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Students entering college today have plenty on their minds already, such as debt and landing a job when they get out. Now, add one more fear to the list: worries about dropping out.
Only 52 percent of students said they were "very confident" they won't permanently withdraw from college.
More than half of prospective students believe there is a chance they won't finish college, according to a new report from Allianz Global Assistance.
The most likely reasons? A family emergency, stress, and mental and physical health, the survey found. The findings are based on a poll in May of 2,004 college students, prospective college students, and their parents.
Full-time enrollment immediately after high school no longer makes up the majority of college students, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
And only a minority of students, about 35 percent, graduate within four years of enrollment, said Mark Schneider, a vice president at the American Institutes for Research. Less than three-quarters graduate within six years, he said, which can lead to a situation where a student has taken on debt but does not end up with the skills and higher wages a degree might bring.