Close but no credit : a mixed-methods study of the who, what, and why of late course withdrawal

Course withdrawals result in the average college student taking 13 more credit hours to graduate than needed. Also, course withdrawals cost the U.S. $6.5 billion annually. This tremendous waste causes decreases in available seats and funding for incoming students. However, there are fewer than twenty peer-reviewed studies on course withdrawal over the past fifty years. This study builds on prior research to broaden the field of retention literature. Considering that course withdrawal is likely a sign of academic or personal struggle, higher education professionals should view a course drop as a risk factor for attrition. Further, by understanding the course withdrawal experience, administrators can predict which students might consider withdrawing from a course and deploy preventive measures in a timely fashion. Public Research University (PRU) permits undergraduate students to drop a course after the standard drop deadline and up until the last day of classes once during their degree. This seven-year-old Late Course Withdrawal (LCW) policy has not been analyzed qualitatively to date, and only one prior study examined the timing aspect of course withdrawal. This study employed a sequential, mixed-methods design within a phenomenometric methodology to identify how LCW relates to on-time (four-year) graduation, which students are more likely to use the LCW, which courses students are more likely to use the LCW to drop, and why students use their LCW. Statistical analyses — primarily stepwise logistical regressions — revealed that LCW usage, particularly in the first year, was related to a reduced likelihood of on-time graduation. Male students, students of color, students with lower SAT scores, students in STEMB colleges, and students in the undecided, undeclared college were more likely to use their LCW in the first two years of college. Students with lower cumulative GPAs were more likely to use their LCW in every semester. LCWs were more likely to be used on STEMB courses and non-major-department courses. Focus group participants identified thirty-five reasons for dropping courses, including nine reasons specifically related to using their LCW. Both sets of reasons fall under five larger areas for intervention: instructional support, advising support, health/wellbeing support, learning support, and administrative support. Every participant noted multiple reasons for withdrawal indicating interactive effects between reasons. The findings of this study translate into recommendations for practice and future research that will help reduce the incidence of late course withdrawals.