<p>According to USNEWS, the retention rate of UM is 96%. So that means 4% of the roughly 6000 freshmen disappear.</p>
<p>What are these roughly 240 people going? Transferring to a better school? Simply drop out?</p>
<p>I had a girl in my chem group that was in engineering. She couldn’t take it and transfered to some school in NY (home state)</p>
<p>“What are these roughly 240 people going? Transferring to a better school? Simply drop out?”</p>
<p>This is not a big deal at all. 240 out of 6000 students decide for various reasons that Michigan is not the right school for them. I do find it annoying that you seem to assume right off the bat that some are transferring to so called “better schools.”</p>
<p>Many families encounter difficulty paying Out of State tuition and have the unfortunate experience of needing to cut back/have their students transfer mid way. Happened to a friend of my son.</p>
<p>I had a couple of friends flunk out in the first year. I’m sure a minimum of 4% leave every school - homesickness, poor fit, grades, etc</p>
<p>I think it’s for various reasons. Some don’t seem to think that OOS tuition is worth it. Some don’t feel that it’s a good fit for them. Some want a program that Michigan doesn’t offer. Some people transfer to “better” schools. Some get sick or fail. If 240 people transfer I’m sure there are probably 240 reasons why.</p>
<p>I’ve met more than a few people who started off in college, then left and went into the military and came back later.</p>
<p>The main reasons I have heard: I know a few people who have dropped out because U of M was a bad fit for them. A few others simply didn’t have the money to return. 96% is an amazing retention rate.</p>
<p>i know some kid frehsmen year in my hall, he had failing grades (he smoked weed 24 7, not supervised of the outcome) and decided to transfer to a college in jersey.</p>
<p>95%-97% retention rate is the norm, even at schools like Harvard. So Michigan’s 96% retention rate is good. This said, there are many reasons why freshmen drop out from any university. The majority would fall into one (or more) of the following categories:</p>
<ol>
<li>Death in the family</li>
<li>Change in financial situation</li>
<li>Depression</li>
<li>Poor fit</li>
<li>Failing grades</li>
</ol>
<p>Transfer to another university is actually very rare as most good universities require at least 2 semesters of college grades before accepting transfers.</p>
<p>^^^^They are not usually leaving to go to “better schools.”</p>
<p>Some do rjk, but only after their sophomore year.</p>
<p>My best friend from high school flunked out after too much partying… went to a community college for two years, then finished up at MSU. I can’t think of anyone else I know right offhand who didn’t go on to graduate, although I am sure there are some I am not thinking of.</p>
<p>I know 4 people that I met this year that aren’t coming back after their freshman year. Two are leaving to attend a school closer to home, one for financial reasons, and one because it wasn’t a good fit. Theres always gonna be a few kids who are better suited elsewhere.</p>
<p>knew a kid across the hall who had poor grades. transfered to OU after one semester.</p>