Identifying Factors Affecting College Students' Academic Success and Failure

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors related to academic achievement and dropout among the students of Yazd University. The research method was descriptive-survey. The study population consisted of all senior students of Yazd University in Humanities (616 students). Using the Morgan table, 242 students were selected by random sampling. The research tools were two questionnaires of academic success and failure factors.Show moreShow lessThe validity of the questionnaires was determined by the opinions of six faculty members of Yazd University. A high Cronbach's alpha value of 0.7 for different constructs indicated the optimum reliability of the questionnaires. Data were analyzed at two levels of descriptive and inferential using the one sample t-test, Independent sample t-test and Friedman test. The findings showed that the factors shaping students' academic success include interest in the field of study, parental understanding, motivation, teacher proficiency, teacher-student interaction, content appealing, content relevance to real needs, familiarity with the job market, and ability to communicate scientifically with professors and classmates. Show moreShow lessFactors causing the students to drop out include lack of prior study in the classroom, lack of a regular study schedule, lack of focus on study, difficult exams, textbook complexity, lack of relevance of the needs to the courses, unfamiliarity with the labor market and inability to communicate scientifically. Based on the findings, the study suggests introducing students to how to study effectively, familiarize them with the applied disciplines, and the future job market, and a more effective communication with the university counseling centers.