Critical Appraisal of Student Dropout and Factors Affecting the Retention in Higher Education: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The growing concern about student dropout rates in higher education institutions has prompted researchers to identify key factors influencing student persistence and success. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to provide a critical appraisal of student dropout in higher education, identify approaches to addressing it and model the factors leading to student discontinuation from the academic program. In total, 84 research studies using the keywords student, dropout and higher education were identified in Scopus, Web of Science and the Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC) database. Of these 84 studies, 34 were excluded due to irrelevant content. As a result, 57 research studies were identified and screened. A total of 34 full-text research manuscripts were discovered during the search. Of these 34 studies, 12 were reviewed for the problem statement, methodology, main results, conclusion and gaps. Comprehensive meta-analysis V4 was used and the prediction interval for student dropout was 0.345 [0.074-0.778]; however, no significant publication bias was found in the included studies. Student dropout rate in the first year of enrollment was 0.353 [0.001-0.997]. The synthetic results showed that the leading factors in student dropout were low entry grades, curriculum type (such as longer-duration programs) and gender-based choice in adapting to the program, student performance and socio-economic conditions. Overall, the synthesis of these studies underscores the necessity for integrated strategies that combine predictive analytics with theoretical insights to improve student retention and success in higher education.