I was surprised recently at two reasons given for college drop outs and I am not sure I can agree with the rationale, based on what we know about the human brain and about learning. Why do you think people give up and drop out of college classes you’ve attended?

I mean, what are the real - and often unexamined - reasons?

When asked why the 40% of students at University of Phoenix dropped out of college, the University president, Dr William Pepicello said in a CNN.Com interview… “The two largest reasons they give us are, No. 1, financial and No. 2, life gets in the way. For adult students, obviously that makes sense.”

That comment interested me about the notion of dropping out and I saw connections in the minds of adult students that they and we might be missing. Why do you tend to drop out of things you start…?

Let’s start with Bill Pepicello’s first reason - more money needed. Then let’s assume adult students have only enough money to do the things that most interest or benefit them most. It seems to me that more students would spend their money to stay in school if they…

- Saw deep meaning and satisfaction modeled by faculty who use approaches best suited to engage the adult brain.

The second reason given for students who drop out, had to do with “life getting in their way.” Do you agree? It seems to me, that when people are distracted by the stressors and difficulties of life, they are ripe to learn how to deal with stress …

- To build new neuron pathways for high-performance minds that operate without stress and draw from stress free strategies.

If I take the president’s reasons seriously, I’d have to also say that those who drop out - would stay in if they had money and stress free lives. Do you see any problem with that reasoning?

How could adult students find more motivation and achievement to succeed in our halls of academe, as you see it?
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About the Author :
Story found at - http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2006/10/why_are_they_dropping_out_of_c.html. Dr. Ellen Weber (PhD). Daily tips for Business leaders at Ellen’s blog: www.BrainBasedBusiness.com Daily tips to activate the Baby Boomer Mind at www.brainboomer.com. MITA Brain Based Center Web Site to help Business and Education Leaders at www.mitaleadership.com .

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