Why students withdraw or continue their educational careers: a closer look at differences in study approaches and personal reasons

The central goal of this study is to gain insight into students' study approach, their personal reasons and the relations between them regarding students who continue or withdraw from the educational system within one year. Results of our questionnaire study show that students who continue their educational careers show higher scores on a meaningful integrative study approach when entering higher education, than students who withdraw. Our questionnaire on personal reasons for withdrawal revealed three scales: (1) perception and experience of educational and organisational aspects, (2) pragmatic and personal circumstances, and (3) loss of interest in the future occupations. Personal reasons for continuing also produced three scales: (1) perception and experience of learning environment quality, (2) pragmatic and personal orientation, and (3) future occupational identity. Withdrawing students' scores on meaningful integrative study approach are negatively related to perception and experience of educational and organisational aspects, whereas the superficial study approach positively correlates with pragmatic and personal circumstances. With regard to students who continue, high scores on the meaningful integrative study approach relate positively to all three reasons: future occupational identity, perception and experience of learning environment quality and pragmatic and personal orientation.