Most first year students at technology colleges are unprepared for the challenges of third level education, a report into student dropout rates has revealed.
The report, examining attitudes and behaviour of students entering Institutes of Technology, found most students had considered dropping out of college at some stage during their first year. Almost 36 per cent said they felt "lost" when they began their studies, while 74.8 per cent of first years said difficulty with courses or subject was the main reason they considering leaving.
The Council of Directors of the Institutes of Technology carried out the study after an earlier study showed 42.6 per cent of first year students dropped out of IT courses.
The latest report recommended the introduction of extended orientation programmes, mentoring, links with schools, pre-entry schemes, improved teaching methods and better student facilities.
Only a small number of students said they had a good understanding of the course before they entered the college, and half had particular difficulties with subjects they had not studied before.
A significant dissatisfaction with the level of lab access (33.3 per cent) and availablity of computers (41.2 per cent), the report said. A third of students also said tutorials required improvement (34 per cent).
The examination of 1,351 students in 2001 showed that while 75 per cent of students were glad they had enrolled with their particular college, 77.1 per cent felt college cost more than they had expected.
Two-thirds of students said they had a paid job while in college though over half said their job had no impact on their studies.