There is little to no academic difference between the people who complete their degrees and those who drop out as measured by their GRE scores and undergraduate grades. Some students drop out because they know or heard about new Ph.D.'s who couldn't find jobs Some fellowship recipients are so unconnected with academic culture that they violate university regulations and secretly take an outside job while receiving their fellowship checks. Students are effectively discouraged from voicing complaints while they are still actively enrolled Accumulated silence of previous "dropouts" reinforces the view faculty prefer to hold: the problem is with the student, not the program.
Survey of Graduate Enrollment ▪ 2% increase in 2007 ▪ Minority growth has been concerted for African Americans (from 8 to 13 percent of the total grad student population) and Hispanic students (from 5 to 8 percent of the total). The basic problems: ▪ Number of minority students who attend college is low ▪ Dropout occurs in graduate school
The Bruin, November 17,2008
10% of U.S. residents currently hold master’s or doctoral degrees. ▪ Fewer than 5% of African Americans and 3% of Latinos are master’s or doctoral recipients (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). ▪ Minorities are less likely to aspire to attend graduate school, are less likely to complete high school, and are less likely to attend four- year colleges immediately after finishing high school.
November 30, 2007 Insidehighered.com U.S. Graduate Enrollment by Racial/Ethnic Group, Fall 2006
Reasons for not completing Graduate School Underutilized Resources Lack of support – Mentor
New Start Summer Program Hispanic News The University Record, November 19, 1996 Minority enrollment figures reach highest numbers ever In graduate school, Boost for minorities The Hidden Crisis in Graduate Education: Attrition From Ph.D. Programs Provost's group to review minority grad student issues Minorities discuss lack of diversity in grad school ck.Of.Diversity.In.Grad.School shtml