Kindly strangers and/or convicted felons might have been telling you to “Stay in school, kids” for years, but heaps of us didn’t actually listen.
Turns out, one in five Australian university students are dropping out in their first year of study. Reasons cited are less of the one-too-many goon-induced hangovers, and more of the “wait, why did I choose these subjects again? WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE?”
[Exits Stage Left Into Uni Bar]
Srsly, though, uni students are actually dropping out at alarming rates because they don’t like the subjects they chose, which is the punchline nobody wanted to the cruel joke that is asking 17 and 18 yr olds to make HUGE decisions about the rest of their life while still in high school where they need permission to do something simple like go to the bathroom.
Other, slightly more depressing reasons include financial hardship, failing courses, and class sizes. Stressing over a uni workload is part of every uni student’s vernacular, but when it translates into dropping out of the entire course, it’s time to start taking things seriously. As for financial hardship, well – at least the Federal Budget announced it was lowering the time young people had to wait before going on the dole from six months to four weeks, but is it enough? Probs not. (Still catching up? Pedestrian’s Budget breakdown can be found HERE.)
The data broke down drop out rates by states and universities. Take a look at it yourself below, but Northern Territory leads the way in drop out rates at a staggering 28.4%, while Victorian kids are at the lowest, with just 10.6% of students dropping out.
BTW, this data doesn’t include students who transferred courses or institutions. Just your average, run-of-the-mill, don’t want to be here no more.
Students at the University of Melbourne, University of NSW, ANU, and University of Sydney can pat yourselves on the back right now and let us bask in your smugness, because you have the lowest drop out rates of anyone. (5.2%, 5.2%, 5.3%, and 5.3% respectively.)
Check it:
via SMH
