School Dropout in the Careers in Biological Sciences of the National University of Tucumán. Decade 1991-2001

Abstract

This paper presents an approach to the identification of aspects associated with the school dropout of the careers of teachers and bachelors in Biological Sciences during the period 1991-2001 in the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the National University of Tucumán, Argentina. The study population consisted of students enrolled in these careers during the years 1990 and 1991 (bachelor's degree) and during the year 1996 (faculty).  The Likert scale was used as an instrument to measure favorable, unfavorable, and neutral attitudes toward careers.  The results indicate that the reasons given for dropping out of studies are related to personal causes (73%), 9% alleged economic problems and 5% discrimination problems.  Interestingly, our data indicate that the percentage of students who cite personal causes shows a very irregular record of academic performance.