TEMPE, Ariz. (Oct. 2, 2019) – A new study from the market research team at Zion & Zion, a top-ranked, full-service, national marketing agency, investigated the reasons why college students withdraw from classes. The study found that class type, student interest and grades are key drivers of course withdrawal.
The findings of Zion & Zion’s research have implications for the managing and marketing of colleges:
- 50% of students receiving a poor grade in a boring class say they are likely to drop the course, but only 24% of students getting a good grade in a boring class are likely to do so.
- 45% of students getting a poor grade in an elective class are likely to drop the course, compared to 25% of students getting a poor grade in a required course.
- Students with an unknown grade in an interesting or required class are less likely to drop than those with a good grade in a boring class.
The full research report is available here: How Do Grades and Class Type Affect Course Withdrawal?
To better understand the reasons for student class withdrawals, Zion & Zion conducted a nationwide survey of 1,200 college students in two groups: current freshmen and sophomores at four-year colleges and universities, and students in their first year at a two-year community or junior college. Authors of the study are Aric Zion, MS and Thomas Hollmann, MBA, PhD.