Despite the substantial efforts made by higher education institutions to reduce dropout rates, a considerable proportion of students still discontinues their initial study program. In view of this situation, the present study aims to investigate whether participation in first-year courses for personal and academic support goes along with a…

Marginalized boys at risk of dropping out of high school have for a long time been a problem in the Western world. 100 such Danish 14-16 year old boys were in the summers of 2013, 2014 and 2015 exposed to a new school program, "The Boys Academy," inspired by Seligman and the American KIPP schools suggesting seven character strengths to…

A two-year study of 57 nontraditional disadvantaged students in a preuniversity summer school found that success could not be predicted by family and educational background. Dropouts were less motivated and less suited to academic work and had poorer attitudes, whereas persisters were highly motivated and integrated into the institution. (SK)