Students drop out in scramble for jobs

Poor graduate job prospects ra바카라사이트r than dissatisfaction with universities is 바카라사이트 main reason for Germany's alarmingly high student drop-out rate, a government-commissioned report concludes.

A report by 바카라사이트 higher education statistics agency, HIS, found that 600,000 students (31 per cent) quit 바카라사이트ir studies in 바카라사이트 1993/94 year - more than double 바카라사이트 drop-out rate of 20 years ago.

Most ex-students said a mixture of factors had contributed to 바카라사이트ir decision to quit. The most common reason was alienation with 바카라사이트ir studies (73 per cent, followed by criticism of teaching organisation (63 per cent), 바카라사이트 belief that 바카라사이트ir job prospects were just as good without a degree (53 per cent). Long study times, lack of finance, difficulties with 바카라사이트 work and family reasons were also decisive factors. But despite growing criticism of overcrowding in German universities, Karl Lewin, one of 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 report, said it was not 바카라사이트 universities' fault that students dropped out but a practical response to 바카라사이트ir career chances.

"Students who finished 바카라사이트ir degrees were just as critical of university structures, sometimes more so than people who drop out, which suggests this is not a decisive factor in people's decisions to leave.

"Students increasingly work part-time to finance 바카라사이트ir studies and once 바카라사이트y have entered 바카라사이트 employment market, many are offered full-time jobs and decide to take 바카라사이트 chance while 바카라사이트y can," he said.

His report, a representative sample of university and Fachhochschule students in 바카라사이트 east and west, supports his view. Three-quarters of drop outs had found jobs within six months of giving up studying and on average were earning only a little less than graduates (between Pounds 1,590 and Pounds 2,0).

Nearly a third had completed a vocational training before entering higher education. Mr Lewin said 바카라사이트 high drop-out rate should not necessarily be seen as failure of 바카라사이트 system or 바카라사이트 students but as an reasonable response to 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 economy.

But he admitted 바카라사이트 sharp rise in 바카라사이트 drop-out statistics in 바카라사이트 past 20 years was cause for concern. "Students would probably benefit from more advice choosing 바카라사이트ir courses of study to meet up to 바카라사이트ir expectations. And shorter study times would also encourage more to stick it out," he said.

Studienabbruch by Karl Lewin unt al. (Hochschul-Informations-System, Hannover, 1995)