A study on the causes, consequences, and prevention of college student dropouts in Japan

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26780474
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sociology of education
• Research Institution: National Institute for Educational Policy Research (2015-2017); Hitotsubashi University (2014)
• Principal Investigator: HOZAWA Yasuo 国立教育政策研究所, 高等教育研究部, 総括研究官 (00511966)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 中途退学 / 大学生 / 中退 / 高等教育 / 教育政策 / 奨学金 / 所得 / 教員・学生比率

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, a time series data set on the dropout rates of college students in Japan was analyzed to explore the factors affecting dropout behaviors and to examine the effects of the policies and practices for the reduction of dropouts, such as financial aid and the improvement of learning environments. The analysis clarified that the dropout rates of college students were decreased by the increase in family income, relative wage of college graduates, rate of financial aid receipt, and college selectivity, and by the improvement of student-faculty ratio.
To investigate the socioeconomic impacts of dropping-out for individuals, an analysis of the Japanese General Social Survey was conducted. This analysis revealed that male college dropouts earned nearly as much income as high school graduates but that the variation of income among college dropouts was large.

Free Research Field

高等教育論、教育政策論