SelfhelpMagazine

by Jeremy D. Finn, Ph.D. & Donald A. Rock, Ph.D.

Going to school, being on time and doing one's coursework can make academic success more attainable for those students who are
considered at risk for becoming a high school drop out, even if other negative influences exist, say researchers. This finding is examined in a study of academic achievement of minority students who are at high risk for dropping out of school.

Studying Drop Outs

Jeremy Finn, Ph.D. & Donald A. Rock, Ph.D. of the Educational Testing Service arrived at this conclusion by first classifying 1,803 8th-Grade through 12th-Grade African-American and Hispanic students from low-income homes. Their grades, test scores and persistence determined which group they were placed in. The authors then compared each group on their levels of self- esteem, their beliefs on whether they had control over events caused of external reasons and their engagement behaviors.

"We found that not all minority students who were at risk for school problems, because of being from a low-income home or living with one parent, drop out of school or even suffer poor performance in school." said Dr. Finn.

Avoid Being a High School Drop Out

"It seems that being involved in school outweighs other factors that might impede an at-risk student. The resilient students got good grades throughout high school, scored reasonably well on achievement tests and graduated on time with their classmates independent of their family background and their own levels of esteem or beliefs about who is responsible for their success or failures."

This is one of many studies that supports the overall findings that regardless of your social, ecomomic or ethnic background, if you can show up for school, do your homework, participate in class, get involved in school activities after school and make school a priority, chances are good that you will graduate with your class and avoid being a drop out. The greater your chance of finishing high school, the greater is your chance of finding a satisfying job, career or profession.

Reference:

"Academic Success Among Students at Risk for Dropout" by Jeremy D. Finn, Ph.D. & Donald A. Rock, Ph.D., Educational Testing Service, in Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 82, No. 2.

This information received from the American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC.