Ethnic Minorities’ Dropout Decisions in Higher Education

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to examine theoretical views on minority dropout decisions in higher education. This integrative review demonstrates that the dropout issue is highly complex and is comprised of different definitions and characteristics. It is required that educators clearly define the term. The review’s findings also show that minority students’ decisions to drop out from higher education involve factors of three different dimensions: psychological, physical, and environmental factors. Institutional support is necessary to assist minority students in their educational attainment. The review concludes that future research will be key in further exploring the issue of minority dropout.

Keywords

• dropout decisions
• ethnic minorities
• higher education
• minority dropout