// THESIS GUIDANCE PORTAL · Education

Causes of Higher-Education Dropout Among First-Generation Students

Level: Bachelor, MasterDifficulty: Intermediate

1. Introduction & Problem Statement

Overview: Study of socioeconomic and institutional dropout factors at TU-affiliated colleges.

Background Context (Nepal): First-generation college students at Tribhuvan University (TU) affiliated campuses experience high attrition rates due to financial pressure, academic misalignment, and lack of institutional mentorship.

2. Research Objectives

›Identify primary socioeconomic drivers (family debt, foreign labor pressure, job obligation) forcing college dropout
›Evaluate academic institutional factors (exam delays, English language medium barrier, unapproachable faculty)
›Compare dropout intention rates between first-generation vs non-first-generation undergraduate students
›Assess psychological impact of campus isolation and academic self-efficacy among rural migrant students
›Propose campus-level student retention and peer mentorship program guidelines for TU colleges

3. Proposed Methodology

Ex-post facto survey and tracer study covering 150 former and current students across 4 constituent TU campuses
Tinto's Institutional Departure Model adapted as theoretical research framework
Binary Logistic Regression analysis identifying key predictors of college non-completion
In-depth qualitative narrative interviews with 12 dropped-out first-generation students
Comparative statistical analysis using Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney U non-parametric tests in SPSS

$ Worked Example / Sample Scenario

Sample Scenario: Surveying 150 students across TU campuses reveals that first-generation rural students face a 2.8 times higher dropout risk, primarily driven by exam schedule delays extending 3-year degrees into 5 years.

4. Thesis Chapter-by-Chapter Outline

Chapter 1: IntroductionTU/KU standard

Background, problem statement, research questions, objectives, scope, limitations, and significance of the study

Chapter 2: Literature ReviewTU/KU standard

Theoretical framework, conceptual models, previous empirical studies in Nepal and developing nations, Tinto's Student Integration Model, social capital theory, and higher education studies in Nepal, and gap analysis

Chapter 3: Research MethodologyTU/KU standard

Research design, population/sampling framework, data collection instruments, analytical tools, and ethical considerations

Chapter 4: Data Analysis & ResultsTU/KU standard

Empirical findings, statistical testing, model estimations, logistic regression odds ratios, dropout risk factor tables, and qualitative narrative summaries, and detailed discussion

Chapter 5: Conclusion & RecommendationsTU/KU standard

Summary of key findings, theoretical contributions, policy recommendations, and future research directions

5. Recommended Tools & Technologies

To implement the practical, technical, or analytical portions of this thesis topic, the following software tools, libraries, or APIs are recommended:

SPSSMS ExcelGoogle Forms

6. Core References & Academic Sources

[1]University Grants Commission (UGC Nepal) — Annual Higher Education Reports
[2]Tribhuvan University — Planning Directorate Education Statistics
[3]Higher Education / Springer — Student persistence and dropout in developing nations

7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What defines a first-generation college student?

A student whose parents have not completed a formal undergraduate bachelor's degree.

Q: What is Tinto's Student Integration Model?

Vincent Tinto's model explains that college departure results from lack of academic integration (grades, intellectual growth) and social integration (peer relations, faculty interaction).

Q: Where can I get higher education statistics in Nepal?

The University Grants Commission (UGC Nepal) publishes annual 'Education Information System' reports detailing enrollment and pass percentages.

Q: What non-parametric test compares two independent student groups?

The Mann-Whitney U test compares ordinal or non-normally distributed survey scores between first-gen and non-first-gen students.