dropout of students in higher education. Our analysis is based on a combined database of large sample questionnaire surveys of former drop-out students and current students in higher education institutions in Hungary’s underdeveloped regions. Using bivariate methods and multinomial logistic regression analysis, we investigate how students’ gender, social background, financing of their studies, employment, and their relationship with university lecturers and peers affect the odds of dropping out, being at risk of dropping out, and becoming a persistent student. In contrast to previous studies, we compare students at risk of dropping out and students who are persisting. The novelty of our research is the comparison of these groups. Our results show that actual dropout is influenced as much by students’ unfavourable social backgrounds as by institutional integration factors.
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Magyar Tudományos Akadémia
Grant numbers Közoktatás-fejlesztési Kutatási Program
References
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