20% of new students dropping out, says report

One in five students starting full-time courses this September will drop out, according to figures unveiled by the National Audit Office today.
But the number of students that stay on at university in the UK compares favourably with most other countries. ……..there is a "strong likelihood that new full-time undergraduates on higher education courses will stay on and complete their studies". But more support is needed for all students, especially those studying part-time, who face particular challenges and are more likely to drop out. …..around 28,000 full-time and 87,000 part-time undergraduates who started university in 2004-05 did not continue to a second year of study.………Student retention rates vary between institutions, depending on factors such as how well students did in their previous studies and whether they are studying full or part-time.…… UK is fifth worldwide in terms of "international survival rates" in 2004, behind Japan, Ireland, Korea and Greece but well above the US, Australia and Germany.…But nearly a fifth of institutions found their retention rates at least two percentage points below their benchmark. [View Full Article]