ASAP Plan

1. Work with Chicago Public Schools High School counselors and college coaches to identify interested candidates who are committed to college and would benefit from this program.

2. Provide encouragement for students to stay in school and believe in themselves. Uplift the possibilities that come with a college degree, and support student success into sophomore year.

3. Expect scholars to take at least 12 hours of credits per term and maintain at least a C average as documented by an unofficial transcript with personal information displayed.

4. $500 payments are made twice a year (Fall and Spring semesters or Fall and Winter quarters) for unrestricted needs.

5. Expect correspondence from college to ASAP email addresses.

6. Use the industry-standard Zelle® for easy, immediate, and direct payments using scholar’s checking account to promote financial management.

7. Establish on-going events to network scholars in Austin.

8. Seek college and career mentors for scholars, as available.

9. Expand on-line communications with website, newsletter, & Google Group.

Preventing College Dropout

Rate Statistics from Education Data Initiative as of October 29, 2023 https://educationdata.org/college-dropout-rates

1. First-time undergraduate first-year students have a 12-month dropout rate of 24.1%.

2. Among first-time bachelor’s degree seekers, 25.7% ultimately drop out; among all undergraduate students, up to 40% drop out.

3. 40 million Americans were college dropouts in July 2021; 864,824 of them re-enrolled that fall.

4. College dropouts make an average of 35% less income than bachelor’s degree holders.

5. College dropouts are 20% more likely to be unemployed than any degree holder.

6. There is a lower percentage of college dropouts between the ages of 35 and 64 than under 35. 

7. Until 24 years old, men exhibit higher rates of dropout, whereas, after the age of 25, women tend to be more prevalent in their dropout rate.

8. Most college students who drop out of school do so in the first academic year.

9. Between the fall semesters of 2021 and 2022, 28.9% of all first-time, full-time first-year students dropped out of college.

10. At 4-year institutions, 24.4% of first-time, full-time college first-year students dropped out between 2022 and 2023.

11. For-profit schools have the lowest dropout rate among all first-time first-year students, with 1.63% of students dropping out between the fall semesters of 2022 and 2023.

12. Public schools have the highest dropout rate of 16%. 

13. Asian students have a 2.6% dropout rate, which is the third lowest among ethnic demographics.

14. American Indian/Alaska Natives have a 1.1% dropout rate, which is the second lowest among ethnic demographics.

15. Black students have a dropout rate of 14.4%.

16. White students are the most likely to drop out, at 33.4% compared to all other college dropouts.

17. Black men and women are equally likely to drop out of a degree-granting institution. 

18. White men are more likely to drop out of degree-granting institutions than white women, with dropout rates of 17.3% vs. 15.2%, respectively.

Illinois College Dropout Rates

Rate Statistics from Education Data Initiative as of October 29, 2023 https://educationdata.org/college-dropout-rates

The college dropout or SCND (some college with no degree) rate in Illinois is just above the national average.

1. 190,536 of Illinois residents are SCND (some college with no degree).

2. New Illinois dropouts make up 7.6% of the nationwide SCNDs (some college with no degree). 

3. College dropouts who go back and complete their degree in Illinois make up 7.9% of the national completer population. 

4. 127,986 freshmen enrolled to college in Illinois in 2022. 

5. 0.5% of all college dropouts live in Illinois. 

6. 1,949 SCNDs (some college with no degree) under 25, 1,777 between 25-34 years old, and 619 from 45-64-year-olds re-enroll in college after dropping out. 

Analysis: Why Are Students Leaving College?

Attending college generally requires sacrifices. Students who drop out typically do so because they feel these sacrifices (which may include hunger and homelessness) are not worth the potential benefits of a degree.

For example, 42% of college dropouts indicate they left due to financial reasons. Financial sacrifice and related stress are among the most common reasons former students give for dropping out. Rising tuition rates outpace currency inflation and the increasing cost of living. For most students, even part-time college is out of reach without financial aid; losing this aid or another source of income necessitates dropping out.

Academic disqualification and a lack of family support are both common reasons for dropping out that often relate to a lack of academic preparedness. As many as 25% of students who take standardized tests for college readiness are directed to remedial college courses. Remedial courses act as a bottleneck for students because these courses do not count for credits, delay graduation, and increase tuition costs. Fewer than 25% of college students taking remedial coursework go on to declare a major and graduate.