Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Links found between university drop-out rates and student behavioural preferences
The latest report from the Social Market Foundation (SMF) shows a rise in national university drop-out rates from 6.6% in 2011-12 to 7.4% in 2014-15 and identifies the need to manage the rise of withdrawals.
A study of first-year students at Leeds Beckett University used psychometric assessments to measure the behavioural preferences of students to explore the relationship with university withdrawal in the first year of study.
Using the results of the Personal Profile Analysis (PPA), a behavioural assessment tool, the study found that students who withdrew were more likely to have a preference for detailed instructions and procedures and a tendency to be reserved and quiet. The transition into higher education can fundamentally change the student experience with new teaching styles, focused on self-directed learning, and a requirement to build new social and support networks. The findings suggest that students who find it more difficult to adjust to these changes might have an increased likelihood of withdrawing.
The research further showed a relationship between student pathways and university success, with students who moved to the university from further away achieving higher grades.
As a result of the findings, Leeds Beckett University has been able to identify the factors that may contribute to student attrition and generate more targeted interventions. Additionally, the PPA helps develop students’ confidence and self-awareness of strengths by detailing their behavioural preferences. This information also assists tutors to understand the values, motivations and fears of their students enabling them to provide personalised support for students.
Claire Aydogan, Head of Careers at Leeds Beckett University commented: “Utilising the PPA has brought many benefits to Leeds Beckett students. First and foremost, enabling our students to clearly articulate to potential employers what skills and strengths they can bring to organisations. Most importantly it has enabled us to identify several students who needed additional support and would have been at risk of withdrawing."