ACER eNews


Course change and attrition from higher education Each year, a number of university students in Australia leave the courses in which they have enrolled. Some change to other courses while others defer their course or leave the university altogether. What motivates students to change or leave their university course and does the decision result in a positive or negative outcome for the students involved? These are among the questions addressed in the latest study completed in the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) with the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). The study, Course change and attrition from higher education, aimed to provide a description of the incidence and nature of higher education course change and attrition, identify factors associated with course change and attrition, and examine the destinations of the attrition sub-group. LSAY is the first large-scale national level study to track the pathways of young people from school into higher education, between courses and institutions within the higher education sector, and from higher education into other education, training or labour market activities. The report examined the pathways of recent school leavers who entered the higher education sector in Australia, focusing on the first three years after completing their secondary schooling. The findings were based upon 6876 young Australians who were in Year 9 in 1995 and commenced higher education in 1999 or 2000. Their education, training and labour market activities were tracked until late in 2001 when they were around 20 years of age. The level and nature of course change and attrition Thirteen per cent of the study's participants had changed courses within the higher education sector by age 20. Fourteen per cent had left the higher education sector without completing a qualification and had not returned. However, the majority of the study's participants (almost 75 per cent) were persisting with their initial course. Furthermore, the report emphasised that attrition is not necessarily a permanent state; some course non-completers may return to the higher education sector at a later date to complete their course or to commence another course. Movement tended to occur within a year of initial enrolment (63 per cent of the cases of course change and 48 per cent of the cases of attrition). Most course changers moved straight into another course, and very few students changed course on more than one occasion or experienced a course change followed by attrition. There was a large amount of movement between broad fields of education among the course changers. Sixty-nine per cent of this group moved into a new broad field of education when they commenced their second course. Nearly one-half of the course changers moved to another higher education institution when they commenced their second course. Who changes their course or leaves the higher education sector? A number of characteristics of course changers were identified. Groups that displayed relatively high levels of course change included students whose parents had a university degree or diploma, students from independent schools, students with moderately high ENTER scores, students whose initial course was not their first preference, students who commenced higher education immediately after completing Year 12, full-time students, students in fields of education such as the natural and physical sciences, medicine/dentistry/veterinary science/law, society and culture, and engineering and related technologies, and students who spent over 15 hours per week in paid work. A somewhat different set of characteristics were associated with attrition from the higher education sector. Groups that displayed relatively low levels of attrition included students from language backgrounds other than English, students from small provincial cities, students whose parents have a university degree or diploma, students with high ENTER scores, and students in fields of education such as health and law. Students working up to 10 hours per week were no more likely to leave the higher education sector than students who were not in paid work (6-9 per cent attrition rate). However, longer hours of paid work were associated with increasing levels of attrition, with students working over 20 hours per week demonstrating the highest attrition rate (17 per cent). Students' reasons for course change and attrition The reasons that students give for changing their course suggest that initial interests are important. Students whose initial course was not their first preference were more likely to undergo a course change along with students who described their initial course as being not what they wanted or having never intended to complete their course. Time in higher education can also result in a clarification of interests, with just over three-quarters of course changers and over one-half of the attrition sub-group indicating that their first course turned out to be not what they wanted, and over 40 per cent of the attrition sub group indicating that wanting to get a job, apprenticeship or traineeship was a consideration in their decision to leave the higher education sector. Students less commonly cited academic difficulties, difficulties juggling work and study, or financial difficulties as their main reason for changing courses or leaving higher education. Destinations of young people who leave the higher education sector Having identified which students change or discontinue their university studies, the research then turned to examining the further education or employment pathways taken by members of the attrition sub-group. Leaving the higher education sector before the completion of a qualification did not signify the end of education and training for the one-third of the attrition sub-group who moved to the VET sector. Analysis of the destinations of the attrition sub-group showed that most of the group were faring well. The majority were engaged in full-time vocational education, training or labour market activities by the age of 20. Not all were faring as well, however, with just under one-quarter engaged in part time work or study, unemployed or outside of the labour market. Conclusions What did we learn from this study? The findings presented in the report suggest that course change or attrition can actually be a positive outcome for some students and should not necessarily be regarded as failure or a waste of talent. Some course change and attrition may be viewed as part of a settling-in period in the transition from school to higher education as students discover where their interests lie. The high proportion of course changers moving to new fields of education and the high proportion of young people who indicated that their first course turned out to be not what they wanted, suggests the need for students to have better access to course and career information prior to entry to tertiary study, or possibly even the need for generalist first year courses. Course change or attrition can be a positive outcome for some students. Students are more likely to change course or leave university in order to pursue their interests than because of academic or financial difficulties, course change may be protective against attrition, and the majority of those who leave higher education before completing a qualification subsequently enter full-time vocational education, training or employment. However, not all course change and attrition can be viewed in such positive terms. A very small proportion of students experienced a highly uncertain start in the higher education sector, typified by multiple course changes or course change followed by attrition, and just under one-quarter of the attrition sub group were in activities such as part time work/study, unemployment or outside the labour market at the age of 20. Further research is required in order to ascertain the longer-term consequences of attrition from higher education. Further information and additional findings are available in the report, Course change and attrition from higher education, by Dr Julie McMillan, research report number 39 in the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY). The report was released by ACER on 30 June 2005. Additional information about the LSAY program can be found a LSAY Website. Print copies of the report can be purchased from ACER Press by phone on (03) 9277 5447 or by email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or order online at ACER Shop. « Back to eNews
Copyright © Australian Council for Educational Research 2013 All rights reserved. Except under the conditions described in the Copyright Act 1968 of Australia and subsequent amendments, no part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without written permission. Please address any requests to reproduce information to communications@acer.edu.au Subscribe Unsubscribe Australian Council for Educational Research Private Bag 55, Camberwell, Victoria Australia 3124 Tel: + 61 3 9277 5555 Fax: + 61 3 9277 5500 Web: www.acer.edu.au

Each year, a number of university students in Australia leave the courses in which they have enrolled. Some change to other courses while others defer their course or leave the university altogether. What motivates students to change or leave their university course and does the decision result in a positive or negative outcome for the students involved? These are among the questions addressed in the latest study completed in the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) research program conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) with the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST).

