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Abstract
Inquiry into the issue of minority dropout is complex. This paper looks into the reasons for dropping out of higher education among Laotian Hmong minority students and further analyzes the patterns of some emergent reasons. 11 Hmong student-leavers were recruited as the key informants, using a snowball sampling technique. The participants were invited to do a self-report interview study. The paper employed a qualitative content analysis for processing the obtained data. The findings revealed a clear pattern, in which the majority of participants' reasons for dropping out fell into only one group. Furthermore, the study also found that family-related reasons appear to be the most frequently cited. A further inquiry into the subject is strongly recommended.
Keywords: Higher Education, Hmong minority, Patterns of reason, Minority dropout
Introduction
It is claimed that minority students are underrepresented and tend to lag behind their non-minority counterparts in academic achievement in higher education (Grubb, 1989; Samora, 1963; Williams, 2019; Wong & Wong, 1980). Students of minority backgrounds are the most likely to drop out prior to completing a program (Baysu & Phalet, 2012; Chen & Desjardins, 2010; Reisel & Brekke, 2010). This may reflect an inequality issue in society but a serious dropout rate also has an impact on the country's economic development (Kyophilavong et al., 2018; Rumberger, 2001; Tidwell, 1989). Knowing why students drop out can be useful in addressing educational issues (Rumberger, 2001). A high drop out rate among minority students has been an ongoing problem in many societies and this has led to extensive research literature. York et al. (1993), found several reasons why minority students drop, including poor learning ability, financial restrictions, administrative-related problems, lack of social and academic interaction, and curriculum-related problems. Meeuwisse et al. (2010) noted that minority students drop out due to several reasons, such as poor learning, worries regarding future employment, home problems, culture, and the content of education. Some other authors have assumed that high minority dropout rates are associated with their peer socialization (Nagasawa & Wong, 1999), and their social class (Bourdieu, 1984). The existing research suggests there are a multitude of factors which contribute to minority students dropping out.
The existing theoretical perspectives on minority dropout rates tend to be merged from Western contexts, which may...