Student retention in higher education in Turkey: A qualitative study

The purpose of this article is to investigate student perceptions of college departure in three state universities in Turkey. Since the beginning of the 1990s, higher Education System in Turkey went through a massification of higher education. The rapid growth brought enrollment and dropout issues in the system. A total of 58 participants were included in the qualitative study. Of the 58 participants, 35 students were later enrolled at various other programs. Twenty-three students did not drop out. Results indicated that student retention has been an uncharted territory in Turkey. High levels of dropouts lead to inefficiencies in the higher education system.