How Academic Failures Break Up Friendship Ties: Social Networks and Retakes

Abstract

Student academic failures have been traditionally explained by their abilities, socioeconomic status, institutional and social environment. However, the same factors are ignored by researchers when it comes to students at risk of dropping out. Using data about dynamic social networks, we study changes in the status of students with retakes. It was revealed that over time students with low academic achievements become socially isolated that increases their risk of dropping out. The article offers recommendations on surmounting such isolation and contributes to studies of social engagement of students in institutional and social environment.

Keywords

• higher education
• social networks
• academic achievement
• engagement
• academic failure
• dropout
• social isolation
• group dynamics