Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

May 23, 2003

Students leave because of money, class sizes

by Anne Krapfl
Money woes and large class sizes are top reasons students identify for not returning to Iowa State. The first survey of full-time freshmen who opted not to return to Iowa State for a second year was completed last fall.

The survey was created after the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, asked university officials to find out why students at each of the three regents schools don't come back for their second year. The one-year retention rate at Iowa State for the class entering in fall 2001 was 83.4 percent.

Overall, the top five "major" reasons identified by Iowa State freshmen who didn't return for a second year were: 1) increase in tuition and fees; 2) transferred to a lower-cost school; 3) classes were too large; 4) didn't achieve a feeling of belonging; and 5) emotional reasons (depression/anxiety).

Iowa State non-returning freshmen responded to the survey at a rate of 39.4 percent (247 of 627 former students contacted). Students not eligible to return to Iowa State and international students were not contacted.

Following are the four categories into which respondents were grouped and the top reasons identified within each group for not returning to Iowa State:

Iowa residents not on academic probation (139 respondents)		Non-residents not on academic probation (78 respondents)
1. Classes were too large		1. Transferred to a lower-cost school
2-3 (tie). Desired program not available		2. Increase in tuition and fees
Increase in tuition and fees		3-4 (tie). Didn't achieve a feeling of belonging
4. Didn't achieve a feeling of belonging		Didn't have enough money to continue
5. Emotional reasons (depression/anxiety)		5. Financial aid wasn't sufficient

Iowa residents on academic probation (22 respondents)		Non-residents on academic probation (8 respondents)
1. Poor academic performance		1. Transferred to a lower-cost school
2-6 (tie). Academically unprepared for courses		2-3 (tie). Classes were too large
Undecided about a major or vocation		Didn't achieve a feeling of belonging
Didn't have enough money to continue		4-6 (tie). Poor academic performance
Increase in tuition and fees		Undecided about a major or vocation
Unmotivated or tired of school		Quality of instruction didn't meet expectations

Source: October 2002 First-Year (Non-persistence) Student Survey Report