Factors Affecting Attrition among First Year Computer Science Students: the Case of University of Latvia

Abstract

<p class="R-AbstractKeywords"><span lang="EN-GB">The purpose of our study was to identify reasons for high dropout of students enrolled in the first year of the computer science study program to make it possible to determine students, who are potentially in risk. Several factors that could affect attrition, as it was originally assumed, were studied: high school grades (admission score), compensative course in high school mathematics, intermediate grades for core courses, prior knowledge of programming. However, the results of our study indicate that none of the studied factors is determinant to identify those students, who are going to abandon their studies, with great precision. The majority of the studied students drop out in the 1st semester of the 1st year, and the dropout consists mostly of those, who do not really begin studies. Therefore, one of the main conclusions is such that the planned activities of informing about the contents of the program should be carried out, and the perspective students should be offered a possibility to evaluate their potential to study computer science before choosing a study program. </span></p>

Computer Programming Aptitude Test as a Tool for Reducing Student Attrition

“…According to the conclusions of the primary study of the distribution of students [1], a majority of students really do not begin studies, therefore, activities targeting both "early" dropped out students and applicants are considered. Several ideas are planned to be studied further, for example, the possibility for students to assess themselves their suitability for a chosen field of study, by offering a variety of self-assessment tests -personality tests, logic tests, mathematics tests.…”

“…Therefore, analysing students by the mathematics knowledge aptitude indicator, it is more important to analyse further exactly the weakest, less suitable, group of students, to plan further support activities. However, as a study of dropout showed [1], there is also a high dropout rate among students with more than 700 points, which is why the pre-enrolment activities aimed at prevention of dropout due to other reasons, including the wrong choice, are recommended to be conducted among this group of students as well.…”

“…Therefore, some of the results are described at a glance, which could be used to distinguish separate student subgroups that could benefit from different supportive activities to reduce dropout. The full results of the dropout study can be found at the paper [1].…”

“…To reduce the attrition, it was decided initially to perform a research about the factors influencing the attrition in Faculty of Computing at the University of Latvia [1]. Our study investigated students enrolled into the computer science bachelor and programmer professional programs in one year (2013).…”

“…The results of the study in more detail can be found in [1]. Further, a short summary of the main conclusions is given to justify the choice of appropriate solutions to reduce the attrition.…”