The decision to dropout of university studies: descriptive analysis of students’ academic trajectories
本研究通过分析33名西班牙大学生的经历，发现辍学决策受信息不足、入学准备欠缺、个人关系困难及学业表现等多因素影响，且第一年辍学率最高，为高校制定预防措施提供参考。
One of the phenomena of greatest concern in higher education is academic dropout, due to the negative repercussions it has for the student, the family, the institution and society in general. It has been observed that the decision to drop out is preceded by a series of circumstances that occur over the course of training programmes. As it is a multi-causal problem, the aim of this qualitative study, with a sample of 33 students from various Spanish universities, was to analyse how the decision to drop out is constructed and what factors are behind it. The outcomes confirm that the dropout rate was higher in the first year of university studies. As for the most prominent factors associated with dropping out during the course of education, the study highlights the lack of information and lack of preparation with which students faced the transition to university, academic changes and personal and relational difficulties at the time of entry, and motivation, satisfaction and academic performance during undergraduate studies. The results of the research are relevant for planning preventive educational and guidance measures to reduce the impact of this phenomenon.