Student dropout in the Veterinary Science program at the National University of the Northeast

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze student attrition—classified as initial, early, and late dropout—as well as academic attrition in the Veterinary Science program at the School of Veterinary Sciences, National University of the Northeast (UNNE). The cohort consisted of students who enrolled between 2017 and 2021, and data were provided by the Department of Student Records. Academic progression was examined by year of admission, classifying students as either active or dropout cases. Initial dropout was defined as failure to pass the program´s first course. Active students were categorized according to their academic year, based on completed coursework and the official system of prerequisites. The analysis cut-off date was September 2022. During the study period, an average of 499 students enrolled each year, and an average of 243 discontinued their studies, resulting in a mean dropout rate of 49%, with annual values ranging from 43% (2021) to 59% (2017). Thirty-nine percent of incoming students—equivalent to eight out of every ten dropouts—failed to pass Introduction to Basic Sciences. This finding underscores the need to differentiate initial dropouts, typically associated with factors such as relocation, inadequate vocational guidance, or insufficient academic preparation for university-level demands, from early or late dropout, which is more often related to personal decisions, economic limitations, or specific academic difficulties. The key distinction among these categories lies in the timing of withdrawal: initial dropout occurs before students become integrated into the university environment, whereas early and late dropout take place once the training process is already in progress or even close to completion.