FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SCHOOL DROPOUT IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Abstract

This article investigates the factors associated with higher education dropout based on the experience of the Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul (UFFS). This quantitative study was carried out using data from a cohort of 1,391 students who entered university in 2013. The statistical investigation is conducted based on survival analysis. The main results indicate that course dropout occurs more frequently in the first year; higher grades before and during the course, social support, and entering the first course choice reduce the chances of dropout; and men and blacks drop out more frequently. More broadly, the evidence suggests that, even at a less selective federal university like UFFS, students’ socioeconomic level is not a strong predictor of course dropout.