Stop-Out or Drop-Out? An Examination of College Withdrawals and Re-Enrollments

The withdrawal policies of many universities are based on the supposition that being able to withdraw without grade point repercussions will encourage students to return to the institution at a later date. This study focused on withdrawing students and examined the differences between those who re-enroll after a withdrawal and those who do not. About one-third of withdrawing students did re-enroll. Although intentions to return were related to re-enrollment behaviors, respondents were not always accurate in their predictions. Numerous differences were also found between those who did re-enroll and those who did not, including educational goals, work commitments, adjustment issues, health-related problems, and participation levels. The results suggest that the distinction between drop-outs and stop-outs may further our understanding of student retention issues.