The study, Course change and attrition from higher education, aimed to provide a description of the incidence and nature of higher education course change and attrition, identify factors associated with course change and attrition, and examine the destinations of the attrition sub-group.

LSAY is the first large-scale national level study to track the pathways of young people from school into higher education, between courses and institutions within the higher education sector, and from higher education into other education, training or labour market activities.

The report examined the pathways of recent school leavers who entered the higher education sector in Australia, focusing on the first three years after completing their secondary schooling. The findings were based upon 6876 young Australians who were in Year 9 in 1995 and commenced higher education in 1999 or 2000. Their education, training and labour market activities were tracked until late in 2001 when they were around 20 years of age.

The level and nature of course change and attrition

Thirteen per cent of the study's participants had changed courses within the higher education sector by age 20. Fourteen per cent had left the higher education sector without completing a qualification and had not returned. However, the majority of the study's participants (almost 75 per cent) were persisting with their initial course. Furthermore, the report emphasised that attrition is not necessarily a permanent state; some course non-completers may return to the higher education sector at a later date to complete their course or to commence another course.

Movement tended to occur within a year of initial enrolment (63 per cent of the cases of course change and 48 per cent of the cases of attrition). Most course changers moved straight into another course, and very few students changed course on more than one occasion or experienced a course change followed by attrition.

There was a large amount of movement between broad fields of education among the course changers. Sixty-nine per cent of this group moved into a new broad field of education when they commenced their second course. Nearly one-half of the course changers moved to another higher education institution when they commenced their second course.

Who changes their course or leaves the higher education sector?

A number of characteristics of course changers were identified. Groups that displayed relatively high levels of course change included students whose parents had a university degree or diploma, students from independent schools, students with moderately high ENTER scores, students whose initial course was not their first preference, students who commenced higher education immediately after completing Year 12, full-time students, students in fields of education such as the natural and physical sciences, medicine/dentistry/veterinary science/law, society and culture, and engineering and related technologies, and students who spent over 15 hours per week in paid work.

A somewhat different set of characteristics were associated with attrition from the higher education sector. Groups that displayed relatively low levels of attrition included students from language backgrounds other than English, students from small provincial cities, students whose parents have a university degree or diploma, students with high ENTER scores, and students in fields of education such as health and law. Students working up to 10 hours per week were no more likely to leave the higher education sector than students who were not in paid work (6-9 per cent attrition rate). However, longer hours of paid work were associated with increasing levels of attrition, with students working over 20 hours per week demonstrating the highest attrition rate (17 per cent).

Students' reasons for course change and attrition

The reasons that students give for changing their course suggest that initial interests are important. Students whose initial course was not their first preference were more likely to undergo a course change along with students who described their initial course as being not what they wanted or having never intended to complete their course.

Time in higher education can also result in a clarification of interests, with just over three-quarters of course changers and over one-half of the attrition sub-group indicating that their first course turned out to be not what they wanted, and over 40 per cent of the attrition sub group indicating that wanting to get a job, apprenticeship or traineeship was a consideration in their decision to leave the higher education sector. Students less commonly cited academic difficulties, difficulties juggling work and study, or financial difficulties as their main reason for changing courses or leaving higher education.

Destinations of young people who leave the higher education sector

Having identified which students change or discontinue their university studies, the research then turned to examining the further education or employment pathways taken by members of the attrition sub-group. Leaving the higher education sector before the completion of a qualification did not signify the end of education and training for the one-third of the attrition sub-group who moved to the VET sector.

Analysis of the destinations of the attrition sub-group showed that most of the group were faring well. The majority were engaged in full-time vocational education, training or labour market activities by the age of 20. Not all were faring as well, however, with just under one-quarter engaged in part time work or study, unemployed or outside of the labour market.

Conclusions

What did we learn from this study? The findings presented in the report suggest that course change or attrition can actually be a positive outcome for some students and should not necessarily be regarded as failure or a waste of talent. Some course change and attrition may be viewed as part of a settling-in period in the transition from school to higher education as students discover where their interests lie. The high proportion of course changers moving to new fields of education and the high proportion of young people who indicated that their first course turned out to be not what they wanted, suggests the need for students to have better access to course and career information prior to entry to tertiary study, or possibly even the need for generalist first year courses.

Course change or attrition can be a positive outcome for some students. Students are more likely to change course or leave university in order to pursue their interests than because of academic or financial difficulties, course change may be protective against attrition, and the majority of those who leave higher education before completing a qualification subsequently enter full-time vocational education, training or employment. However, not all course change and attrition can be viewed in such positive terms. A very small proportion of students experienced a highly uncertain start in the higher education sector, typified by multiple course changes or course change followed by attrition, and just under one-quarter of the attrition sub group were in activities such as part time work/study, unemployment or outside the labour market at the age of 20. Further research is required in order to ascertain the longer-term consequences of attrition from higher education.

Further information and additional findings are available in the report, Course change and attrition from higher education, by Dr Julie McMillan, research report number 39 in the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY). The report was released by ACER on 30 June 2005. Additional information about the LSAY program can be found a LSAY Website.

Print copies of the report can be purchased from ACER Press by phone on (03) 9277 5447 or by email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or order online at ACER Shop.